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List Chat

After much enthusing from my great mate The Big Chap and my colleague
Robert Woods I decided to visit the Summer Brass Festival at Pershore
yesterday, (Saturday).  What a good decision it was, and what a good day
was had by all.  The day sounded off around 10.30 am. and from that
moment the sound of brass was seemingly never ending.  We arrived mid
afternoon and caught some of Arrow Valley's and Avonbank's performance
which were very good.  Towards the end of the festival we had the
pleasure of listening to five championship section bands, (Lydney -
Flowers - Wooley Pritchard Sovereign - Rolls Royce - Staffs. BS),  who
were all obviously "Up for it",  and had something creditable to offer
in their 40 minute programs.  There were two bands however that were
exceptional - for different reasons.

Flowers - who were making their debut at the event - proved that they
are a very capable band indeed.  They played with precision and
technical acumen that will take them a long way indeed.  Y.B.S.'s
erstwhile top man Ian Porthouse was "guesting" for them on Principle
Cornet and gave a dazzling display of solo playing.  He then exchanged
his cornet for a trumpet, (why don't more cornet soloists do that?), and
was joined by star trombonist Bret Baker in a laid back big band duet
called Coming Home.  Then all the trombone section displayed their
prowess in a slick rendition of Lassus Trombones.  There's no doubt that
Flowers are a fine band with a keen diamond edged sound which sometimes
- especially in the cavernous Pershore Abbey - tended to overpower their
talented soloists.  We were treated to Bret Baker's prowess once again
(what an approachable bloke he is), in the Abbey when he gave a world
debut to a solo called Twister composed by Paul Cooper who was actually
in the audience to hear his work.  This solo - of a rather avant-garde
nature - depicts - as the title suggests a small mid-west town that
succumbs to the advancing hurricane.  This work and the duet will
shortly be recorded by Bret and the band.  The soloists were of course
impressive - but I would have preferred the band to have been  showcased
a little more.

Wooley Pritchard Sovereign - for some time a force to be reckoned with
in the midlands -  are now making rapid strides once again collaborating
with the consummate professional Frank Renton.  They gave a fine overall
performance that was well rehearsed and well presented.  My old mate
Steve Parsons gave a fine performance of "Be My Love" on euphonium arr.
Ray Farr.  In the abbey the band took the trouble to plan a program that
was totally different from their earlier performance in the marquee, and
the capacity audience really warmed to them.  Pineapple Poll, The Force
Of Destiny and Jupiter from The Planets were all played with great skill
and aplomb by the band who seemed to adapt to the acoustic in the Abbey
better than most bands.  The rest of the program was well thought out
and highly suitable for the occasion and supremely compered by the
flamboyant Mr. Renton who was responsible for one of the lighter and it
has to be said more amusing incidents of the day.

In the marquee Frank was in full flow with one of his delightful and
informative introductions when his concentration was momentarily
interrupted by an official wandering up and down outside with his
walkie-talkie, clearly audible to all there.  After a few moments of
embarrassed silence - he seized the opportunity and launched into a
session of light hearted banter with the official which not only
diffused the situation, but proved his unflappability:
"......everything all right - while you're on can you get the band some
pizzas and 700 pints of lager - I hope no one has died - can we get on
now".  All good knockabout stuff - I hope the official didn't take
offense, but it was funny, (you had to be there).  With his anti
heckling ability Frank wouldn't be overawed alongside Ian Hislop on
"Have I Got News For You".

Overall - it was a great days banding - and I managed to meet loads of
old friends and meet some new ones - in particular "The Queen Wuss"
herself  Clair Tomalin who was there with her husband Steve as they were
both guesting for Flowers.  Take a look at the Wuss Brass website folks
- if she has her way, we'll all be giving it The Full Monty - all in the
best possible taste of course!!!

Pershore Midsummer Brass Festival is a great event in so many ways -
check it out next year folks - you wont regret it.  However - there is
one thing - for band fans (and players), who are in wheelchairs, not to
mention their carers, the path from the Angel Inn, (what a fine
establishment), to the garden would be far easier to negotiate if it
were temporarily covered in some sort of rubber matting.  Just a
thought.

Well now - I've been working to create a website for GUS Band and it's
almost ready to be launched.  For a non expert computer user like myself
can I say a big thanks to fellow listees Clair Tomalin - Sandy Johnson -
Mike Smith - Carol Wills and Thomas Kavanagh who have taken the time and
considerable trouble to reply to my sometimes desperate requests for
help and assistance on website creation.

One last thing - what's happened to "The Bass Player Extrordinaire"?
The list seems a duller place - come on bassman - pick a subject and
give it some stick - there's room enough for all - it's about time you
provided us once again with a good rumbustious chit-chat!

All for now,

Colin Randle.


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