(Review by Russell)
Alright! exclaims Ben Cottrell. The Beats and Pieces
Big Band explodes into action from the downbeat. Seven tracks, massive energy,
no messing around. The first cut rocky (it
is all lower case as far as the song titles go) hits the listener straight
between the eyes (ears) – you will listen!
A glorious noise; full on, hip, knowingly retro kitsch, these
Manchester-schooled musicians know how to entertain.
Director Ben Cottrell is a dance floor demon, never
still, conducting (encouraging a band of thirteen friends), clapping, dancing,
stamping. And what a band! Quincy Jones’ 1980s pop world success, Radiohead,
Loose Tubes’ irreverence, conventional big band sections - all deconstructed
and lovingly reassembled as Beats and Pieces’ signature sound.
A raft of
soloists step up; Nick Walters (trumpet) on pop,
Patrick Hurley’s Fender Rhodes (rain)
and on hendo the brilliant
takes-no-prisoners Sam Healey (soprano saxophone). The other side of Beats and
Pieces (there is more than one dimension to the band) is in evidence on the
final track. fairytale is a straight
reading (if there is such a thing) and a
feature for the sensitive trumpet playing of Graham South.
The one cover on All
In is David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, a
‘jazz’ cover (not one for Bowie diehards?) intent on disguise. Languid, loose,
tight – in performance audiences are asked to ‘name that tune’. The band can
turn its hand to anything such is the musicianship. The lynchpin is drummer
Finlay Panter (a big band drummer for the twenty first century), the sections
respond to Cottrell’s promptings and the soloists are top drawer.
All In is the band’s second album on Efpi. It is
good as the first (Big Ideas from
2012). A third CD would be nice and a ‘live’ recording would capture something
of the band’s all- consuming, visceral performance. All In by Beats and Pieces Big Band (Efpi FP022) is
released on Monday 8 June. Two gigs follow in July at the Soup Kitchen,
Manchester on Tuesday 7th and at Ronnie Scott’s, London on July 8th.
Beats and Pieces Big Band: Ben Cottrell (director),
Anthony Brown, Sam Healey, Ben Watte (saxophones), Owen Bryce, Graham South,
Nick Walters (trumpets), Ed Horsey, Simon Lodge, Rich McVeigh (trombones),
Anton Hunter (guitar), Patrick Hurley (piano & Fender Rhodes), Harrison
Wood (bass) & Finlay Panter (drums)
Highly recommended.
Russell.
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