Rochdale Music Society Jazz evening

Richard Iles (Flügelhorn)

Composer and Pianist Dan Whieldon was joined by Richard Iles (Flügelhorn) with Gavin Barras (Acoustic Bass) and Dave Walsh (Drums) in a Jazz evening the Heywood Civic Centre on Saturday (11 June), the finale of Rochdale Music Society’s Concert Series 2016-17.

The programme featured arrangements of standards such as Cole Porter’s “You’ve been so nice to come home to” and Miles Davies’ “Nardis” along with some of Dan’s own compositions as featured on his latest CD entitled Positive Changes.

Much of Dan’s music is inspired by people and relationships.

The concert began with his gentle, contemplative ‘For E.P.’ His ‘Marina’s song’ provided a delicately shaded yet colourful musical portrait of his young daughter and ‘Waltz for Ronnie’ a scintillating celebration of his wife.

The conclusion of the concert was his wistful account of the tune from Parry’s oratorio, Judith, which has come to be known as the hymn tune ‘Repton’ and is used for words taken from the American Quaker poet’s ‘The Brewing of Soma’ which begin ‘Dear Lord, and father of mankind”.

All this was performed with that depth of human feeling which makes jazz so appealing.

Jazz has not been the usual fare of Rochdale Music Society’s concert menus over the years, and it is perhaps for that reason that the audience on this occasion was comparatively small.

Members showed their warm appreciation of the players’ consummate artistry as each musician made his contribution to the ensemble’s take on the melodies and harmonies being explored. It all seemed so effortless – casual even.

There could be no doubt that the imaginations and inventiveness shown throughout the evening came from years of painstaking preparation and devotion to the cause.

Rochdale Music Society’s next Concert Series will consist of five concerts in the Heywood Civic Centre, all on Friday evenings at 7.30pm.

The first will be on 3 November, when the Willshire Piano Duo will be
playing music by Schubert, Debussy, Rimsky-Korsakov and others.