Highlights of Brass in Concert 2006

Various Bands and Soloists
DVD:WOB 121
Triple DVD

The purpose of any makeover is to create in the minds eye a new beginning – just ask Gordon Brown.  For someone like the dour, ‘prudent' ex Chancellor, the process is used to improve perception (how often did you used to see him smile?) for those who have gotten used to his usual appearance and performance over the years. If the job is done properly the transformation can be quite startling.

We also live in a world where products and services get a makeover as well, not just to breath new life into a staid product, but when done with flair and imagination, to give renewed impetus too.  If it's right, the consumer will be enticed into committing their much treasured cash without too many problems. Brass in Concert has done just that.

The process of makeover has taken two years for the flagship entertainment contest and the results have been startling in anyone's books.  The opening of The Sage on the banks of the River Tyne provided the ideal opportunity for the contest to reinvent itself and over the past couple of years the organising team and sponsors have grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

The introduction of a Gala Concert the night before the contest with a simple mandate of ‘entertain' has been a great success. The purpose also allows those bands who do make the trip from abroad the chance to gain an extra fee to cover their costs, whilst also providing them with the chance to showcase their concert talents to the full too. The unwritten rule is not to treat it as an exercise in giving their contest programme a ‘run out', so the audience can be treated to bands letting their hair down a bit and providing top notch entertainment.

If any proof that this works and works well then the invitation of Brass Band of Central Florida was it.  Not only was it a highlight of the weekend but they also gave an indication that in years to come, a British band is by no means guaranteed to be declared the winner of Brass in Concert.

Such was the quality of music on offer over the two days at The Sage the production team were faced with a dilemma of what they'd leave out from the whole event.  The end result though is a real musical feast of entertainment with a triple DVD of highlights.

The opening disc is devoted to the Gala Concert on the Saturday evening that featured (at that time) the reigning Brass in Concert Champions, Grimethorpe conducted by Steven Mead and Brass Band of Central Florida led by Michael Garasi.

Grimethorpe performed a programme that was just typical of these perennial entertainers. Jim Swearinton's ‘Valero' was followed by an energetic interpretation of the overture, ‘The Bartered Bride' which was a tasty prelude to a typical polished Roger Webster performance in ‘Concert Etude'.

Grimethorpe then delivered a no holds barred performances of ‘Slava' and the ‘March from the Appian Way', whilst sandwiched between came excellent solo performances from Kevin Crockford and Ian Shires, Shaun Crowther and Gavin Pritchard.

BBCF under Michael Garasi certainly lived up to the expectations of them prior to the weekend.  Quite simply, they left the audience practically speechless at the end of their programme that gained them a standing ovation.

Settle back then and enjoy ‘Fanfare for the Common Man',  a fine performance of ‘Scherzo for Trombone and Band' featuring Herb Bruce as soloist, a very beautiful performance of ‘The Prayer' arranged by the MD and in addition to ‘Beauty and the Beast', an almost perfect bit of swing playing in ‘Sing, Sang, Sung.' And when you've got your breath back you've got ‘Funiculi, Funicula Rhapsody' to round everything off.

Discs 2 and 3 feature extensive highlights of the contest day itself where Brighouse and Rastrick deprived Grimethorpe of a double hat trick of wins.

The running order on the discs is as the bands appeared on the contest stage itself.  Polysteel and Philip Harper open up in their own inimitable style with ‘Fat Bottom Girls' and the contrasting ‘The Water of Tyne'.

Reg Vardy, the only band to perform at each Brass in Concert utilised the vocal talents of Natalie Farr in their programme in a persuasive interpretation of ‘On My Own' by Claude-Michel Schonberg and their performance of the final section of Kenneth Downie's ‘King of Heaven' is also included.

Fodens and Garry Cutt returned to the contest after a few years absence and they certainly hit the ground running was a blistering interpretation of ‘Valero' whilst the clever choice of ‘Bobby Shaftoe' arranged by Chris North was also music that made an impression on the capacity audience.

