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Re: Soprano players

Cameron Dalgetty Mabon wrote 4th Nov:
> 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).

Cameron,

Its good that you have given us an insight into James Cooper as a sop
player.  I'd like to hear him play.  In the North of England I suppose we
wrongly only look at players up here in the big name bands and don't think
that there are good players anywhere else, but obviously there are.  In all
honesty I said the best sop players are in the north just to spark debate
and get peoples thoughts, and it worked!!

Recently there has been a shortage of good soprano players about, and a few
top bands in the north have had vacancies, and some still have.  Where does
James live, and has he ever thought about moving up to the north ?  A lot
of bands these days do concerts down in the south, and having details of a
player such as James would be useful if bands need to borrow a sop player
for the night.  Do you have any of his details ?

Thanks,
Martin.


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