The musical alter-ego of cornet star Jim Hayes continues to live a precarious life of suave sophistication.

This time the brass band version of Jack Bauer meets ‘Our Man in Havana’ employs his ‘shoot from lip policy’ on repertoire that takes him on more return journeys to the sweaty climes of Latin America than Mossad agents used to make to catch old Nazi war criminals.

On the line

The humour behind the release may be tongue in cheek, but the playing is certainly serious stuff; 16 tracks once again showcasing a player not afraid to put his true musical identity on the line.

His dossier of repertoire is well chosen; backed with admirable clarity and style by the Co-operative Funeralcare Band under Michael Fowles - who keeps the type of beady controlling eye on proceedings that would make the moles at GCHQ proud.

With neat ensemble work, played at a dynamic level that allows the soloist freedom to play vibrantly without ever sounding forceful, the end result retains freshness and zest, aided by some neat twists in the emerging musical plot line.

Images

Matthew Hall’s Shifrinesque ‘Situation Flammable’ may recall a time when Napoleon Solo was everyone’s image of a flamboyant spy, but the melancholic angst of Adam Taylor’s subtle arrangement of ‘Send in the Clowns’ is an evocative reminder of the personal collateral damage leading a double life can bring.

Meanwhile, the clever detour taken into the bold, sexed-up treatment provided by Alan Fernie’s take on ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, certainly inhabits a much darker downtown side street than any danced through by Gene Kelly let alone Morecambe and Wise.

Bubbling

The usual ‘standards’ are brushed off with comparative ease; ‘El Cumbanchero’, ‘Tico Tico’, ‘Granada’ and ‘It Had Better Be Tonight’, played with an authentic sense of bubbling fluidity.

It’s also good to hear two original compositions from emerging talents in the spicy, ‘Flamenca’ by Jonathan Bates and the slightly more stereotypical ‘Kill Day’ by James McFadyen.

Interludes

Miasmic interludes are provided by elegantly portrayed renditions of ‘The Prayer’ and ‘Emerald Skies’, whilst the oblique beauty of Peter Meechan’s ‘Dream’ from his ‘Manchester Concertino’ is played with an understated sense of pulsating flow.

‘Gabriela’s Song’ and ‘Hallelujah’ are familiar fayre, as is the Moulin Rouge belter ‘Come What May’ and the all time karaoke classic ‘Love on the Rocks’.

Scot free

All are delivered with stylish intent, although the latter pairing rather pale into comparison with the memorable originals:  Trying to copy the vocal cadences of Neil Diamond is a trick not many singers let alone instrumentalists can carry off.

Jonny Midnight may live on his wits, but he doesn’t quite get away scot-free on this occasion.

Iwan Fox

Contents

1. Situation Flammable, Matthew Hall
2. Send in the Clowns, S Sondheim, Arr. A Taylor
3. Singin' in the Rain, N Herb Brown, Arr. J McFadyen
4. Gabriella's Song, S Nilsson, Arr. C Bangerter
5. Granada, A Lara, Arr. M Freeh
6. Kill Day, J McFadyen
7. Hallelujia, L Cohen, Arr. S Kerwin
8. El Cumbanchero, R Hernandez, Arr. G Richards
9. Emerald Skies, P L Cooper
10. Dream from Manchester Concertino, P Meechan
11. Flamenca, J Bates
12. The Prayer, D Foster & C B Sager, Arr. A Ramsay
13. It Had better be tonight, H Mancini, Arr. A Taylor
14. Come What May, D Baerwald & K Gilbert, Arr. A Taylor
15. Tico Tico, Z de Abreu, Arr. J Iveson
16. Love on the Rocks, N Diamond & G Bercaud, Arr. P Sparke