Pass In Review – BOB SHARPLES***

Fanfare/Rule Britannia/Scotland The Brave/Waltzing Matilda/La Marsellaise/La Ritirata Italiana/Meadowland/ Mexican Hat Dance/Wearin’ Of The Green/Matilda/Lili Marlene/The Caissons Go Rolling Long/The Us Airforce/ Buckle Down Winsocki/The Bells Of St Mary/Yankee Doodle/Indian Drums/She Wore A Yellow Ribbon/When The Saints Go Marching In/Dixie/Onward Christian Soldiers/Anchors Aweigh/The Marines’ Hymn/Stars & Stripes Forever

The LP of marching songs Pass In Review was the inaugural release in the Decca Phase 4 stereo series, featuring British bandleader and arranger Bob Sharples. (US:11) “Pass In Review, the first Phase 4 Stereo release, set the tone for the label's early releases. Imagine that you are standing in a crowd watching a parade of marching bands pass before you, going from left to right. Though a studio recreation, it's pretty realistic, complete with interactive crowd noise. The LP starts with a fanfare, a shout of 'Pass in review!', and a British military band playing Rule Britannia. Now, Phase 4 didn't just include traditional marching bands. After a bunch of European bands go by we are treated to Mexican Hat Dance with guitars, castanets and maracas, and Matilda, played by a calypso band with vocals by the great Lord Kitchener. Side two focuses on US themes, including the usual military stuff like The Caissons Go Rolling Along. But we also get The Bells Of St. Mary's played by a bell choir, Indian Drums (my favourite), When the Saints Go Marching In and Onward Christian Soldiers. The LP ends with Anchors Aweigh, The Marines' Hymn and Stars & Stripes Forever. Great! You can experience the parade of a lifetime without having to get off the couch.”

“This LP was the first of London's Phase 4 series of very early multi-channel recordings. Side 'A' was a 'parade' of various marching bands from several nations. The stereo mixing made the bands appear to move from left to right across the listening room fading in on the left, building to a centre crescendo and fading out on the right, just as a new band was fading in again from the left. Side 'B' was more of the same except the bands were American themed. All this seems quite hokey nowadays but was rather astounding way back then.”