Review: Lichfield Jazz Big Band's Christmas special is a musical ding-dong most merrily on high
One of the most popular concerts regularly staged by Lichfield Arts Jazz and Blues features the city’s own Jazz Big Band in a seasonal celebration of songs and carols, delivered with powerful swing and much good humour, writes John Watson.
And once again, the band’s Christmas concert sold out well in advance. Led by trumpeter and arranger Nick Dewhurst, the band roared into action with a driving, supercharged version of Joy To The World.
The musical arrangements, most written by Dewhurst and some by saxophonist Callum Roxburgh, showed how creative imagination can transform well-worn themes into extraordinarily original and appealing vehicles for swinging jazz.
And despite minimal time available for rehearsals, the cohesion of the band was really remarkable - with the saxes, brass and the rhythm section not only playing with great accuracy and attention to the light and shade of dynamics, but also tremendous verve.
Highlights included Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, In The Bleak Midwinter, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, Little Drummer Boy, Last Christmas, and I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.
All were transformed by changes in tempi and by some clever group writing, with technically tricky passages, particularly for the excellent sax section, which included fine soloists Sam Craig on tenor and Callum Roxburgh on alto. Dewhurst also featured as an imaginative and passionate soloist on trumpet, and the rhythm section was driven powerfully by drummer Carl Hemmingsley, bassist Tom Moore and pianist Tom Lindsay.
With the brilliantly punchy trumpet and trombone sections, the whole band thrilled the crowd. This was indeed a musical ding-dong most merrily on high.
