Are you sitting comfortably?
Then I’ll begin my tale, set about 22 years ago in the Northamptonshire town of Kettering.
Heavyweight
There, a small company called ‘Heavyweight’ produced recordings featuring the talents of Philip Smith, Steven Mead and others, with occasional releases from the National Championships added to their impressive catalogue.
One featured arrangements by the American Mark Freeh - aptly entitled ‘Freeh-Way’.
Rigid Containers Group Band, as they were then known, were contracted to record the music, having won the British Open just two years before.
They travelled to London to the CTS Studios at Wembley where they met Mark and engineer Dick Lewzey who had flown in from New York.
The recording was a great success, and the tapes were taken back to New York for Mark to complete the final editing before the release date in early 1990.
Shuddering halt
And it’s here that our story comes to a shuddering halt.
Just a few weeks after release, ‘copyright issues’ surfaced that required the disc to be pulled from sale, with the original tapes left to gather dust on a distant shelf. By the time things were resolved
‘Heavyweight’ was no more and the recording was seemingly consigned to history.
Birthday honour
Two decades later, Geoff Poulton of Harlequin Recordings got to hear about the story and thanks to his dogged persistence the whole enterprise was brought back to life.
Outstanding copyright issues were resolved and with agreements in place and complete with new cover and inlay notes, some written by Mark himself, ‘Freeh-Way’ has finally been re-released.
Geoff deserves a Queen’s Birthday honour, as it is a wonderful reminder of a superb arranger and a very fine band.
Compact and balanced
The GUS sound is compact and balanced, with each instrument clearly defined in the ‘sound picture’ - from soprano to tubas.
A youthful Bram Tovey really does grasp the music by the scruff of the neck to produce some sparkling performances of arrangements that still sound remarkably fresh.
‘Malaguena’ is a boisterous affair, whilst ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’ is a clever, languid piece of sugary schmaltz a la Vic Damone.
‘Tonight’, is transformed into a slow, unhurried big band showstopper, whilst ‘When the Saints’ has that lovely disconcerting sense of New Orleans menace bubbling under its surface.
The GUS soloist stable led by Brian Grant, giving a fine impersonation of Rafael Mendez as he flies through ‘Hejre Kati’, Richard Franklin in suave mood on ‘Laura’ and ‘April in Paris’ and Paul Filby enjoying himself on ‘Peanut Vendor’ all play with well drilled authority
Sheer class
The section features of ‘Show Me’ and ‘Surrey with the Fringe on Top’ are cleverly realised too, but it is the performance of the great Trevor Groom on euphonium that makes you sit up and smile.
His beautiful rendition of the Mendez ‘Valse’ is a reminder of what sheer class really sounds like.
Bramwell Tovey must have enjoyed himself too - as the vibrancy of the playing shines through every item, whilst a special mention must go to kit man, Dave Ratacjak, who really drives the band forward.
Free flowing
The former drummer with Woody Herman was brought in especially by Freeh and makes his mark (if you’ll forgive the pun) with his evident enjoyment of the project.
His wonderful free flowing showcase on ‘Ol’ Man River’ is an object lesson in how to make a drum solo sound not just interesting – but engrossing.
Thankfully, as with all great tales, this one has a happy ending – even if we had to wait 22 years for it.
It really has been worth it too.
Steve Jack
Contents
Brass band arrangements by Mark Freeh
1. Malaguena, Lecuona/Keating, 2:18
2. Tonight, Bernstein/Richards, Muted cornet obbligato: Alex McLean, 2:58
3. Hejre Kati, Hubay/Mendez, Cornet Soloist Brian Grant, 3:11
4. Surrey With The Fringe On Top, Rodgers/Comstock, Soloists Trevor Groom, Robin Taylor, David Caunt & Malcolm Mardle, 3:21
5. Show Me, Loewe/Richards, Muted cornet Alex McLean, Flugelhorn soloist Richard Franklin, Trombone soloist Paul Filby, 3:51
6. April In Paris, Duke/Golso, n Flugelhorn soloist Richard Franklin, 4:12
7. Peanut Vendor, Simons Trombone, soloist Paul Filby, 3.32
8. Overture For Brass, Franzetti, 5:50
9. Valse, arr. Mendez, Euphonium Soloist Trevor Groom, 2:21
10. When The Saints, Fielding Dixieland, cornet soloist Peter Monk, 3:46
11. Here's That Rainy Day, Van Heuson/Barton, Muted cornet obbligato Alex McLean, 3:24
12. Laura, Raksin/Hefti, Flugelhorn solo Richard Franklin, 3:40
13. Ol' Man River, Kern/Munday, Drum solo Dave Ratacjak, 6:16
