Aspects of Don Lusher Brett Baker & the JSVB Legacy Band from the ITA Journal
Its facinating, captivating, riveting, compelling – well enough of the superlative adjectives. Here are 21 tracks of jazz standards, classics, original compositions and rearranged tunes for brass band and percussion. The project is dedicated to the legendary British trombonist, Don Lusher, who passed in 2006. Lusher had an incredible international career as a perfromer, composer and educator.
The rang eof styles and genres is beyond expansive, and trombonist Brett Baker sits on the top of the brass band accompaniments with soaring tone, style, grace and when needed, flawless technique. Arrangers and sometimes rearrangers, Ian Jones, Mark Leigh and Kevin Holdgate have masterfully put the notes on the page and the JSVB Legacy Band brings them to life in the capable hands of conductor David Thornton.
What a great ensemble of brass players!, cornets, trumpets, flugell, a tenor horn, a euphonium, a bass trombone and an Eb-tuba provide ever changing timbres and colours as called for by the musical character of each selection. Adequate description of this stellar recording with the written word is impossible.
The included 21 page booklet is an educational experience in itself. And with six of his own charts on the recording, Don Lusher would be duly impressed and proud of this project
Stan Pethel
Berry College, emeritus
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