Alan Barnes Octet: Copperfield – A Dickensian Suite | CD, Woodville

This new suite of pieces from the esteemed jazz saxophonist/composer Alan Barnes, takes you through the characters and scenes of David Copperfield, alongside his octet made up the finest players on the UK scene, including Bruce Adams, Mark Nightingale, Karen Sharp, David Newton and Clark Tracey.

The eight virtuoso musicians bring the characters and scenes to life, switching from hilarity to pathos with a skill that would have done credit to Dickens himself. A cheery clarinet plays Copperfield, the lost orphan Little Em'ly is a lyrical tenor, Mr Dick flies his kite in the personage of a soaring flugelhorn and trombone, Mr Micawber expresses "Something will turn up!" on the piano and Uriah Heep writhes around on the bass clarinet. Just as we see David progress through the trials of his life, so the movements of this suite seem to develop along with him.