Concert at the Bay

Brass with Class

Geoff McGregor reviews the recent concert by CNL Brass at the Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre.

Concert at the Bay "Brass With Class" a concert organised to assist Community Radio Station 2NUR-FM 103.7 was presented Saturday 24 June in the Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre, Warners Bay, New South Wales, to probably the largest audience of any similar event in the area in recent history.
 

Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre

CNL (Cardiff Northlakes) Brass (Ron Boaden) along with vocal tenor soloist Brian Iles and cornet soloist Allan Humbley (Waratah Brass) thrilled the audience with everything from classics to jazz to brass band traditionals.
 
Some interest surrounded the inclusion of CNL Brass on the concert having been recently successful at the East Coast of Australia Band Championships over the June long weekend and the audience were greeted with everything from hymns to pure straight jazz and from the talk around the centre during the interval people were not disappointed.
 
CNL had worked hard over the past few months preparing for a busy schedule of engagements and the extra rehearsal showed beginning with The Old 100th (arr Alan Fernie) and  Honest Toil (William Rimmer) showing they were in fine form. They continued throughout the concert with such works as Georgia On My Mind (arr. Alan Morrison) - cornet solo by Clarence Leung, and Can't Take My Eyes Off You: trombone solo by Anthony Fowler to feature some of its talented soloists.
 
Vocal tenor soloist, Brian Iles - with excellent piano accompaniment of Mrs Jennifer Bulley, a most gifted musician - was in splendid form and greatly pleased in his performances of You Raise Me Up (Lovland/Graham) and a sensational rendition of Nessun Dorma (Puccini) a highlight to his inclusion on the concert. Brian is a vocalist/Choir Master of many years standing and a previous lead tenor with the renowned Sydney Male Choir and his experience and ability shone through the afternoon. After explaining why he selects his works to present, you could hear a pin drop as he sang When You Wish Upon A Star (Washington/ Harline).
 
The old classic but evergreen Silver Threads (H. Twitchin) was the first of four solos rendered by soloist Allan Humbley and clearly showed that, whilst a player for near on 50 years, he is still a player of immense quality. He was very ably accompanied by Mrs Catherine Scott who is Allan's eldest daughter and a fine pianist. This was an excellent rendition with great feeling, tone and well received by the audience. This was quickly followed by the modern upbeat variation solo This Little Light (Martyn Thomas) and Allan's ability to easily adjust to different rhythms showed in this work.
 
Further numbers from CNL Brass included Songs of Australia (Howard Davies) and there own choice test they had used at the recent contest Hollywood (Goff Richards) - a piece written in the style of a great western movie soundtrack. This is a difficult work and the audience showed at the end that they appreciated this fact with extended applause.
 
The band also featured a segment to recognise Barrie Gott's music and his influence on the brass world bringing his march Collaroy published 30 years ago this year. Barrie's popular arrangement Light Walk which was a fine up-tempo version with faultless obligato solo work of Clarence Leung and finishing the segment with another Gott classic Selection from Godspell with great work from the three-member percussion team.
 
Allan Humbley teamed with the band to give a most sensitive reading of Share My Yoke (arr. Ivor Bosanko) and was another highlight to an excellent concert that was concluded with a grand display by the band of Barraclough's Simoraine.
 
This concert was organised and co-compered by Geoffrey McGregor and Jane Klein from Radio 2NUR-FM. The artists freely gave their performances in an afternoon to support the community work of the radio station, which is greatly appreciated and not taken for granted. The fine turnout of a large audience added to what was a concert to remember, not only for its high class standard, but the standard which each gave to their performances. Well done to all for an occasion that was a credit to all concerned.
 
Geoffrey McGregor
Brass Encounters 2NUR-FM 103.7
CNL Brass