Sunday 13, 22:57:37
Results:
Unregistered Section:
Adjudicator: Mark Walters
1. Shirland Training (Dave Hill)
2. Gresley Colliery Youth (Duncan Jackson)
3. Wigston Enterprise Band (Matthew Davies)
3BA Academy take the Youth title
Youth Section:
Adjudicator: Mark Walters
1. 3BA Academy Brass (Birgit Trinkl)
2. Shirland Youth (Dave Hill)
3. Enderby Youth (Trevor Hounsome)
4. City of Cambridge Academy (Martyn Grisdale)
5. Gresley Colliery Youth (Duncan Jackson)
Best Soloist: Luke Newborough (Shirland Youth)
Ed Culpin was the winner of the British Open Intermediate Slow Melody title
British Open: Intermediate Slow Melody
Adjudicators: Richard Marshall & Peter Roberts
Winner: Ed Culpin (Leicestershire Co-operative) — Baritone
Jeff Vermeiren of Brass Band Heist won the senior title
British Open: Senior
Adjudicators: Richard Marshall & Peter Roberts
Winner: Jeff Vermeiren (Brass Band Heist) — cornet
Femmes of Frickley won the quartet title
British Open: Senior Quartet
Adjudicators: Richard Marshall & Peter Roberts
Winner: Femmes of Frickley
Sunday 13, 21:25:10
Desford are the champions
The winners celebrate
A happy runner-up and most entertaining band: Friary Guildford
Best Soloist: Isobel Daws
Result:
Championship Section:
Adjudicators:
Alan Fernie & Brian Rostron (Test Piece)
Alan Fernie & Brian Rostron (Entertainment Music)
Mike Kilroy & Alan Morrison (Entertainment)
(Test Piece + Entertainment (music) + Entertainment*) = Total
*takes precedence
1. Desford Colliery (LMTF) (Michael Fowles): 1/1/2 = 4
2. Friary Brass (Chris King): 6/3/1* = 10
3. Woodfalls (Dr Robert Childs): 2/4/4* = 10
4. Flowers (Paul Holland): 7/2/3 = 12
5. Virtuosi GUS (Chris Jeans): 5/5/5 = 15
6. Redbridge Brass (Richard Ward): 4/6/6 = 16
7. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby): 3/7/7 = 17
Highest Placed Mining Band: Desford Colliery (LMTF)
Most Entertaining Band: Friary Brass
Geoff Dove Soloist Award: Isobel Daws (trombone) — Friary Brass
Test Piece Solo Award: Gary Wyatt (cornet) — Desford Colliery (LMTF)
Sunday 13, 16:25:07
Championship Section: Chris Thomas' entertainment round up:
Plenty to keep everyone happy today — and it could be a tricky decision on the placings from the two sets of judges.
Desford showed plenty of quality, as did another fine show from Woodfalls, whilst Friary proving the perfect Butlins entertainment.
Behind them it's a slightly out of sorts Flowers, a solid GUS and Redbridge and Haverhill behind.
4BR Entertainment Prediction:
1. Desford
2. Woodfalls
3. Friary
4. Flowers
5. GUS
6. Redbridge
7. Haverhill
Overall Prediction:
Looking back to yesterday and today it may be Desford to take the title just ahead of Woodfalls, with Flowers and Friary making up the top four just ahead of GUS
1. Desford
2. Woodfalls
3. Flowers
4. Friary
5. GUS
6. Redbridge
7. Haverhill
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Sunday 13, 15:36:32
Championship Section:
7. Friary Brass (Chris King)
All You Need is Love (Lennon & McCartney)
For the love of a Princess (James Horner)
Thoughts of Love (Arthur Prior)
Soloist: Isobel Daws
Your Song (Elton John)
Soloist: Ross Graham
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Merrill & Robinson)
Friary's programme is a fairy tale of Princess Isobel, with the trombonist in question suitably clad in sparkling shoes and tiara. Frank Renton's story telling abilities are utilised to maximum effect as the programme opens with Chris King's effective treatment of All You Need is Love. It's a neat opening number and as the story unfolds we move onto James Horner's For the Love of a Princess, given a sensitive account wrapped in subtly glowing colours. This is so nicely done.
#butlins2019 @friarybrassband's infamous Rossolini...
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The princess herself takes to the stage to give us a fabulous account of Arthur Prior's Thoughts of Love in Keith Wilkinson's sparkling arrangement. The audience sits in hushed admiration as the Princess demonstrates her skills on the trombone in stylish fashion. My goodness this is slick playing indeed.
