I decided to put together a little video with people that I have played in smaller groups with. Tudor music, which I think was written about 3 weeks before the first lockdown, possibly by Henry VIII. Stephen Roberts is the king of small group brass arrangements. We listened to the 'Pastime with good company LP over and over when I was young, wearing out a record and a tape.
On Cornet, Ian Jacobs. Ian has been in Haverhill Band for 41 years, was for over a decade the band's Principal Cornet, and has for the last 19 years (bloody hell) been my bumper up. We have also played together in many different line ups of Polished Brass (including the current line up). A local legend.
Horns:
Tim Summers. Tim joined the Polished Brass fold a little while ago. As a French horn player, he bring with him a different tradition, being surrounded by banders! He bring class and experience from his international playing career.
I played with Chris Pannell in the 2nd Polished Brass line up when we were kids, but haven't actually played together much in years. If nothing else, the pandemic has given me the opportunity to nag him into playing together again.
Trombones:
Sarah Minchin. Some of my earliest memories of my parents teaching at home are those of listening to Sarah and her brother David's lessons. They also gave me dad a metronome when they left for music college with I used throughout my childhood, and their mark is left on the sheet music I played (My favourite is the subtle given to the solo 'If', which was amended by Richard to say 'If only Sarah could play in tune'. She does, so I guess that's model teaching?). We have played in Polished Brass and TUBE together.
Steve Rinaldi. My playing with Steve is probably the most varied. We played in David Rinaldi's big band '42nd street' a long time ago. We play in the Secret Affair Official horn section, I played in his band Rinaldi Sings, and he has also 'come home' to Haverhill Silver Band on occasion, and it's been great to see him back at band more regularly over the last year or so.
EEb Basses:
David Minchin. As with Sarah, I remember listening to his lessons at a very young age, and then playing at Soham Band together on his return from College. Also a very fine bass trombone player, David has played both Trombone and Tuba in TUBE and Polished Brass.
Paul Farr. Paul was in the first line up of Polished Brass, run as a youth quintet by my folks. Me and my brother used to sit in the bay window of the dining room every Thursday night and watch the rehearsals. Paul was in Soham band, Haverhill Band and is a founder member of TUBE.
We hope you enjoy it.
