CD Duration: 61.01 / Year: 2019
March 2019 release at the Compton Theatre Organ at Black’s Regal Cinema, Sunderland.
The Best Of Times / I Am What I Am
Bring Him Home (from ‘Les Misérables’)
Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea
Morning Has Broken
The Continental / The Piccolino
Henry Mancini Waltzes: Dear Heart / The Sweetheart Tree
Mexican Shuffle / Tijuana Taxi
Be Our Guest / I Wan’na Be Like You
Red Pepper (A Spicy Rag)
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
I Write The Songs
Cockney ‘Sing Along’ Medley: Underneath The Arches / My Old Man Said Follow The Van / Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner / The Lambeth Walk
Unforgettable
The March Hare
Any Dream Will Do (from ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat’)
A Brown Bird Singing
Limehouse Blues
Florentine March
SLEEVE NOTES:
Following a recent visit to Ryhope Community Centre, I decided that it was time to record the organ for posterity. This gracious lady was now 87 years old and it would be nice to have an account of her sweet tones and powerful expression. The music represents a broad spectrum of popular music from standards through to musical shows and films.
‘The Best of Times Medley’ I always use at the beginning of my concerts. The Walt Disney song ‘I Wan’na Be Like You’ allows me to utilise the percussion department for a drum solo. A popular number from 1932 ‘Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’ reflects my love of Hammond organ stylings. There is a reminder of the sixties with ‘Tijuana Taxi’ featuring a real klaxon motor horn from the early thirties; it also makes an appearance in the ‘Cockney Sing-Along Medley’. The Cat Stevens version of ‘Morning Has Broken’ features the classical diapason pipes. ‘The March Hare’ is associated with Reginald Dixon’s recording at Blackpool. Also included is the novelty Rag ‘Red Pepper’ and ‘Any Dream Will Do,’ one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most popular favourites. Hayden Wood’s ‘A Brown Bird Singing’ shows off to good effect the quieter voices of the instrument. “Swing is King” in a lively ‘Limehouse Blues’ with solo clarinet, xylophone and drums. We bring the CD to a close with a shortened version of the ‘Florentine March’ which was featured in the film ‘Brassed Off’.
My grateful thanks go to David Wilson and his assistant Connie for making the organ sing better than ever, also Richard Stephenson for recording the organ faithfully and Steve ‘Hot Pipes’ Ashley for the CD mastering.
As the console sits immediately in front of the organ chambers you will notice a few clicks here and there as I change registrations. Enjoy this unique Compton, it certainly is as the song says, ‘Unforgettable’.
…Howard