Next her tuba playing suitor serenades her in attempt to elevate himself from his lowly life stays as a bass player in Elton John's Your Song, with piano accompaniment from the Princess herself. And the audience are loving it as they wave their phone torches above their heads. This is proving to be a fine demonstration of pure entertainment and how to win over an audience, yet is so intelligently done at the same time.
The finale of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance with Somebody is given the Chris King treatment as he gets the audience clapping and the princess and her suitor are finally matched. It's pure pantomime but then it's the panto season….and we have to admire the sheer enterprise and thought that has gone into it.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
What a refreshing entertainment set this was from Friary — inventive and fun from the word go. The pantomime theme of luuuurve was so cleverly presented — helped by Frank Renton in best Frankie Howerd double-entendre mode.
Some fine playing backed up the frothy comedy take too — so there was a large slice of substance to things also. Clever stuff that deserves reward today for certain — and perhaps an outside chance of a podium finish.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 13, 14:58:40
Championship Section:
6. Flowers (Paul Holland)
Red Hills of Georgia (Jonathan Bates)
Let Freedom Ring (Jonathan Bates)
Soloist: Paul Richards
The War Dance of the Red Cossacks (Jonathan Bates)
I Wish I Knew How it would feel to be Free (Nina Simone arr. Jonathan Bates)
That Promised Land (Jonathan Bates)
With the voice of Martin Luther King forming a precursor, Flowers' freedom themed programme opens with Jonathan Bates The Red Hills of Georgia, a powerfully driving, rhythmically fuelled number that underlines the determination and passion behind Luther King's message.
Jonathan Bates is again showcased alongside soprano player Paul Richards in Let Freedom Ring, with the soloist gently enunciating its lyrical melodic line against a visual backdrop of flickering candles. It's not without a couple of slips but is the perfect vehicle for the soloist's gifts as a slow melodist.
War Dance of the Red Cossacks is another Jonathan Bates number, a whirling, energetic dance of rhythmic fire and energy, followed by I Wish I Knew How it Feels to be Free, a song made famous by Nina Simone but more familiar as the theme to Barry Norman's legendary film review show on BBC.
#Butlins2019 @TheFlowersBand in action during their entertainments set
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Opening with a close harmony quintet the mood soon changes to one of big band swing. On an entertainment level this is good stuff but we can sense the band trying to up its level from its beneath par show yesterday.
That Promised Land, Jonathan Bates uplifting affirmation of equality concludes a programme that has been as much a showcase for Jonathan Bates as it has been for the band itself. It sounds a note of positive optimism to close but leaves the lingering impression that we have not heard the best of Flowers this weekend.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
You suspected Flowers had a a lot of ground to make up from yesterday, and although they started so well here, you feel that they haven't done enough.
There was polish and substance to a great deal of the playing, but also inconsistencies and camouflage that was noticeable too.
The sentiments in inspiration were admirable, but you are ultimately left just a bit underwhelmed from their usual super standards at Skengess.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 13, 14:14:36
Championship Section:
5. Virtuosi GUS (Chris Jeans)
Anything you can do... (Berlin arr. Snell)
Starburst (Dan Price)
Adagio from Rachmaninov's Concerto No 2
Soloist: James Fountain
Big Band Tribute (Dan Price & Barry Fogie)
Under the Boardwalk (Drifters arr. Harper)
Soloist: Della Pearce
Malaquena (Lecuona arr. Freeh)
Chris Jeans looks back over his shoulder to his days at Desford to open with Howard Snell's arrangement of Anything you can Do, substituting Steven Mead's sole entry to the stage on euphonium with Eb bass. It might not be quite as slick as Desford but it makes an engaging opening number, segueing neatly into Dan Price's Starburst which is despatched with impressive vigour and rhythmic energy.
James Fountain is the cornet soloist in the Adagio from Rachmaninov's Second Symphony, giving an eloquently dreamy, silkily smooth account of Ray Farr's sensitive arrangement. What an asset he is to a band that remains well and truly in his blood despite the success of his career on the London orchestral scene. This has been a sublime reflective interlude.
#butlins2019 James Fountain of GUS Band in full flow
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With cornets arched around the back of the band, the big band tribute that follows is possibly a touch old hat in its concept although as a vehicle for pure entertainment, GUS's performance of Dan Price's arrangement certainly gets the audience on its side.
Della Pearce's account of Under the Boardwalk is imbued with a nicely laid back feel leading into a finale of Mark Freeh's arrangement of Malaguena. A strange choice as a finisher maybe, but one that again wins over the audience to the brand of entertainment that Chris Jeans has honed during his years as both a player and conductor at Youth Brass 2000.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
A well chosen programme from a band that is obviously in the process of rebuilding under a thoughtful MD.
