Under-rated players

[Dave Payn]

Who can you think of from amongst the top bands over the years who rarely grabbed the headlines and the kudos but did (or do) a fantastic job. Two things made me think of this topic; the thread regarding the euphonium player going from YBS and just having listened again to BBS's recording of Pictures. Their sop player was David King (not, I believe, the YBS conductor, but another David King!). Now if we were going to talk about 'top sops', names that normally spring to mind are (in no particular order of merit) Kevin Crockford, Alan Wycherley, Peter Roberts, Brian Evans etc. and more recently, tMP's very own Alexandra Kerwin, but listening to David King on the Pictures recording and with Howard Snell Brass, he comes over as an absolutely fabulous sop player. In tune throught the range, sounds comfortable in the lower reaches of the register and in those days, a perfect foil for BBS's then principal, Martin Winter. I'm sure Mr King was widely respected, but never seems (to my ears) to get a mention when 'top sops' are named, and in my humble opinion, deserves to!

Who can you think of as a great player who rarely gets the 'headlines'

 

[Darth_Tuba]

Peter Read isn't often talked about, but was an excellent principle cornet player. Still is when he decides to get it out now and then (oo-er!).

 

[jimortality]

Richard Gosney, Solo Euph with Desford in the early nineties I think, also Sellers? very under rated, but I thought he was a great player.

 

[johnflugel]

Lee Rigg - apart from the spell on end chair with Faireys he has always played '2nd fiddle' on bumper up or rep. He has been perfoming so consistently at the highest level of banding for ages now.

Pete Coulson (is that his name? 2nd man at Fodens) - He is such a hard working player. For people like Mark Wilkinson to do what they do, they must have a super solid 2nd man and every time I see Fodens perform, Pete never has his cornet off his lips it seems.

 

[paddo]

Totaly agree with you on that, Richard Gosney. I went to school with richard and have played many years with him. Very capable and a great shame he no longer plays.

He was also second euph at brighouse when bob childs was solo, Richard got his break when Bob could not make a concert and brighouse could not replace him in time and Richard took to the helms and it went from there.

Cracking player.

 

[Accidental]

If I could only name one, or it came down to a vote, then it would have to be Lee Rigg.

I always feel a bit sorry for the principal cornet of Cory (I can't even remember his name!) who imho often gets overlooked just because he's in the same band as David Childs (ok so he's a fabulous player, but the band has other stars too). Going back a bit, in Desford's glory days with Martin Winter, Steven Mead, Chris Jeans etc, I always thought the flugel (Brian Winter?) deserved more recognition. What happened to him?

 

[johnflugel]

Brian Winter was playing Flugel with Desford at the Shield. Think he was end chair cornet their last year too.

 

[Dave Euph]

I hear very little about Michael Dodd (Grimey's solo euph) these days. Although respected as a fine player, he rarely seems to get the kudos as one of the top euph players in the banding scene. Yet he is really good!

 

[NAS]

The same could be said about Billy Millar, solo euph at Leyland... Sheer class .

 

[Highams]

Robert Richards, ex CWS Manchester, Bob Davidson, ex Brighouse & Grimethorpe, and Stephen Lord as well, superb euphonium artists.

www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk

 

[jim]

I always felt Mathew Baker was under rated I grew up listenning to him playing on the end for Dyke and was superb Im led to belive he was never really rated by the band but in his first four contests he won them all Open,Nationals,European ect
Anover superb player who dousent even get half the credit he deserves is Rob Westacott a class player, my band are in a diffrent league when ever he has played on the end, almost a 100% record of wins.
Another player to listen for in Harragate for is the sop player from Parc & Dare Paul Eddy wow wales answear to Peter Roberts you need to hear before you reply to that won.
Robert Nesbitt long serving flugal player with Tredegar A class player in his day now the cartoonist for Brass Band World.
Nigel Guy been around the block a few times but one of the most natural players around could easely play on the end for any band in the wourld. Dont get me started on all the other fine players in wales who dont get the credit deserved there are far to many!

 

[Andy_Euph]

Paul Robinson, solo euph with Ever Ready, excellent whenever i've heard him

 

[Horace]

John Gill on top cornet at Fishburn is an absolutely phenomenal player!!! Don't need to say any more...

 

[yr_epa]

One to look out for in the next year is Dewi Griffiths (2nd man at YBS). What a superb player and a true gentleman! He's taken the leap from Beaumaris to YBS and got better and better! Power player and would play all day (which he has done in the past!).

Another player who doesn't get much mention even though he is class is Paul Hughes (ex-Grimey - he was the sound of Tara Fitzgerald in Brassed Off), what an awesome player! He plays top man for us and is such an inspiration to all of our members!

Theres two to look out for in the future!

 

[deezastar]

anyone who plays a stand up solo. need balls of steel to do that. oh and evelyn bonnar scottish co op solo euph. fabulous player

D x

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. John Evenhuis at Capricornia silver Band. He doesn't go in the open euphs, so his name isn't thrown around as freely as Bill Barker's or Joe Cook's, but he's is a better player then Bill easily, and could probably teach Joe a thing or two too. Also, as well as being a fine eupho player, his efforts as a teacher have earned him three NEiTA's! That's a National Excellence in Teaching Award, btw.

 

[deave]

I don't know if you can call players like Lee Rigg, Matt Baker, Micheal Dodd or Bill Millar under-rated! They just dont put themselves in the public eye like other players...they are certainly rated highly or they wouldn't be so well respected.

As for under-rated, Paul Robbo from ever ready is awesome, but the one for me who isn't v well known is Darren Stott who is currently on sebatical from sellers because his 1st baby has just arrived. He is the best player i've ever sat next to, he won best principal cornet at spennymoor in 2002 but still didn't want to play top man!!! He could've been a legend if he wanted. I think Andy Lord and Leon Renilson are class too

 

[Australian Euphonium]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. John Evenhuis at Capricornia silver Band. He doesn't go in the open euphs, so his name isn't thrown around as freely as Bill Barker's or Joe Cook's, but he's is a better player then Bill easily, and could probably teach Joe a thing or two too. Also, as well as being a fine eupho player, his efforts as a teacher have earned him three NEiTA's! That's a National Excellence in Teaching Award, btw.

Hey chris, I'll back you up on that one. I think we're talking more in world banding circles, but you're dead right that guy is a phenomenal player and so modest he never shoves his nose out to get recognition for the brilliance he puts in without exception. In aus. I think ash gittens at xlcr, again only because he's so modest about himself. - head and shoulders the best soloist in australia at the moment In my opinion.

Otherwise I dunno - it's funny because the underated ones are precicely the people that we who can't get to live concerts DON'T hear.

 

[wewizrobbed]

anyone who plays a stand up solo. need balls of steel to do that. oh and evelyn bonnar scottish co op solo euph. fabulous player

D x

hehe I think Alison Bonnar on euph is even better :wink: most beautiful sound I've ever heard.