This DVD has been an absolute pleasure for me to review as I was there in person to witness some of the finest brass playing I have ever experienced.

DVD 1 features the Saturday evening performance of Black Dyke Band with Guest Soloist James Morrison, known rightly so as the ‘Wizard of Oz’.

His versatility and total command of brass instruments is quite unequalled and his stage presence ‘magnetic’. One of the many highlights to me was the remarkable, unerring and sensitive accompaniment by ‘Dyke, so well controlled and directed by Nicholas Childs.,

An addendum to this DVD involves many interesting and informative interviews and ‘bonus performances’ by Dublin Silver and Stavanger Band, concluded with Chris Jean’s excellent Youth Brass 2000.

DVD 2 totally captures the Sunday program of the Championships at the Sage to a packed audience, and this proved to be seven hours of truly wonderful performances opened by our friends from across the Pond Dublin Silver from Ohio, and although their contribution was admirable they couldn’t quite match what was to follow from several of our ‘heavyweights’

There were many mixed themes of programming with Hammonds Saltaire for example opting for a predominantly Spanish flavour which was well played and quite effective in it’s deliverance.

I felt that many listeners, myself included, were a little non-plussed with the chosen theme of several bands in selecting music together with large screen videos, depicting past war commemorations------whilst the playing was of an incredibly high standard { particularly Flowers Band } it seemed quite a sombre mood for such an occasion as this I felt.

Non-the-less there were many entertaining items including an ‘amazing’ euphonium solo from Brass Band Schoonhoven and a fantastic program designed by Leigh Baker for his Brighouse and Rastrick to excel in the art of Storytelling, musically of course.

Both Grimethorpe and Carlton Main delivered outstanding performances to be well in the frame until Cory emerged last on stage to present a truly unforgettable experience – choice of program by Philip Harper choosing to portray the life of Roald Dahl, complete with narration and superb choreography, brilliant individual and ensemble playing coupled with magnificent direction---25 minutes of totally and unequalled playing and musicianship!

A fantastic DVD which I enjoyed with even more appreciation, thankyou Cory!