-
(I wonder why) You're just in Love - Irving Berlin - Len Jenkins
A great example of the compositional genius of Irving Berlin, with not one but two strong melodies, each independently capable of success, intertwined and used in counterpoint to each other. Good fun! See also 'Play a Simple Melody' also available from Wobbleco Music.
-
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Johnny Marks - Len Jenkins
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" is a Christmas song written in 1962 by Johnny Marks. He was also responsible for Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree amongst his other compositions. The most well-known vocal editions are those by Burl Ives who recorded it in 1964 for a Christmas special, and then re-recorded in 1965 for his holiday album, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. This latter version of the song has a somewhat slower arrangement than the previous version and featured an acoustic guitar solo introduction; it is this version that has since become the more commonly heard rendition on radio. More recently, it has been recorded by Michael Buble.
-
A Lazy Afternoon - Len Jenkins - Len Jenkins
'A Lazy Afternoon' brings to mind a lazy hot day in summer, possibly starting with a short drive out to somewhere pleasant for an afternoon's picnic. It is accepted that a drive out is now something many would choose to avoid, especially at busy weekends, but one can perhaps dream of open un-cluttered roads with no rush to get there. As such, this piece is ideal for the local summer fete. It has a gentle style that so befits an English village fete, recalling an era when things did not need to be so immediate and may thereby help to give a perfect respite from the everyday 'rush and tear'. As with many of Wobbleco's pieces, this is aimed at the average town and village band, and is within the reasonable playing capabilities of its members.
-
Ah! Les Crocodiles - French Traditional - Lennox Rhodes
'Ah! Les crocodiles' is a popular children's song in France. The song has been around since at least 1860 and relates the adventures of an Egyptian crocodile going to war against Elephants. It has a very catchy tune! This nineteenth-century nursery rhyme is derived from Jacques Offenbach's song Hooray for the Crocodile, part of the "Tromb-al-ca-zar ou les Criminels dramatiques", premiered in April 1856.
-
Aldebaran - Maurice Forslund - Maurice Forslund
We are pleased to offer this new piece from our colleague, Maurice Forslund, in Sweden. "Aldebaran" is a traditional-style brass band march, named after one of the brightest and largest stars in the Northern sky. (The star is a red giant over 40 times the size of our Sun). The music starts off in a sombre minor key that turns progressively brighter step by step. This sequence is arrested by a brief section featuring a setting of the hymn tune 'Bangor' which dramatically puts the march firmly back into the minor key before setting it up for progression to the finale. This piece is graded in the range 'easy' to 'intermediate' and is well within the capabilities of most bands.
-
All for One! - Caradog, Hughes & Forslund - Maurice Forslund
'All for One' is a road march based on two well-known Welsh melodies 'Rachie' by Caradog Roberts and 'Calon Lan' by John Hughes. Supporters of Welsh Rugby Union will probably have sung them on more than one occasion. The two melodies have been assembled, added to, and arranged by our colleague Maurice Forslund in Stockholm, and the resulting march is one that is straightforward, in the traditional Brass Band genre, and well within the capabilities of most bands. It works equally well as a concert opener or a processional march for the village fete.
-
Anyone Who Had A Heart - Burt Bacharach and Hal David - Len Jenkins
"Anyone Who Had A Heart" is a song written by Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics) originally for Dionne Warwick in 1963. However, in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, the cover version by Cilla Black was, and is still, the best loved. Championed by her friends The Beatles, she began her career as a singer in 1963, and her singles "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and "You're My World" both reached number one in the UK in 1964. From the first line, the song has a certain frisson: "Anyone who ever loved, could look at me, and know that I love you." Sadly, Cilla passed away on 1 August 2015 so this is our tribute to a well-loved lady and singer. Our objective has been to interpret the style of the original performance by Cilla, and whilst the time signatures may not be familiar, experience has shown that these are easier to read and play than the alternative using triplets.
-
Bad Moon Rising - John Fogerty - Len Jenkins
"Bad Moon Rising" is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the lead single from their album Green River and was released in April 1969, four months before the album. It reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in September 1969 and has been recorded by at least 20 different artists, in styles ranging from folk to reggae to psychedelic rock. The last line of the chorus, "there's a bad moon on the rise", is sometimes misheard as "there's a bathroom on the right" and Fogerty occasionally sings the misheard lyric in concert. The song has become notably popular in Argentina as a football chant and in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a modified version, titled "Brasil, decime que se siente" ("Brazil, Tell Me How It Feels") was sung with Spanish lyrics that taunted Brazil, their traditional rival. It went viral and became very popular (in Argentina).
-
Bernie's Song - Miller/Leiber/Stoller ver.Mulligan, arr.John Dankworth - Len Jenkins
Bernie's Tune is a 1953 jazz standard with music written by Bernie Miller and lyrics by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was popularised through a recording by the quartet of the American saxophonist and composer Gerry Mulligan, and the tune was a popular choice for musicians jamming at the time. Information about the composer is scarce. All that people really know of him is that he was a piano player from Washington DC. Gerry Mulligan's version was subsequently arranged by the late, legendary John Dankworth and this arrangement for brass band has been faithfully based on it to evoke the atmosphere of that golden era.
-
Blake's 7 - theme - Dudley Simpson - Len Jenkins
Blake's 7 was a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC and broadcast between 1978 and 1981. It was popular from its first broadcast, watched by approximately 10 million people in the UK and shown in 25 other countries. Although many aspects of space opera were present, its budget was inadequate for its interstellar narrative. It still remains well regarded for its strong characterisation, ambiguous morality and pessimistic tone - but has also been described as "classically awful". It has cult status. After over 30 years of silence, the theme music has now been arranged for full Brass Band and is a strident 'opener', or 'closer' for any concert.