Foden's Band - Double Trouble

Published Tuesday 16th August 2011
Foden's Band - Double Trouble
Foden's Band - Double Trouble

STYLE: Brass Band
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 88242-16316
LABEL: Salvationist Publishing & Supp 21449
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1
RRP: £13.95

Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

This exemplary release marries the talents of Foden's Band, one of Britain's most revered brass bands, with the genius of chief composers Andy Scott and Barbara Thompson and the result is a match made in heaven. Throw into the mix tuba virtuosi Les Neish, James Gourlay and the Tubalaté ensemble and this release not only showcases the potential of the tuba as a lead instrument but also the range of one of the orchestra's most underrated components. Whilst it is always a risk for a work to focus on a specialist instrument for more or less the whole release, proceedings are never dull thanks to the variety of genres featured here. For example, Scott's "Salt Of The Earth" dips in and out of blues, ethnic folk and Latin jazz whilst "Bite The Bullet" is a delightful funkfest courtesy of Tubalaté and a star turn from drummer Ben Gray. Experimental touches such as using key clicks and breathing noises and a variety of other tuba-generated percussive sounds on the likes of "Going Down" may pass the everyday listener by but there is no doubting the determination of all involved to produce a work that is truly pioneering and inventive. Thompson's stunning "Concerto For Tuba And Brass Band" rounds off a simply stunning release from some of the world's leading brass exponents.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Product Description

The production of Double Trouble celebrates what can be achieved when true collaboration across musical genres, composers and performers is allowed to develop and blossom. The bringing together of Andy Scott, Barbara Thompson, Les Neish, James Gourlay, Tubalaté, Jim Fieldhouse and Foden's Band has produced this quite unique recording.

Having originally written her Tuba Concerto for James Gourlay and big-band, jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer Barbara Thompson had the opportunity to hear Andy Scott's Salt of the Earth performed by Les Neish and Foden's Band and was immediately taken with the thought of a re-scoring of her original work, with brass band accompaniment. Jim Fieldhouse, a member of Andy Scott's SaxAssault saxophone ensemble and euphonium player with Hepworth Band, was approached and produced a fine arrangement of the work for Foden's and the recording project started to take shape.

Add to the mix the magnificent Tubalaté (and drummer Ben Gray) with Andy Scott's Bite the Bullet and Going Down, written for James Gourlay with experimental tuba sampling, the only gap in the programme was a joint work that would highlight the immense technical and musical talents of two great tuba virtuosi. The title track, Double Trouble, is exactly that vehicle. Framed at the start and finish by Foden's Band, Barbara Thompson has penned a musical tour de force that pushes and stretches even these two great exponents of the tuba.

All in all, this recording serves as a testament to what can be crafted, nurtured and enjoyed when the coming together of creative minds and fabulous musicianship is allowed to simply enjoy itself.

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