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Re: Soprano players

On Mon, 3 Nov 1997, Martin Irwin wrote:

> >> I would like to say that as a fellow Sop player I think Kevin
> >> (Crockford) is a great player...
> 
> Alastair Wheeler wrote:
> > Have you ever heard James Cooper play sop with Bournmouth?
> 
> Alastair, I take on board what you are saying about the sop player from
> Bournemouth, and he probably is a good player as you say, but with respect
> he isn't really a household name amongst bandsmen UK wide is he.  Can I
> suggest that you now broaden your horizons, and start listening to the best
> sop players, who I'm sure most people will agree play (and generally live)
> north of Watford gap (i.e. Yorkshire & North West).  Anyone agree/disagree
> ?

I have to agree with Alastair on this one. I heard Kevin Crockford live 
with Black Dyke last year (and have listened to his playing on recordings 
by Grimethorpe and Black Dyke) and he is a superb player- both 
technically and musically (although he does over-do it a bit sometimes!).

However, although James Cooper is not a household name at the moment, it 
wouldn't surprise me if he soon became one. He sits effortlessly above 
the band and has the most wonderful tone.

At the Grand Shield earlier this year, with Eric Ball's "Festival Music" 
as the testpiece, he was one of only a few soprano players who got 
anywhere near playing the part properly.

I heard James play with Bournemouth last month at an entertainment 
contest (Wychaven?). He played almost flawlessly throughout the 
programme (he split one top D out of about 50) and gave a wonderful 
rendition of "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess - every bit as good as the 
recording I have by Alan Wycherly with BNFL from a few years back. He was 
similarly brilliant when he guested with the City of Oxford Band early 
this year at Milton Keynes (the highlight of which was his top E 
'tazzage' in Steve Sykes' arrangement of de Falla's Firedance).

As to your point about the best sop. players living in the North,
 I think this is probably 
true: not just for soprano players but brass bands in general. As a 
member of a band in the London + Southern Counties, I know that this area 
is particularly weak (as the Finals results this year will testify!) 
However, there are exceptions, and James Cooper must be one of them.

On top of that, he's an extremely nice bloke and he bought me a pint at 
the Finals...


Cameron Mabon
Cornet, City of Oxford Band, Fundamental Brass


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