Album Reviews

Ken Peplowski/Alan Barnes – Happy Reunion (Woodville) £12.99: A lovely mainstream session, with an outstanding pairing of Peplowski and Barnes, who share a sunny and freewheeling outlook on their music. The programme is mainly made up of pieces associated with Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges, arranged with wit and resourcefulness featuring very fine players, notably trombonist Mark Nightingale, trumpeter Bruce Adams and pianist Robin Aspland. On the likes of Frisky, Straight Back and Four and Six, the interplay between Barnes and Peplowski, switching between tenor and clarinet, is very tasty indeed. AV

Bobby Wellins – Time Gentlemen Please (Trio) £12.99: Wellins turned 75 a couple of months ago, and to mark that milestone comes this excellent quartet session. The veteran tenorman is on terrific form, breezing through a programme of well-chosen standards with characteristic drive and his own unique brand of gruff lyricism. Wellins is particularly masterful on ballads, and his playing on It Never Entered My Mind and In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning is heartfelt and touching. He’s also wonderful on the Latin-flavoured Quando, Quando, Quando and The Shadow of Your Smile. An immensely enjoyable record. AV

Bach, Cantatas and Arias. harmonia mundi, (HMU807550) £13.99: The career of soprano Elizabeth Watts has soared since she won the 2006 Kathleen Ferrier Award: she sings Marzelline in Fidelio for the Royal Opera this month. Given her work so far, Bach seems a slightly curious choice for this CD. After a sequence of dolorous numbers, her voice seems too low for comfort in some places, but then the sun breaks through with the joyful Cantata BWV 51. The singing here is supple, creamy, expressive. RC

Missa Brevis – Conservatoire de Toulouse. Regent, (REGCD 340) £13.99: La Maîtrise de Toulouse, a mixed junior choir created and directed by English organist Mark Opstad, sings masses by Andre Caplet, Delibes, Britten and Fauré on this attractive release. The surprise is the first recording of the fine, wiry Missa Cornelia by Kenneth Leighton. The vocal quality is strong, bright and open. Yet they find touching sweetness in the Messe Brève by Délibes. The sensitive organ accompaniments are by William Whitehead. RC