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| Incandescendo |
At the first full week of the 17
th
Shipston Proms, after the opening weekend of Rock, Soul, R&B bands, Brass
Bands and Silver Linings Barbershop choir we moved onto a different style with classical
and folk music via Brazilian music.
First up, hosted by the Cherington Arms, was
Incandescendo, with their musical kaleidoscope of jazz, world & classical
musical influences. Their line up was Emily Burridge (Cello) with Felix Gibbons
(percussion) and they were joined by Brazilian guest Marco Campos (10 string guitar),
from Rio de Janeiro.
The cello that Emily was using was a
antique version over 160 years old with its very mellow sound. The
percussionist Felix Gibbons is an internationally acclaimed
percussionist specialising in the multiplicity of instruments that characterize
the distinct rhythms of Brazil and Latin-America.
Felix’s percussion rhythm’s danced around
and enhanced the melodic sounds of Emily Burridge, the classically trained
virtuoso 'cellist, who with her passion for Brazil is energized by the rhythms
and finds them a limitless source of inspiration for composing and
improvising melodies along with Marco
Campos, with his modern approach to composition,
based on Brazilian rhythms, as jongo,
frevo, choro, samba, bossa-nova and baião
Incandescendo, and their music, created
a unique and dynamic sound, inspired by both their love of the English
countryside and mutual association with Brazil.
They used modern sampling technology to
enable them to expand their compositions and
create exciting multi tracked pieces,
spinning a web of intricate harmonies and
rhythms, highlighted by some dazzling
displays of improvisation.
In collaborating with Marco, Emily &
Felix have expanded their concert program with their
arrangements of Brazilian classical and
popular music; choros , samba and
compositions by Marco.
Next we moved the following day to a
show by The Vale Musicians, hosted by Cherington, Stourton
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| The Vale Musicians |
and Sutton under
Brailes Village Hall.
The group was formed in 2013 and play
late 1960s and early 70s US West Coast styled music. The core of the band consists
of Paul Bulman (guitar/vocals), Janet Bulman (Piano/Keyboard), Gayle Burch
(vocals) and Ian Raemus (Pedal Steel Guitar).
They were joined by special guests
Belinda Webb (percussion), Tim Porter (Harmonica), Charles Matthews (Piano) and
Ruth Mathews (Flute).
The songs performed were written between
1968 and 1977, when country music had evolved in Country Rock and Country Folk
made famous by artists such as The Eagles, Carole King, James Taylor and Linda
Ronstadt. The new wave mainly took place in California following The Beatles
rise to fame in the 1960s.
The group started off with a couple of
Carole king songs “It’s Going to take some time” and Its too Late” through some
Neil Young and Crosby, Stills, Nash (all the later coming to prominence at the
Woodstock Festival in 1969).
Then we had a song from Poco “Just for
Me and You”, the classic Bill Withers tune “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the first
half was finished off with a rendition of The Eagles “Desperado” with Tim
Porter on Harmonica instead of the vocals (this was the first of two renditions
of that song, with Tim on Harmonica, as he played it again at the Open Mic
event in Shipston).
After a refreshment break the group
covered a few Carly Simon numbers “Your so Vain” and “Nobody Does it Better”
along with Eagles tracks including the famous “New Kid in Town”. Also included
were a Linda Ronstadt track “Faithless Love” and a Jackson Browne number “Take
it Easy”
The large audience were very
appreciative to the group performing and Shipston Proms organizer Tim Porter
encouraged them to try and attend other events in this year’s program.
The following day featured a classical
concert at St. Edmunds Church, Shipston-on-Stour, which was sponsored by local
estate agents Sheldon Bosley.
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| Vicky Bacon, George Wilkes & Lesley Currah |
This was entitled Mrs Porter’s Chamberpot
Pourri and was organised with a variety of musical pieces for the appreciative
audience.
The concert included a piece by Haydn
“Trio for Flute and Cello in F” performed by Vicki Bacon (flute), George Wilkes
(cello) and Lesley Currah (piano). Then we moved onto group Eight in a Bar
(Conductor – Bernard West) singing music across the centuries, in a range of
styles from spirituals to close harmony.
They sang a couple of pieces by Finnish
composer Jussi Chydenius “Deep in the night” and “The sound of the Sea” along
with Lennon/McCartney Beatles hit “Penny Lane”.
Then Beryl Braithwaite, a keen amateur
pianist from Little Wolford, gave us a sparkling rendition of Shubert’s
“Selection of Dances”, taken from a Myra Hess mini recital. In the 2nd
half she gave a rendition of “Father’s a drunkard and Mother’s Dead”
Then we heard Flutist Hannah Porter,
accompanied on piano by her mother Helen Porter, give a rendition of Sonatina
by Lennox Berkeley.
Then we had a varies piano duet with Helen
Porter (who studied at the Royal Academy of Music) and
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| Hannah Porter |
Shauni McGregor with
Capriol Suite (in 4 parts) by Peter Warlock.
To finish off the evening we had a Porter
family musical treat with a performance of Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, with
Tim on Harmonica, Helen on piano and Hannah on violin.
For a full set of images have a look at the
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