This is another of those landmark recordings that had me taking further notice of Label Bleu's output. You open the CD case and are confronted with the list of the 48 members of the Banda B. Somma Di Chianciano Terme - that they employ a 9 piece 2nd clarinet section seems especially outrageous and with your spine tingling in anticipation, you think 'I must hear this... Now!' 

Battista Lena has taken this delightfully ragged wind orchestra and put together a programme of attractive marches and waltzes for his star soloists to play with. The material owes more to Nino Rota than Rossini but unlike the Pino Minafra inspired Italian Instabile Orchestra, Lena uses the band largely to provide a static framework for the soloists. This initially may appear limiting but the youthful exuberance of the Banda carries much charm which easily compensates for this and the fixed space for improvisation concentrates the minds of the soloists Enrico Rava, Gianni Coscia and Gabriele Mirabassi - all sound like they are all having tremendous fun.

The disc opens with Banda, a dizzy circus theme that introduces the whirling orchestra in its full glory before Enrico Rava embarks on his first scrabbled trumpet solo. Gabriele Mirabassi follows with a few bars of squalling clarinet before the orchestra gear up and with all the subtlety of a stampeding elephant conclude the theme.

Much of the material follows a similar form, often using a simple theme which is programmed through a number of changes of tempo and by adding some delicious harmonies. All the soloists have their moments, Lena himself contributing some well placed arpeggios on Stabat Mom. Perhaps the most compelling track of all though is Valzers a superb waltz in which the soloists seem to dance in partnership with the band. 

Fans of this music may also be interested in Mille Corde on the Italian Egea label - which is a similar project for Plettro Orchestra. Plettro is a snobby cousin of Banda featuring plucked strings (mainly mandolins of various sizes and guitars) deployed in similarly impressive numbers.

The Egea label is distributed in the UK by Music Beckons gary@musicbeckons.com, tel: 0779 666 4682, fax: 01706 870041