Homeward
24-Oct-2003
Longridge Band
Conducted by Brett Baker & Michael Fowles
Amadeus AMSCD049
Total Playing Time: 59.21 mins
Overall, this is a good show from Longridge Band under Brett Baker. There is plenty of tidy playing and the band produce a good sound with safe end chairs. The programme is varied and will suit most mainstream tastes.
Track two, Peter Kitson's arrangement of Shostakovich's Festive Overture is a highlight on the disc for me. The tricky technical aspects are well-handled, especially by the Euphoniums. The band is maybe a little light on the bass end, but overall this is impressive playing of probably Shostakovich's most popular piece.
Barrie Gott's ‘Lightwalk' is a great concert number and is a swinging Australian Salvation Army classic. The band sound good and swing pretty well. They obviously enjoy what they are doing. The Flugal makes a good job of the quasi-ad lib solo too, and there is some good kit playing from the percussion section. All round good show!
Brett Baker, the band's Musical Director not only conducts but also offers himself as the premier soloist on the recording too. Bella Mahone is very operatic and there is some top class playing as you would expect from the soloist, but I'm not sure how well this piece fits into the general feel of the band's programme. Brett's second offering fits in much better. ‘I Loves You Porgy' shows what a fantastic sound he has. It is a classy arrangement from Bill Geldard and the band accompany very well under the direction of guest conductor Michael Fowles. This is a great track and Brett Baker shows that he is superb at this style of trombone playing.
The other big success on the disc for me is Peter Graham's ‘Gaelforce'. This is very well-played indeed. The first part sets off at a good tempo and the playing has real sparkle and commitment. Flugal soloist Carol Blaylock again puts in a good effort in the slow section and all is well balanced. The last section again sets an impressive tempo proving that the band can really rattle out the technical stuff and ends what is a good, entertaining programme.
Richard Grantham
What's on this CD?
1. March The President, William German, 5.13
2. Festive Overture, Dimitri Shostakovich, arr. Peter Kitson, 6.37
3. My Love is Like a Red Red Rose, Cornet Soloist: Christopher Blaylock,
Trad, arr. Gordon Langford, 4.11
4. Bella Mahone, Premiere Recording Trombone Soloist: Brett Baker, Anon,
5.21
5. Lightwalk, arr. Barrie Gott, 3.47
6. Irish Air Carrickfergue, Baritone Soloist: Gareth Nelson, arr. Stephen
Roberts, 3.26
7. Toccata in D Minor, J. S. Bach, arr. Ray Farr, 3.30
8. Dimitri, Flugel Soloist: Carol Blaylock, Rodney Newton, 3.56
9. Music, John Miles arr. Philip Sparke, 6.05
10. I Loves You Porgy, Trombone Soloist: Brett Baker, Gershwin, arr. Bill
Geldard, 3.13
11. Panache, Euphonium Soloist: Martin Bridges, Robin Dewhurst, 5.25
12. Hymn Tune "Homeward", Harold Moss, 2.23
13. GaelForce, three traditional folk tunes, arr. Peter Graham, 6.12
Total playing time 59.21
