1 PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ Berlin arr. T Watson
This one was Tom’s idea! A great tune, which we thought would be a good starter to set the scene. The feel kept changing as we went along, and it’s ended up as a pretty full on track. Bet ‘Ye it’ll get Your foot tapping!

2 HOLIDAY Gareth Wood
Having worked with Gareth Wood before on a Harp and Brass Band Concerto, I knew he would be the perfect guy to write a piece for us. This was a hit from the start with the band, and works like a dream for the ensemble. It has a great tune and definitely has that“holiday” feel about it. Enjoy!

3 IN MY WORLD Catrin Finch
This track was inspired by a CD I heard of voices and a soprano sax solo. It was such a fabulous sound and so mesmeric, that I wanted to try and do a similar thing with Harp and soprano sax. It’s a tune that was perfectly finished off with Huw’s brilliant sax playing.

4 CHILDREN OF SANCHEZ Chuck Mangione arr. T Watson
This is a film score by Chuck Mangione that Tom discovered in his father’s LP collection. Having looked it up on the Internet, it’s described as a “deplorable film with a great soundtrack”! Probably the core of this album, it’s a feast made up of the band, full strings, timps, and includes fabulous solos on the flugal, alto sax, and by the wonderful singer and our great friend, Ryland Teifi.

5 HYMN Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins arranged this gorgeous piece for me, for his 60th birthday concert in the Royal Festival Hall. Its simplicity is its foundation, transporting you into a dream.

6 TRYWERYN Catrin Finch
This piece came to me as I was recording the part for Puttin’ on the Ritz! It was a momentary lapse of concentration, but somehow ended up being this little creation! It started with the basic chords, and then the solo harp line placed on top, and then we played around with delay and effects on the long chords, which gave a feeling of the movement of water. Tryweryn is the story of the village of Capel Celyn in North Wales, which was drowned in 1965 in order to provide water for the city of Liverpool. The Llyn Celyn (Celyn Lake) reservoir instantly shattered the small community that had lived there for generations. I tried to create an impression of the spirit of a community, maybe still there under the lake, going about their daily lives.

7 MISTY Garner arr. T Watson
This one was my idea! Probably one of the most popular jazz standards played on the harp, and a timeless classic that had to be a part of the album! Certainly, this was one of the first “jazz” standards I ever learnt, and so was the first arrangement we did at the start of the project.

8 HANG ‘EM HIGH Booker T Jones arr. T Watson
This one was Hywel’s idea! He is the biggest fan of Booker T and the MG’s, and said that we simply must do one of theirs! We had a lot of fun playing around with all the harp effects at the beginning of the track — every single sound you hear in the introduction was done on a harp. It was an arrangement that worked from the start, and one that we knew would be a winner.

9 FLY ME Howard arr. T Watson
Thought we should finish with a giggle! Fly me to the Moon meets tequila! Get the cheese biscuits Out because you’ll need a whole box for this track!

Harp and Big Band?! Are You mad?! This was the initial response to my idea of putting a harp to a big band, and I guess I should have expected it!

In the summer of 2004 I got asked to give a Concert in Lyon, France, with a Big Band. I thought it was a strange idea, but was excited to find Out how it would sound. The main concerns were balance, and how the sound of the harp would mix with the brass sound, and indeed what we would play! It was a great success, and above all a lot of FUN! So, on the Eurostar journey home I texted a good friend of mine Tom Watson (an amazing trumpeter with whom I studied at the Royal Academy), and asked if he would be interested in joining us with such a project and helping with the arrangements etc. He said he would certainly give it a go so, our project began in the autumn of 2004.

It’s a project that has been very fulfilling, and a great joy to ibe a part of. Having had the very first ideas of the ensemble, to deciding the music, recording the arrangements and working with the AMAZING musicians on this CD, and finally, having the finished project — wow, what a journey!

Tom, having been presented with the task of arranging for harp solo, four trumpets, three saxes, three trombones, bass and drums, completely understanding the balance issues and all the problems that could arise, took it all in his stride, and produced the most fabulous arrangements of some well—known and some un—known dworks. Hywel, who is the back bone of this project, put all of“his efforts into the sound and recording of the CD, and used his magic fingers to make us all sound great and insure this recording happened. My job’ to stop the boys from drinking too much beer, keep them off the beaten track in the studio, and put the harp parts on tOp of Tom’s arrangements!

So, here we have it, the perfect ingredients for a fabulous working team, our only contract being an agreement to enjoy every moment of the project and recording, and have as much fun as possible. I think we achieved it!

Thanks to:
HSBC Bank, Gareth Wood, Karl and Carol Jenkins, Ryland Teifi, Kevan Gallagher, Owen Thomas, Donal Wheelan, Tempo and his unicle, Bethan Anwyl, Medwyn Parry, Ceri Richards (Torpedo), Toby Coles, Lucy Morgan, Shan Cothi, Jane Davies, Sunida Kitiyakara, Elinor Bennett, Skaila Kanga, Salvi Harps, John Lloyd-Jones, Baz and Sue, the Royal Academy of Music, Hywel Gwynfryn, Koh Samui Music Festival, Jim Watson, Push 4, Hummingbird Productions, Gethin Scourfield, Hywel Griffiths, Shirley Anne—Lewis, Lou Chapman, Pa associates, Harping on, Sgwbi and Maximus AND ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES!

Band recorded at OLYMPIC STUDIOS l,2,4 & 9; KISSAN STUDIOS 7&8
All harp parts recorded at KISSAN STUDIOS www.kissanproductions.com

Musical director & arranger TOM WATSON
Produced by HYWEL WIGLEY, TOM WATSON & CATRIN FINCH
Project manager HYWEL WIGLEY
Engineered by HYWEL WIGLEY & KEVAN GALLAGHER
Mixed by OWEN THOMAS
Mastered by DONAL WHEELAN AT HAFOD MASTERING - www.masteringworld. com

Acoustic and electric harps CATRIN FINCH
Drums HAROLD FISHER, bass DAVE OLNEY
Trombones MIKE LLOYD TREVOR HIRES,
Bass trombone RICHARD H.NENRY & DAVID VINES
Alto sax JAMES KNIGHT, Tenor sax OSIAN ROBERTS,
Baritone sax SAMUEL HAYNE
Trumpets TOBY COLES, HIKE LOVATT, CRAIG WILD, DARREN WILES

Trumpet on 7 & 8 TOM WATSON & CHRIS DEACON
Saxes on 7 & 8 LOIS EVANS
Bass on 7 & 8 ROCCO “FUNKMASTER” RENALDI

Solos CRAIG WILD 1 & 2, OSIAN ROBERTS 2, JAMES KNIGHT 4 & 8, TOBY COLES 4, MIKE LOVATT 1
Soprano sax solo HUW LLOYD—WILLIAMS 3
Voice RYLAND TEIFI 4