The production of Double Trouble celebrates what can be achieved when true collaboration across musical genres, composers and performers is allowed to develop and blossom. The bringing together of Andy Scott, Barbara Thompson, Les Neish, James Gourlay, Tubalaté, Jim Fieldhouse and Foden's Band has produced this quite unique recording.
Having originally written her Tuba Concerto for James Gourlay and big-band, jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer Barbara Thompson had the opportunity to hear Andy Scott's Salt of the Earth performed by Les Neish and Foden's Band and was immediately taken with the thought of a re-scoring of her original work, with brass band accompaniment. Jim Fieldhouse, a member of Andy Scott's SaxAssault saxophone ensemble and euphonium player with Hepworth Band, was approached and produced a fine arrangement of the work for Foden's and the recording project started to take shape.
Add to the mix the magnificent Tubalaté (and drummer Ben Gray) with Andy Scott's Bite the Bullet and Going Down, written for James Gourlay with experimental tuba sampling, the only gap in the programme was a joint work that would highlight the immense technical and musical talents of two great tuba virtuosi. The title track, Double Trouble, is exactly that vehicle. Framed at the start and finish by Foden's Band, Barbara Thompson has penned a musical tour de force that pushes and stretches even these two great exponents of the tuba.
All in all, this recording serves as a testament to what can be crafted, nurtured and enjoyed when the coming together of creative minds and fabulous musicianship is allowed to simply enjoy itself.
