Gig Review: Royal Academy of Music’s Big Fat Brass Concert: Duke’s Hall, 28th April 2024
A standard Sinatra tribute concert this was not! That much was confirmed as Mike Lovatt entered the hall with his right arm in a cast. The virtuoso trumpet player of many decades and an alumnus of the John Wilson orchestra and Glenn Miller’s Band UK, had apparently re-fractured an old injury. “I’m left-handed though, so it’s alright” he shrugged, and it was. He didn’t so much as conduct but bop for a two-and-a-half-hour concert from behind the podium, with the infectious enthusiasm only those that are fanatical about their art can be -and it worked.
Lovatt was loyal to his roots – brass, brass, everywhere – six French horns, six trombones and a substantial trumpet section adorned the stage as the core sound, acting both as melody, counter melody, and at times, vocal voicing. The band had additional help from a small timpani section, drum set, guitar, double bass, piano, celeste and harp. Although the opulent surroundings of the Royal Academy of Music’s famous Duke’s Hall were more Vienna Musikverein than Greenwich Village, the audience were quite effectively transported back to 1950s Windy City. The students that made up the ensemble were an amalgamation of the jazz departments and general alumni of the school at all ends of the study spectrum. BA to Master’s scholars who all came together to truly show that the Academy is not just for the classical heads: there were some true cats in their midst, and the future of jazz is reliably safe!
Lovatt’s colleague, Colin Skinner, another alumnus of the Glenn Miller orchestra, was responsible for the brass-heavy offering of the evening, providing a set of arrangements all barely a year old. Despite their infancy, these arrangements of the songbook of one of music’s most storied performers were not imposters at the party. Skinner is as much onstage as every instrument.
There were some unusual choices in the programme. The lesser known ‘Jabine’ and Sinatra’s take on Cole Porter’s ‘Still of The Night’ stood out, although Lovatt managed to roll his eyes just before he danced through ‘My Way’. “Not my favourite,” he proclaimed with a straight face, even as he coaxed the Sinatra spirit out of every instrument in the vicinity. It was clear that even mainstream songs received equal love.
Matthew Ford had the daunting task of providing moments of vocal support and did just that with reliability, plausibility and swing, notably in ‘I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry’, a standout in a series of standouts. Lovatt has had the opportunity to hand-pick from the ensemble for solos and duets, with Holly Clark’s masterful ‘Look to Your Heart’ pulling on the heartstrings, and Will Thomas and Ruben Ana’s duelling trumpets galvanized the second half of the concert in ‘The Moon Was Yellow’.
Like a genial, over-excited uncle, Lovatt, supported by a brilliant ensemble of tomorrow’s award winners, session musicians, jazz players and composers, drew us seamlessly into the Sinatra era, and reminded us of Frank’s ability to endure and remain one of most well-known and well-loved jazz vocalists. Indeed, it could be said Lovatt’s Got the World on a String and he let us borrow it for a while. It was electrifying!
Jessica Bailey
Photo courtesy of Mike Lovatt. Photographer unknown.
