This was a timely reminder of what constitutes true world class performance. 

Stuck in our self-imposed bubble of contesting hyperbole we all too often forget that there are brass musicians who inhabit a completely different level of artistic brilliance.  Thankfully, for this outstanding concert we got to hear two of them at the very top of their game.

Mike Lovatt and Matthias Hofs have worked with the students at the RCM for a number of years; the benefits of which were obvious to hear as the ensemble made up of brass, string and percussion performed with an air of polished confidence throughout.

Big Fat Brass

The centre-piece was eight cracking arrangements made by Andrew Cottey of tracks made famous on the iconic Billy May ‘Big Fat Brass’ LP release from 1958. 

The originals were lost (thanks in small part to The Beatles) when the record company decided to ‘store’ them as mid 1960’s easy listening tastes in America were deemed to be changing; although Mike also revealed that May himself never quite got around to reprising them as he relaxed in retirement in California years later. 

Fitting homages

Thankfully Cottey has done a wonderful job of reviving them (the remaining four will surely follow) - from the sassy ‘Brassmans Holiday’ and the suave tonality of ‘Autumn Leaves’ to the swish ‘Love is the Thing’ and the elegant pulse of ‘The Continental’.  

Adding the wit of ‘Solving the Riddle’ and ‘Ping Pong’ to the lush chording of ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ and ‘The Invitation’ made for fitting homages to May’s very particular genius.

Thigh-rolled cigar

The large audience certainly got their money’s worth and much, much more on the night (just £5.00 a ticket) as the concert opened with a thumping ‘Bali Hai’ from ‘South Pacific’ and closed with a Cuban cracker in Colin Skinner’s throbbing arrangement of Bizet’s ‘Carmen Suite’ - which had you wanting to seek a thigh-rolled cigar as soon as you headed out of the doors into the bright London lights.  

‘Song for Fyfe’ and Gerswin’s ‘Bidin’ My Time’ were also played with understanding - the solo lines in particular delivered with accomplished aplomb by young players displaying an intuitive ear for style.  

Understated artistry

Matthias Hofs meanwhile was a study of nonchalant, understated artistry; especially with an achingly gorgeous rendition of Faure’s ‘Sicilienne’; the subtle muted colours seeping with melancholy. 

Mike Lovatt (who proved to be a compere of great dry wit) was a sizzling counterpoint when searing the eardrums in solo mode on ‘Caldereta de Llagosta’, whilst their panache laden duet on ‘The Moon Was Yellow and the Night Was Young’, as well as the elegant slow waltz of ‘Giannino Mia’ from ‘The Firefly’ made you smile in bewildered appreciation. 

At the end of a memorable evening  the audience wore smiles of satisfaction that were as long and wide as the queues for taxi cabs outside the Albert Hall just around the corner. 

Mine didn’t wear off until my train had reached Newport station. 

Iwan Fox