Hadleigh Temple Band

Bandmaster: Ken Hillson
Guests: David Daws, Mark Norwood
Hadleight Temple
Saturday June 4th

Cornet virtuoso David Daws (Hendon Corps) was in scintillating form when he was one of the guest soloists at Hadleigh Temple. 

Playing with piano accompaniment (ably provided by Stephen Hopkins, also of Hendon) he displayed all the technical skill and musicality that have become his trademark.  Opening with what could almost be termed his signature tune, 'Golden Slippers', there was nowhere to hide, not that he would have needed to!  As Stephen coped manfully with the transcription of the band accompaniment, David simply rattled off the solo part, making light of the difficulties and almost bringing the house down as he negotiated the notorious lip slurs and the final top note.  All this in the presence of the composer, Lt Col Norman Bearcroft, currently over from his home across the Atlantic.

The other featured soloist, Mark Norwood, (vocal) from Bromley Corps, presented a range of songs, including Handel's 'Where'er you walk', Gershwin's 'I got plenty of nuttin'', 'Straighten up and fly right', as sung by Nat King Cole, and 'Empty Chairs' from the musical 'Les Miserables'.  The meditative quality of David Chaulk's setting of  'All to Jesus I surrender' was in total contrast to the humour displayed in Flanders and Swann's 'The gas man cometh' – all the more appropriate since the event's organiser, Peter Edwards, spent many years working for the Gas Board! – and his encore, 'I gotta motta' from 'The Arcadians', performed effectively with a deadpan expression in total opposition to the lyrics.

David's first contribution to the second half was Martin Cordner's arrangement of  'Mid all the traffic of the ways', coupled with Marvin Hamlisch's 'The Way we Were'.  Introducing the latter, he cited Barbara Streisand as one of his idols, having seen her in concert on a few occasions.  He also stressed his preference for music with a melody, and demonstrated that in his final choice of items, Mark Freeh's arrangement of 'Heire Kati' (complete with top "F" to finish) and David Catherwood's version of  'When I remember', written for Derick Kane – there was also a little dig that David had not yet written anything specifically for him!

As an encore, David was joined by "an up-and-coming young player" (in the words of Don Middleton, who was an able compere throughout the evening.  This was in fact Hadleigh Temple Band's Principal Cornet, Keith Johnston, and together they gave a lively account of the duet 'Happy Warriors'.

Support was provided by Hadleigh Temple Band (Bandmaster Ken Hillson), whose contributions were the march 'Concord' (Richard Spicer), 'There is a Green Hill' (Noah Bruce arr Roy Newsome), 'Nicaea' (William Himes) and two items by Leslie Condon, the march "Celebration" and the festival arrangement  'Call of the Righteous'.  They also opened the second half with Norman Bearcroft's recent march, 'True Courage' conducted by the composer, who remarked he hoped the band knew it better than he did!

Offering the vote of thanks, Retired Songster Leader Bram Chestney spoke of the name of David Daws as being "synonymous with excellence" and that had indeed been the case.  It was most illuminating to see and hear him close to, and to marvel at how effortless he made it seem, no doubt the outcome of many hours of practice.  The three soloists (Stephen had also contributed two piano solos) had complemented each other well, and the evening raised over £600 towards the development of youth work at the Corps. 

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