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Re: Soprano players

On Tue, 4 Nov 1997, cameron dalgetty mabon wrote:

> 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!).

Likewise, I have heard all the names Martin mentioned either in concerts,
at contests, and on recordings.  So I have listened to some of the cream
of the counties sop players.... Just because I come from L&SC does't mean
the only bands I ever hear are from L&SC too.

> 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.

I think Bournmouth are ranked about 40th at the moment.  James is head and
shoulders above the rest of the band.

> 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 

And split none in the rehearsals... unfortunate, I know.

> 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).

"James, you can put that bit up the octave, can't you?  It is possible
isn't it?"

> 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...

Even if he did run away screaming when he saw us....

> 
> 
> Cameron Mabon
> Cornet, City of Oxford Band, Fundamental Brass
> 
> 
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-- 
  Alastair Wheeler
  Euphonium & Trombone			   Fundamental Brass
  Bass Trombone			  City of Oxford Brass Band
  Alastair.Wheeler@xxxxxxxxxxxx   http://users.ox.ac.uk/~newc0349/
  "I am following my fish"


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