Canadian Brass - All You Need Is Love CD

On the cover of 'Sergeant Pepper' the Beatles masqueraded as a brass band and now the Canadian Brass have returned the favor. Given the obvious attractions of such a program it is not surprising that the kings of the classical-pop crossover should want to meet the Beatles, only that it took them so long to get around to it. Throughout the catalog of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's tunes there is an undercurrent of classical influence, made explicit in some of the arrangements by their producer George Martin, and several of the most famous examples, "Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby" and "She's Leaving Home" are to be found here. For the most part, the selection focuses on the more sweetly sentimental McCartney material and though it might be said that their attempt to capture the funkiness of Lennon's "Come Together" finds the Canadians reaching a bit, "I am the Walrus" is actually quite amusing. The fine and somewhat fancy arrangements by Christopher Dedrick are delivered with the panache and finish one expects from the Canadian Brass.