Pennine Brass

Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Guest Soloist: Douglas Yeo
Whiteley Hall, Chethams School of Music
Manchester
In aid of Brass Band Aid
Tuesday 23rd January

Intermittently in recent weeks, your reviewer has had the opportunity to listen to the fabulous trombone sound of Ian Bousfield on the recent CD release, ‘Pryor Engagement'.  In terms of recordings (Brett Baker apart) it struck me that I'd not heard trombone playing of the like since Doug Yeo's recording of ‘Proclamation' with Black Dyke around a decade ago now.

The opportunity to actually go and hear Doug Yeo in concert was too good an opportunity to miss and as luck would have it, the featured band was none other than 4BR's Lower Section Band of the Year for 2006 – Pennine Brass.  The concert itself had been hastily arranged between Joanne and Steve Sykes in conjunction with Ian Porthouse and Pennine Brass when the original concert with Aldbourne was cancelled due to circumstances beyond the band and Doug's control.

Whilst the audience was selective and rather intimate (some people who wanted to be present were pre-committed to rehearsals and Kylie Minogue was on next door at the M.E.N Arena) it was good to see a number of pupils from the School of Music present.  With this in mind, the atmosphere was relaxed and informal with explanations giving about some of the music and what Brass Band Aid was all about.

The one thing you can safely say about Ian Porthouse is that he's learnt from some of the best MDs in the business whilst playing at the top level and it's benefiting Pennine Brass 100%.

Ian keeps things simple with direction that's easy to follow, but the end result produces some very compact and tight ensemble playing.  It's brought them success during 2006 and whilst accolades are nice, you just sensed during this concert that there's a real hunger and sense of desire to impress even more on the concert and contest platform again this year – starting at Bradford in a few weeks time.

Pennine's programme was relatively light on the night with only a couple of substantial pieces, but there was plenty of good playing around the stand.

Heaton's march bright ‘Praise' opened the night's events, closely followed by Goff Richards' collection of tunes from the World of Disney in ‘Disney Fantasy', where the band (as does anyone that plays the piece) had enormous fun.

The traditional ‘Hine e Hine' was very easy on the ear and featured some delightful flugel playing from Craig Whitehead whilst Nathan Mills showed that's he a percussionist with a fine future ahead of him during the xylophone solo, ‘Sparx'.

James Curnow's ‘Psalm of Praise' was full of energy and poise as was ‘Strike Up the Band' whilst some of the nicest playing came from within some of the nicest music you're ever likely to hear and the ‘Allegretto' – the third movement of ‘Four Scottish Dances' by Sir Malcolm Arnold.

Laura Lea, Gavin Barr and Gemma Gould featured as a tenor horn trio in ‘Cracked Ice Rag' that led into Torstein Aagaard-Nielson's popular ‘Vitae Lux'.

Prior to the concert, the Bass trombonist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra had spent the day working with fellow trombone players from within Chets – how lucky they were get such an opportunity.

To be honest Doug Yeo probably could have played all night and no one really would have complained apart from the band and soloist perhaps.  This world-class performer (not too mention a really nice guy) gave three contrasting items that just oozed so much quality and panache.  ‘Rainy Day in Rio' was so laid back and easy on the ear whilst Adrian Drover's composition ‘Mr Nice Guy' written in tribute to George Roberts seemed almost effortless in its execution.  To finish, a real tour de force for any solo instrument, Grieg's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King', complete with full on percussion.

Peter Graham's ‘Renaissance' as a follow up work to the popular ‘Shine as the Light' concluded the concert.  As with ‘Shine as the Light', the work contains music from the pen of Joy Webb and also the tunes ‘St Francis' and ‘Laudes Domini'.  It's not easy on the lips but the band coped very well indeed with but did look glad when they'd reached the exciting climax.

Overall though an excellent night made possible by David Chatterton of Chethams, Joanne and Steve Sykes, the trombone legend, Doug Yeo and Pennine Brass with all the proceeds going to Brass Band Aid.   Congratulations go to everyone for pulling it off on the night and hopefully it can be done again soon.

Malcolm Wood

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