Gary Brooker at Charterhouse School

Programme scans • Saturday 22 October 2011

This charity gig, which featured Gary Brooker's début as an orchestral Hoover player, took place in the Hall at Charterhouse School in
Surrey, UK, which has 250 acres of immaculate grounds ... and not a school-child in sight on the day in question.

Above, a page about the two charities that were to benefit from the proceeds of the evening (and from £10,000 donated by Sir Tim Rice)

Great numbers of musicians collaborated to present this busy, varied programme to a packed hall. The pacing was rather odd – the Piazolla funeral piece didn't exactly belong so close
to the start –  but the majestic sound of two large bands was thrilling, and there was some good solo work featured. The actress Penelope Keith CBE narrated
The Dragon, in which characteristic musical motifs underscored the child-like narrative – made one long to hear The Worm and the Tree again.

Gary Brooker MBE was introduced rather underwhelmingly as 'pianist and fonder of the 1960s' pop group' Procol Harum.
Ann Murray DBE is the celebrated Irish mezzo-soprano, currently Professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music in London

This is the silver band that first played Gary Brooker's Bourdon des Alpes – read a brief BtP interview with its director

There's much more about David Wright in this very early BtP/Brooker interview

The Godalming Band sat stage right, the Sinfold Band stage left; as the programme above shows, for much of the time
they played together. With or without Hoovers, the effect was often tremendous