First up, hosted by the Cherington Arms, was Incandescendo, with their musical kaleidoscope of jazz, world & classical musical influences. Their lineup was Emily Burridge (Cello) with Felix Gibbons (percussion) and they were joined by Brazilian guest Marco Campos (10 string guitar), from Rio de Janeiro.
The cello that Emily was using was an antique version over 160 years old with its very mellow sound. The percussionist Felix Gibbons is an internationally acclaimed percussionist specialising in the multiplicity of instruments that characterize the distinct rhythms of Brazil and Latin America.
Felix’s percussion rhythm’s danced around and enhanced the melodic sounds of Emily Burridge, the classically trained virtuoso 'cellist, who with her passion for Brazil is energized by the rhythms and finds them a limitless source of inspiration for composing and improvising melodies along with Marco Campos, with his modern approach to composition, based on Brazilian rhythms, as jongo, frevo, choro, samba, bossa-nova, and baião
Incandescendo, and their music, created a unique and dynamic sound, inspired by both their love of the English countryside and their mutual association with Brazil.
They used modern sampling technology to enable them to expand their compositions and create exciting multi-tracked pieces, spinning a web of intricate harmonies and rhythms, highlighted by some dazzling displays of improvisation.
In collaborating with Marco, Emily & Felix have expanded their concert program with their arrangements of Brazilian classical and popular music; choros, samba, and compositions by Marco.
Next we moved the following day to a show by The Vale Musicians, hosted by Cherington, Stourton, and Sutton under Brailes Village Hall.
The group was formed in 2013 and play late 1960s and early 70s US West Coast-styled music. The core of the band consists of Paul Bulman (guitar/vocals), Janet Bulman (Piano/Keyboard), Gayle Burch (vocals) and Ian Raemus (Pedal Steel Guitar).
They were joined by special guests Belinda Webb (percussion), Tim Porter (Harmonica), Charles Matthews (Piano), and Ruth Mathews (Flute).
The songs performed were written between 1968 and 1977, when country music had evolved into Country Rock and Country Folk made famous by artists such as The Eagles, Carole King, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. The new wave mainly took place in California following The Beatles rise to fame in the 1960s.
The group started off with a couple of Carole king songs “It’s Going to take some time” and "It's too Late” through some Neil Young and Crosby, Stills, and Nash (all the later coming to prominence at the Woodstock Festival in 1969).
Then we had a song from Poco “Just for Me and You”, the classic Bill Withers tune “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the first half was finished off with a rendition of The Eagles “Desperado” with Tim Porter on Harmonica instead of the vocals (this was the first of two renditions of that song, with Tim on Harmonica, as he played it again at the Open Mic event in Shipston).
After a refreshment break, the group covered a few Carly Simon numbers “Your so Vain” and “Nobody Does it Better” along with Eagles tracks including the famous “New Kid in Town”. Also included were a Linda Ronstadt track “Faithless Love” and a Jackson Browne number “Take it Easy”
The large audience was very appreciative of the group performance and Shipston Proms organiser Tim Porter encouraged them to try to attend other events in this year’s program.
The following day featured a classical concert at St. Edmunds Church, Shipston-on-Stour, which was sponsored by local estate agents Sheldon Bosley.
This was entitled Mrs. Porter’s Chamberpot Pourri and was organised with a variety of musical pieces for the appreciative audience.
The concert included a piece by Haydn “Trio for Flute and Cello in F” performed by Vicki Bacon (flute), George Wilkes (cello), and Lesley Currah (piano). Then we moved on to group Eight in a Bar (Conductor – Bernard West) singing music across the centuries, in a range of styles from spirituals to close harmony.
They sang a couple of pieces by Finnish composer Jussi Chydenius “Deep in the night” and “The sound of the Sea” along with Lennon/McCartney Beatles hit “Penny Lane”.
Then Beryl Braithwaite, a keen amateur pianist from Little Wolford, gave us a sparkling rendition of Shubert’s “Selection of Dances”, taken from a Myra Hess mini recital. In the 2nd half, she gave a rendition of “Father’s a drunkard and Mother’s Dead”
Then we heard Flutist Hannah Porter, accompanied on piano by her mother Helen Porter, give a rendition of Sonatina by Lennox Berkeley.
Then we had a varied piano duet with Helen Porter (who studied at the Royal Academy of Music) and Shauni McGregor with Capriol Suite (in 4 parts) by Peter Warlock.
To finish off the evening we had a Porter family musical treat with a performance of Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, with Tim on Harmonica, Helen on piano, and Hannah on violin.
