The Brass Band of Central Florida (BBCF) is a “British Style Brass Band with an American Twist” who has worked with current conductor, Chad Shoopman since 2010.

15 is a collection of film music put together by the band, it was recorded on these shores in Kettering, and features 12 tracks of repertoire.

There are familiar names within the line-up of pieces including both Rhapsody in Blue and Gabriel’s Oboe, but the disc opens with an eerie and exciting EVE Retrieve from the film Wall-E, followed by an ode to John Williams with Luc Vertommen's Sound the Bells,  featuring some wonderful detail, especially on the cornet section and a luxuriously thick bass end sound most bands would kill for!

Solo features are a constant theme of the disc and with the array of talent this band has at its disposal it is easy to understand why, not least of which is their conductor Chad Shoopman who is a quite outstanding trumpet player.

A criticism labelled at bands from across the pond is their inability to adopt the warmth of tone of the traditional British Band sound, I think everyone has had a brass teacher that at one time told them “work on the sound, notes are the easy bit”. It is clear that BBCF and its charges are working on this and there is real evidence of a “mature” brass band sound that they should be credited for, especially cornet soloist Warren Kus in Dartmoor 1912.

If that is an area for improvement then an area of outstanding expertise and quality is in the simply breath-taking ability to “swing” and boy do they aided throughout the disc with some magnificent percussion playing, subtle when needed, right in your face when needed this is a true quality section. With this clear strength it would be easy for the band to make up track after track of this style of music and I tip my hat for the diversity of the programming.

The final piece of the recording is a tour de force for the band with The Wind and the Lion demonstrating a band demonstrating both musical prowess and strength. This provides a thumping close to a disc that has some subtly beautiful moments, the most scintillating for me the Ice Dance  from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands.

This disc will introduce the listener to some new/well know repertoire and demonstrates the abilities of the BBCF and notably their Leader Chad Shoopman is both programming and direction. A disc that would be appreciated by all audiences and one that I return to listen to time and time again, well done!

Tracks:

1.    EVE Retrieve - Thomas Newman Trans. Chad Shoopman  

2.   Sound the Bells! - John Williams Arr: Luc Vertommen

3.   The Seal Lullaby - Eric Whitacre Arr: Paul Sharman -  Flugel Horn Soloist John Copella 

4.    23 Degrees North / 82 Degrees West - William Russo Arr: Chad Shoopman - Michael Wilkinson (Trombone), Warren Kus (Cornet) and Chad Shoopman (Trumpet)                                                  

5.    Dartmoor, 1912 - John Williams Arr: Chad Shoopman - Cornet Soloist Warren Kus

6.    Grand Canyon Fanfare - James Newton Howard Arr: Chad Shoopman                                   

7.   Things to Come - Gill Fuller and Dizzy Gillespie Arr: Gordon Goodwin adpt: Chad Shoopman - Michael Wilkinson (Trombone), Chris Sharp (Trombone) and Chad Shoopman (Trumpet)

8.    Ice Dance - Danny Elfman Arr: Chris Sharp.          

9.    Fanfare for the New - Hugo Montenegro  Arr: Chris Sharp

10.  Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin Arr: Gordon Goodwin adpt: Chad Shoopman - John Copella (Flugel Horn), Michael Wilkinson (Trombone), Kerry Waldo (Trombone) and Dee McAfee (Soprano Cornet)

11.  Gabriel's Oboe - Ennio Morricone Euphonium Soloist Jeremiah Hemphill

12.  The Wind and the Lion (Symphonic Suite) - Jerry Goldsmith Arr: Chad Shoopman

James Holt