The highlight was a truly wonderful solo performance from James Fountain although the rest of the set was solidly played standard repertoire with a youthful hint of original inspiration.
It perhaps won't see them claiming the very top prizes today but it will have kept them in the hunt for a podium slot.
Iwan Fox
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4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant. We also want to be able to question, challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it, producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers.
So if like us you value a strong, independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure.
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Sunday 13, 13:31:29
Championship Section:
4. Woodfalls (Dr Robert Childs)
Harlequin (Bruce Broughton)
Battleground (Paul Sharman)
Soloists: Fabian Bloch & Jan Boler
Little Prayer (Evelyn Glennie)
Cops & Robbers (W Hogarth Lear)
Triumph (Jonathan Bates)
Woodfalls opens its 'Inspiration' themed programme with a striking blast of Shostakovich in the style of Leonard Bernstein, cleverly drawn together by Bruce Broughton in his Harlequin. What a great opener, played with real verve and giving us a welcome reprise of a piece that figured in many concert programmes when it was written in the 1980's.
Battleground by Paul Sharman proves to be an excellent melodic vehicle for the talents of Fabian Bloch on euphonium and Jan Boler on cornet who despatch their respective solo parts with a deft touch and an infectious sense of fun. This has been a great start to Woodfalls programme following an impressive account of the set test yesterday.
#Butlins2019 Jan Boler & Fabian Bloch of Woodfalls Band performing 'Battleground'
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Robert Childs' arrangement of Evelyn Glennie's touching 'A Little Prayer' opens atmospherically on marimba with the band safely negotiating a passage of close harmony singing. It's a lovely few minutes of sublime stillness at the heart of the programme before the band heads off in a completely different direction with Cops and Robbers, a nod to Robert Childs' own days at Grimethorpe under the inimitable W Hogarth Lear.
The finale of Triumph by Jonathan Bates showcases the composers that have been an inspiration to him along with countless brass fans the world over, with its shades of McCabe, Gregson, Graham and Curnow amongst others being painted in bold, and appropriately triumphant fashion by Robert Childs and the band, capping a fine weekend's work by the West of England team.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
As typical a Bob Childs inspired programme as you can wish to here and enjoy.
Simple, easily understandable themes, solid familiar music choices — all polished and delivered without recourse to anything too left field or dangerously esoteric.
Lots to enjoy with the playing — and even the 'comedy' item covered its age well.
That has put the band right in the mix for the overall title here.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 13, 12:49:03
Championship Section:
3. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
Chaos (Craig Saunders)
Forever and Ever (Demis Roussos)
Soloist: Tim Vinall
Ether (Craig Saunders)
Soloists: Anthony Saunders & Andrew Cooper
Zorba the Greek (arr. Tim Pannell)
Elysium (Craig Saunders)
Haverhill Silver's Greek god themed programme open with echoes of Paul Lovatt -Cooper from a distant galaxy as the band commences in rousing fashion with Craig Saunders' Chaos'. There's a touch of the formulaic about this but the band give its all.
The contrast with the kaftan sporting flugel player that gives us Demis Roussos's Forever and Ever could hardly be greater, although it's perhaps a little too 'out there' for some, whilst the sound of the soloist is sometimes masked by the band.
Craig Saunder's 'Ether' forms a beautiful three minutes of stillness at the heart of Haverhill's programme. This is the highlight of the band's programme so far, a touching, glowingly coloured miniature played with heartfelt sensitivity.
#Butlins2019 @HaverhillBand — Beware, Greeks baring gifts....
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The inclusion of Zorba's Dance is perhaps predictable given the theme of the programme, but this could have been so much more successful had it relied purely on the music rather than the mis-guided attempt at plate-smashing humour that undermines rather than enhances the entertainment experience.
The band's finale of Elysium, transports us to the fields of eternal life in the safekeeping of the Gods. It brings Haverhill's entertainment set to a stirring conclusion although overall, this has been a strange programmatic concoction of hit an miss humour, underpinned by the beauty of the undoubted highlight of Craig Saunder's 'Ether'.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
You have sympathy with the band that they could not utilise the multi-media accompaniment here, but you still question how it would have improved the impact of the two 'comedy' items.
Why the need to dress up as Demis Roussos was beyond me — a fine flugel could have played it straight and it would have worked so well. Instead is was terrible. Zorba was strained too.
Again — what a pity as the other items were so well written, played and had invention and substance.