It was always going to take something special to deprive Grimethorpe of victory and Brighouse's decision to engage Richard Evans just a few months after he departed the South Yorkshire outfit certainly paid dividends.

Brighouse's programme had Richard Evans stamped all over it and if the standard of the playing wasn't enough, the great entertainer walked onto stage wearing a military style jacket that had the audience (and the adjudicators) eating out of the palm of his hand – a real stroke of genius from the master.

Quite rightly, all of B&R's programme is featured in its entirety. Paul Lovatt-Cooper's ‘Where Eagles Sing' is so tight and precise and there's some beautiful delicate playing in ‘Elegy ‘by Leigh Baker.  Alan Morrison meanwhile produces a snorter in ‘The Green Hornet'.  Richard Evans swaggers Brighouse through the march, ‘New Colonial' in his own innovative style leading into ‘Bare Necessities' featuring bass player David Hebb. Leigh Baker's fun and games for David Hebb et al brought them the prize for the Best New Arrangement of the Day.

To close things off in style they also deliver a real no nonsense performance of Alfred Reed's ‘Russian Christmas Music'.

Mount Charles and The Fairey Band conclude disc 2. Mount Charles are featured with ‘Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair' and ‘Armenian Sabre Dance' leaving Faireys to open up with a purposeful ‘Fanfare for the Common Man', ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life' and a touch of vintage Morgan Griffiths whose performance of ‘The Impossible Dream' brought him the prize for the Best Euphonium of the day.

Sixteen tracks are featured on disc 3, opening up with the Scottish Co-op Band in a delightful Irish Jig entitled ‘Rince Eireannach' before a cracking arrangement of ‘My Sister Kate'  – a touch of the 1920s including a wind up gramophone.

Brass Band of Central Florida once again feature heavily. Impressive throughout was the band's overall presentation and this is mirrored through the opening ‘Birdland', ‘Tis a Gif't – with the MD conducting from the back of the hall, with the closing moments including some fine vocal harmonies from on stage. The march, ‘Rolling Thunder' and ‘Malaga' are performed in brilliant  style and its not an exaggeration to say you'll want to watch their segments time and time again.

Leyland's contributions come in the form of their featured soloists.  Firstly, a top draw performance from one of the finest exponents of the modern day tenor horn, Lesley Howie in ‘La Napolitaine' and trombonist, Runar Varnes in the old classic, ‘Autumn Leaves'.

Unfortunately, you don't get to see all of Grimethorpe's runners-up programme but the three pieces you do get are crackers.  Grimethorpe are renowned for always doing that something a little different at Brass in Concert and Bernstein's ‘A Musical Toast' was a case in point.  Michael Dodd produces a very sympathetic interpretation of ‘Those Endearing Young Charms' that brought him the Best Soloist prize, which just leaves the ‘Entry of the Gods into Valhalla' that left the ceiling of The Sage in need of a new coat of varnish.

Pushing Michael Dodd close for the soloist prize was Whitburn's Richard Kidd who appears in ‘Dance Zeibekikos', from Philip Wilby's ‘Euphonium Concerto' and their other item is ‘Finale from Swan Lake'.

The final band was Phillip McCann's Sellers International who resplendent in black shirts and blue waistcoats opted for a programme of film music.  Just two items are included; the popular ‘Pirates of the Caribbean' is preceded by a fine display by Iain Culross that in ‘Here's to the Heroes' that brought him the prize of the Best Principal Cornet on the day.

Overall the production and presentation qualities from World of Brass are first class and bring the atmosphere of both the concert and contest right into your living room. Frank Renton is his usual suave self and its great to see a full hall when the camera pans out – not too many empty seats over both days in fact.

As makeovers go this one continues to be a triumph. Now only Gordon Brown has to follow suit.

Malcolm Wood

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