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From the commanding notes of the very first ensemble entry it is clear that this is a fine collaboration between soloist and band.  

In fact, the accompaniment supports Rousseau splendidly throughout; adapting according to the demands of the music, adding colour, texture and interest to each work. 

They need to be: The Belgian is blessed with superb tonality; rich, pure and malleable, whilst his technique is frighteningly assured. 

Full throttle

This is  full throttle ‘flight’ mode playing to showcase the versatile range of his performance abilities; moving effortlessly between the more classically structured items such as the Golland ‘Concerto’ and Condon ‘Swiss Rhapsody’, to the free flowing jazz of Chuck Mangione and poignant delicacy of a Welsh folk song.  

Overdue

Tom Davoren’s ‘South Loop on the CTA’ - a clever depiction of an overhead rail system in Chicago, bustles with busy commuter energy, whilst John Golland’s ‘Concerto for Flugel Horn’ and Leslie Condon’s ‘Swiss Rhapsody’, written for Stan Lippeatt and Brian Bowen respectively, are given long overdue reprises.

The former is a considered work of contrast, combining high register patches with pedal notes and a Latin American twist, whilst the latter, with its dry wit and Alpine references is a surprisingly effective showcase.  

Tribute

‘Y deryn Pur’, arranged as a tribute to the late Iwan Williams, proves to be an excellent lyrical interlude, and provides a neat balance to ‘So Glad’, which receives an idiomatic interpretation, with the improvisation and embellishment revealing a player obviously at home with the genre.

Philip Wliby’s imposing ‘Flight’ is played with such assured authority that it almost disguises its immense difficulty - whilst it a pleasure to hear such effortless understanding of style and fluency in the two Chuck Mangione numbers.

In ‘Early Skies’, written especially for the recording, the soloist is accompanied by brass band and tape, the latter including a heartbeat, electronic drums and synthesizers to produce quite an ethereal effect. 

Equals

Nigel Clarke’s evocative ‘The Scarlet Flower’, (which is linked to Martin Westlake’s equally evocative poem), pays tribute to First World War heroine, Edith Cavell.
 
Scored for flugel and thirteen string players, for much of the substantial work the soloist and ensemble play independently, synchronising at certain key points in the score.  

Under the leadership of Peter Sheppard Skaerved, ‘Longbow’ is a wonderfully flexible counterpoint - with a chilling, ragged pizzicato marking the firing squad’s volley.  

It is a partnership of equals though - each complimenting each other as the music unfolds to round off off a significant recording (despite the mix up in the running order between tracks 5 & 6) from a very significant performer. 

Peter Bale

Track listing:

1. South Loop on the CTA (Tom Davoren)
2. Concerto for Flugel Horn opus 87 (John Golland)
3. Y deryn Pur (The Gentle Dove), (trad arr Ludovic Neurohr)
4. Swiss Rhapsody (Leslie Condon)
5. Flight (Philip Wilby)
6. So Glad! (William Himes)
7. Land of Make Believe (Chuck Mangione arr  Luc Vertommen)
8. The Children of Sanchez (Chuck Mangione arr Reid Gilje)
9. Early Skies (Stan Nieuwenhuis)
10. The Scarlet Flower - Concertino for flugel horn & string orchestra (Nigel Clarke)