The Greek myths and icons idea seemed good, but this was a curious way of showcasing it — with or without the extra images.
Iwan Fox
Sunday 13, 12:05:19
Championship Section:
2. Redbridge (Richard Ward)
Scherzo (Shostakovich)
East Meets West (Philip Harper)
All is Well (Michael W Smith)
Salt of the Earth (Andy Scott)
Soloist: Chris Bearman
Fly me to the Moon (Bart Howard)
Finale from Earthrise (Nigel Clarke)
Redbridge's programme takes as its starting point the Soviet/US space race and opens with iron fisted urgency with the scherzo from Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony, set against a visual backdrop of rockets, Soviet propaganda artwork and an image of 'Commander Frank Renton' in a space suit!
From space exploration to flower power and a dose of 60's free love in the form of Ravi Shankar's East Meets West. The visual imagery switches to a hallucinatory amalgam of The Beatles, music festivals and contemporary artwork although the music takes its time to find its quasi Indian groove.
#butlins2019 Chris Bearman is the virtuosic lead on Salt of the Earth in homage to that well known tuba player Neil Armstrong — One small step for tuba kind.... @redbridgebrass https://t.co/wN7ePFCqim
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Back to the space race and Neil Armstrong's first tentative steps on the moon are gently articulated in tranquil fashion with All is Well, Michael W. Smith's Christian song that although played with touching sensitivity, seems a touch at odds with the imagery of rockets blasting off.
It seems that Neil Armstrong was a tuba player, a fact celebrated by Eb bass player Chris Beerman with Andy Scott's Salt of the Earth, accompanied by 'doctored' pictures of the young space explorer himself, clad in his space suit and sporting an Eb bass. Fine playing from Redbridge's solo bass player but the programme just seems to have lost it mid-way momentum a little here.
A fleeting swing interlude of Fly Me To Moon doesn't quite fully capture the necessary big band style before the closing section of Nigel Clarke's Earthrise brings Redbridge's programme to a driving conclusion.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
A bit of a curious celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first man on the moon this.
Parts of it worked and worked well, but overall the message was somewhat lost with the rather garbled imagery that accompanied things. The Timothy Leary Woodstock interlude was a hazy Ganga of all things drop in and drop out.
A nearly one this — a super idea but some items of music that seemed shoehorned into the mix to try and match the theme.
Iwan Fox
Support us for less than a cup of coffee...
4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant. We also want to be able to question, challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it, producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers.
So if like us you value a strong, independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure.
So one less cappuccino then?
Sunday 13, 10:56:28
Championship Section
1. Desford Colliery (LCITWF) (Michael Fowles)
Malaquena (arr. Sandy Smith)
Ballet of the Starfish (Martin Winter)
Soloist: Nick Hudson
Karma Naan (Martin Winter)
Not to be Fotgotten (Pat Metheny arr. Jacob Vilhelm Larson)
Thy Tribute Bring (John Barber)
'Malaguena' gets the Stan Kenton and Michael Fowles treatment in a high octane big band appetiser from Desford with a dose of screaming sop from Kevin Crockford to close. What a great opener!
Nick Hudson is such a slick soloist in Martin Winter's Manger inspired underwater musical world. Gorgeously lyrical and oh so smooth with a legato style to die for and an easy going jazz style that the audience laps up. Trombone playing of the highest quality.
From Martin Winter's underwater world to a taste of the east and no doubt a few of the composer's favourite Norwegian curry houses as the band conjures up a unique sound world coloured with mutes, hand clapping and a smattering of 'alternative' instruments. Desford goes for musical diversity and this is proving to be an engaging programme.
#butlins2019 Desford's Nick Hudson sleeping with the fishes — a fine atmospheric rendition of Martin Winter's Ballet of the Starfish
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A total contrast as the mood switches to the gloriously hued, subtly coloured tones of Pat Metheny in a moving and beautifully calm presentation of 'Not to be Forgotten'. Beautiful stuff played with innate feeling and sensitivity.
The band turns to Foden's John Barber for its finale in the form of his treatment of 'Praise my Soul the King of Heaven'. With its hints of Peter Graham it's a finale that packs a good deal into its relative brevity with a tranquil cornet solo at its heart played with deeply felt sincerity by Gary Wyatt.
Christopher Thomas
4BR Editor's take...
What a classy, well thought out and delivered set that was from Desford.
Malaquena was a touch old hat perhaps, but the rest was sparkling and inventive — showing that Mr Fowles knows how to borrow from the best.
Really enjoyable — and a substantial marker that may have put them in pole position to claim the overall title.
Iwan Fox
