Richard Martin, Principal Trumpet of the Royal Northern Sinfonia reviews the latest CD release from The International Staff Band of the Salvation Army Staff under Bandmaster Dr. Stephen Cobb.

2015 was a notable year for The International Staff Band (The ISB). Performances at the International Congress in London and a tour of Australia saw the band perform a wide variety of music, much of which is featured here.

The disc opens with My God and King, an upbeat arrangement by Paul Sharman based upon the hymn, Let all the world in every corner sing: My God and King. Later we hear his festival march, Solid Rock, contrasted immediately with his meditation, Everlasting Hope before a Latin-style cornet quartet, Fuego, completes the quartet of featured works by this talented composer.

There are numerous meditative pieces on the disc including To Thy Cross I come, Lord - a song by Ivor Bosanko, beautifully arranged by Amsterdam Staff Bandmaster, Olaf Ritman, and in a similar vein Prelude on Lavenham by ex-Portsmouth Bandmaster, Geoffrey Nobes.

Ex-Enfield Bandmaster, Andrew Blyth, also provides another fine reflective piece with In God’s Presence, using the song All there is or me and Bow the Knee. On his website, Salvation Army Officer and composer, Martin Cordner, tells of the huge influence, in his early years, of the film music of John Williams and Bruce Broughton. This is quite apparent in his march, Stand Strong and the title track of the disc, The Adventurers - both played excellently.

Derick Kane’s name has been connected to The ISB for around 40 years. Here he plays his own composition, Australis, which features some Australian tunes cleverly spun together into a platform displaying his undoubted talents - fine technique, range and sound, but most of all, his great sense of musicianship.

The CD concludes with Steven Ponsford’s Music of a Legacy, which combines original material with many quotes from famous SA marches, meditations, festival and solo works; a tribute to the rich legacy of Salvation Army Music.

I thoroughly enjoyed this CD. Music for most band tastes, skilfully composed or arranged and all performed to a high standard. I particularly enjoyed the meditations as the band and conductor display their huge experience in playing music based upon hymn tunes, which, if we are to believe some of the recent brass band press, is a musical language ‘alien to many.’

Programme: 4/5
Performance: 4/5
Recording: 4/5
Presentation: 4/5

Buy this CD here.

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