Grimethorpe Colliery Band

Champion Brass, Phil Beck Promotions
Conductor: Garry Cutt
Uppermill Civic Hall
Saturday 22nd September

It doesn’t really matter who is conducting Grimethorpe at the moment – they’re a band worth listening too. 

Allan Withington has of course inspired the band on the contest stage with two significant wins in the past year and a mightily impressive performance at the Open where odd blips in the end proved costly in them not finishing higher than fifth. The band’s mentor, Elgar Howarth continues to maintain his links through the release of the most recent History of Brass Band CD series – the latest called ‘Classical Arrangements’ and is a CD worthy in anyone’s collection.

Garry Cutt though is a man who knows Grimethorpe inside out after a twelve year association with them. He has recently returned to the band as associate conductor and to be honest, it looked as though Garry had never been away as he seemed completely at home in front of them once more.

Each of the conductors knows of course that they are directing one of the finest brass ensembles in the world.  When Grimethorpe turn it on as they did in this concert, they are arguably the best in the business.

The old adage just never fails: ‘If you give the audience what they want, then they’ll always come back for more, time and time again’.  In actual fact it had been two years since the good folk of Saddleworth had had the opportunity to hear the band in concert and as a result the sold out signs were up and there was a real sense of excitement before a note had been blown.  As one member of the audience put it - ‘it doesn’t matter what they play, you just want to sit and listen to the sound, their technique; you just want to listen to the one of the best bands in the world’.

As for the programme, it was standard fare for Grimethorpe - pieces that have stood them in good stead for a long time and regardless of how many times the band has played them, still brings that sense of musical satisfaction to the punter as though it was the first time they’d ever heard them being played.

On a warm night in a hall, that felt like a sauna, the band got things underway with Sandy Smith’s arrangement of Jim Swearingon’s ‘Valero’ before taking Shostakovich’s ‘Festive Overture’ with it’s brisk tempo’s and rousing melodic lines at breathtaking speed. Gordon Langford’s ‘Carmen Fantasy’ contained some delightful work from Roger Webster, Kevin Crockford and Andy Holmes.

With the film ‘Brassed Off’ being filmed locally, there probably would’ve been a few disgruntled members going home disappointed if there wasn’t anything played from the film so Fucik’s ‘Florintier March’ was full of swagger and bravura whilst Percy Grainger’s ‘Londonnery Air’ contained some wonderfully controlled ensemble playing. The band rounded the first half off with a romp through the ‘Finale from William Tell’.

Five soloists were featured during the concert – it should have been six, but Roger Webster was excused, as he hadn’t been too well on the day.  Ian Shires and Kevin Crockford set the standard for the rest to follow with an exquisite performance of ‘Pei Jesu’ whilst; Martin Armstrong delivered Hugh Nash’s ‘Demelza’ in a delightfully, warm and controlled manner.

The same goes for Michael Dodd on euphonium who polished off ‘Napoli’ without breaking sweat, leaving Shaun Crowther to royally entertain the crowd with the old standard ‘Czardas’ that included some eccentric notation leaving members of the audience in fits of laughter and spontaneously persuading Mr Crowther – (a natural showman despite the serious demeanour) to ask the question ‘You didn’t laugh at him (Michael Dodd) when he was playing!’

Irving Berlin’s ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’ was just typical Grimethorpe whilst Strauss’s ‘Friekulgen Polka’ (that translates into Three Bullets) was polished off in the blink of an eye. The band really upped the ante with a cracking interpretation of ‘McArthur Park’ including a snorter of a soprano part from Kevin Crockford who was in stunning form all night.

To close, a full blooded, no holds-barred (this is how the reigning English & National Champions do it) interpretation of ‘Procession to the Minster’ where they probably could’ve heard the march just up the road in Delph! It also featured some cracking flugel work from Andy Holmes, a bass end that every band dreams off and Kevin Crockford once again being……Kevin Crockford.

With many of the audience standing to applaud and clamouring for more, it was back to ‘Brassed Off’ again and that touch of Grimethorpe swagger in R B Hall’s ‘Death or Glory’.

That was it though, a night when Grimethorpe gave an indication as to why they currently hold two major titles. By the time they go to London to defend the National trophy, trips to Switzerland and Ulverston in Cumbria will have come and gone, with audiences just enjoying a band that is worth every penny to listen to at the moment.

Malcolm Wood

^back to top