Sunday 9th April 2000

What an agreeable combination it turned out to be. Whether it was Gibbons or Gershwin, Part or Parry, the choir was never less than distinguished and often headed towards even greater heights. The addition of saxophone
accompaniment to many of the items produced some notably satisfying
textures, enabling new facets of familiar works to reveal themselves.

The outstanding abilities of Saxploitation came to the fore as they took the
stage alone for Graham Fitkin’s "Stub". The initial discord which also
punctuated the proceedings grabbed my attention and while frantically
tapping out the Latin American undertow silently with my pen I was able to
follow the ever fragmenting material to its conclusion. This was playing of
the very highest calibre and like it or not everyone knew that they had just
heard something quite remarkable.

Everyone, including the conductor Graham Caldbeck, was having a whale of a
time, and so were we. Hopefully, so was organist Richard Pearce despite
being sidelined by a group of saxophonists. Richard’s contributions always
make their mark and tonight was no exception.

In the 21^st century, music could not be in safer and more capable hands.

PHILIP KNIGHTON