Wonderbrass: The Album

Wonderbrass meet on a Thursday after school for KitKats, chats, and a dash of music-making. They’re an ensemble of brass players lead by trombone teacher Mr Thompson, lovingly known as Mr T. Every year they prepare and perform both more Classical pieces for concerts throughout the year, and then pieces from the Popular repertoire which they wow the crowd with at Jazz Night. Highlights from this year were performing ‘The Wild Swans’, music which was infamously used in the Lloyds TSB adverts, and recording a CD!

“It was set to be the hottest day of the year, and Wonderbrass, along with our additional drummer, guitarist, bassist, pianist and singers, pulled into an industrial estate in the middle of Charlton. At a glance, the building did not look like the glamorous recording studio we all had in our minds. However, looks can be deceiving, and we were soon in a cool recording studio, preparing to make ‘Out Of Sorts’, our Wonderbrass album. Although it was a live CD, we did have to do a few retakes and we had to record and re-record about 10 tracks. We were divided into separate rooms, and slowly the room for the brass players became more and more stifling, while the mixers were luxuriating in air-conditioned temperatures. It wasn’t all hard work and no play however… We were recording an album! In a real recording studio! How many people can say they have done that?! We were relishing the moment. At the end of the day some of us cooled down with a water-fight before we played a giant game of Hide and Seek.

The hard work was over but the game had just begun. We still needed to take photos for the album, and then publicise the album  so it would actually sell. We then performed at Jazz Night which we do annually, although this year we performed with the air of recording artistes, and had a stall at the back where we were selling copies. Our ‘PR people’, Syd and Katie in year 12, alongside various members of Wonderbrass worked very hard to raise awareness: the school was plastered with posters, you can check out our Facebook page, or even buy merchandise to match your CD! The CD itself can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and many other reputable online music stores. If we manage to sell just over 1,000 copies of the single - ‘Place Your Hands’ - we could break into the Top 75. Next stop, Wembley! So buy it for your mothers, your brothers, sisters and friends.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the CD: all the musicians, Mr Mountain and the guys at Faraday Studios. However most of all we would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Thompson. He worked so hard to make an amazing album, and his incessant energy and spirit were inspiring throughout the project.”

Roshnee Patel Y10

The Wonderbrass album ‘Out Of Sorts’ and single ‘Place Your Hands’ are available to buy now from iTunes and other online music stores (search Wonderbrass).