Success does many things: It gets you in the spotlight and talked about, whilst your reputation increases interest as well as opportunities.

That has certainly been the case with Goodwick Brass - a band that has thoroughly enjoyed the focus of attention that has come their way through their amazing success in recent years - culminating in being declared 2013 Second Section National Champion at Cheltenham.

Blueprint

Theirs is a banding blueprint to copy; one that continues to develop further by the welcome inclusion of a couple of contributions from the next generation of talented youngsters from this vibrant outpost of West Wales musical excellence. 

That long term planning has already bred impressive contesting success - and in the capable hands of MD Matthew Jenkins it shows no sign of drying up. It is certainly shown with this enjoyable release - a cracking, purpose made showcase which also includes those magical thirteen or so minutes that gained National success last Autumn.

Excellent quality

The quality of the repertoire on show is excellent (both in solo and ensemble mode), aided by an MD who belies his own youth with a musical maturity well beyond his years.
 
Each of the individual tracks demonstrates his ability to construct performances built of rock solid banding basics; warm tonality, good intonation, well balanced dynamics, sensible tempos and transparent detail.

It’s an unflashy adherence that bears the unmistakable stamp of his former mentor Dr Robert Childs - and its work wonderfully well.

Brio

It all starts with the title track, 'Champions' - although not the ubiquitous Major George Wilcocks march, but an upbeat celebratory composition by Ryan Howells, played with a lovely touch of swaggering brio.   

Elsewhere, the ability to successfully switch genres without losing focus or musicality is shown with neatly delivered renditions of music as diverse as Freddie Mercury and Lennon & McCartney to Henry Mancini and classic American folk, with a touch of jazz and even James Bond added for good measure.  

The classy stable of soloists are in fine form too, with the fizzing cornet feature 'Trumpet, Blues & Cantabile', the languid horns in 'Hey Jude', the passionate euphoniums in 'Softly As I Leave You' and the terrific trombones on 'I Will Follow Him'.

Worthy champions

Goodwick Community Band are featured in two items, but already show that they are a fertile breeding ground for flowering musical talent, whilst it is totally appropriate that the release is rounded off with the live Cheltenham recording of Kenneth Downie's 'Purcell Variations’ , which amply displays the reason why their senior counterparts were declared the most worthy of National champions. 

As does this release in fact.

Malcolm Wood

Contents

1. Champions, Ryan Howells
2. I Dreamed a Dream, Schonberg, arr. Darrol Barry
3. Trumpet Blues and Cantabile, James/Mathias, arr. Bill Geldard
4. Shenandoah, Traditional, arr. Alan Fernie
5. Skyfall, Adele, arr. Philip Sparke
6. Hey Jude, Lennon/McCartney, arr. Derek Broadbent
7. Fat Bottomed Girls, May, arr. Philip Harper
8. Softly,As I Leave You, de vita, arr. Alan Catherall
9. I Will Follow Him, Stole, arr. Goff Richards
10. Moon River, Mancini, arr. Alan Fernie
11. Sing,Sing,Sing, Prima, arr. Ray Woodfield
12. I Know Him So Well, Anderson/Rice/Ulvaeus, arr. James Howe
13. Goodwick Community Band: Hoots Mon, Robertson, arr Alan Fernie
14. Goodwick Community Band: Jambont, Jack McKensie
15. Purcell Variations,Kenneth Downie