Of Good & Pure Souls was written for my dear friend Jimmie Charles.
Jimmie has been a part of the Foden’s Brass Band family for sixty-three years, as player (cornet, horn and baritone) and librarian. In my time as Composer-in-Residence with Foden’s Jimmie became a good friend and I offered to write a piece of music that was dedicated to him.
Jimmie always quietly sings a tune, he draws you in to listening, he just loves music. My musical approach when writing this piece was to try and capture the softly and lyrically sung element of Jimmie. At the same time Jimmie is so loyal to Foden’s, displaying the selflessness that makes him much loved in the brass band world. At his home we would make our way to the end of his garden to sit in the sun with a beer whilst he would go into the shed and put an old vinyl brass band recording on his record player and tell stories.
Jimmie’s close friend and principal cornet of Foden’s Band, the incomparable Mark Wilkinson, has filmed a demonstration video of ‘Of Good & Pure Souls’ with pianist Wendy Nugent.
Mark gave the world premiere of the brass band version of ‘Of Good & Pure Souls’ with Foden’s Band, conducted by Michael Fowles, at Sandbach Town Hall on 19th May 2024, in the presence of Jimmie.
Andy Scott
May 2024
Jimmie has been a part of the Foden’s Brass Band family for sixty-three years, as player (cornet, horn and baritone) and librarian. In my time as Composer-in-Residence with Foden’s Jimmie became a good friend and I offered to write a piece of music that was dedicated to him.
Jimmie always quietly sings a tune, he draws you in to listening, he just loves music. My musical approach when writing this piece was to try and capture the softly and lyrically sung element of Jimmie. At the same time Jimmie is so loyal to Foden’s, displaying the selflessness that makes him much loved in the brass band world. At his home we would make our way to the end of his garden to sit in the sun with a beer whilst he would go into the shed and put an old vinyl brass band recording on his record player and tell stories.
Jimmie’s close friend and principal cornet of Foden’s Band, the incomparable Mark Wilkinson, has filmed a demonstration video of ‘Of Good & Pure Souls’ with pianist Wendy Nugent.
Mark gave the world premiere of the brass band version of ‘Of Good & Pure Souls’ with Foden’s Band, conducted by Michael Fowles, at Sandbach Town Hall on 19th May 2024, in the presence of Jimmie.
Andy Scott
May 2024