Tag Archives: Dave Desmond

Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us

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On March 1, 2024, “Inside Out” label released “The Likes of Us”, the fifteenth Big Big Train studio album. It was recorded May – June 2023, at “Urban” in Trieste, “Aubitt” in Southampton, “Inner State” in Bath, and was produced by Alberto Bravin, Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Foster, Oskar Holldorff, Gergory Spawton, Clare Lindley and Rikard Sjöblom.

Personnel:

  • Alberto Bravin – lead vocals, piano, organ, keyboards, guitars, 12-string guitars, brass arrangements, mixing
  • Rikard Sjöblom – vocals, guitars, 12-string guitars, organ, keyboards
  • Dave Foster – vocals, guitars, 12-string guitars
  • Oskar Holldorff – vocals, piano, organ, synthesizers, keyboards, string arrangements
  • Clare Lindley – vocals, violin, string arrangements
  • Gregory Spawton – bass guitar, bass pedals, 12-string acoustic guitar, Mellotron
  • Nick D’Virgilio – vocals, drums, percussion, 12-string acoustic guitar, vibraphone, brass arrangements
  • Brian Mullan – cello

Big Big Train Brass Ensemble

  • Ben Godfrey – trumpet, piccolo trumpet
  • Dave Desmond – trombone, brass arrangements
  • Nick Stones – French horn
  • Jon Truscott – tuba
  • David Lord – engineer
  • Fulvio Zafret – engineer
  • Rob Aubrey – engineer, mixing, mastering
  • Bruce Soord – 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mixing
  • Sarah Louise Ewing – original cover, gatefold artwork
  • Steve Vantsis – design, layout
  • Massimo Goina – photography

Track listing:

  1. Light Left in the Day – lyrics by Gregory Spawton, music by Alberto Bravin, Gregory Spawton
  2. Oblivion – lyrics by Nick D’Virgilio, music by Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Fosteer
  3. Beneath the Masts – lyrics by Gregory Spawton, music by Nick D’Virgilio, Gregory Gregory
  4. Skates On – Gregory Spawton
  5. Miramare – lyrics by Alberto Bravin, Gregory Spawton, music by Alberto Bravin
  6. Love Is the Light – lyrics by Alberto Bravin, Gregory Spawton, music by Alberto Bravin, Daniele Dibaggio
  7. Bookmarks – lyrics by Gregory Spawton, music by Alberto Bravin, Gregory Spawton
  8. Last Eleven – Gregory Spawton

Big Big Train: English Electric Part Two

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On March 4, 2013, “English Electric Recordings” and “GEP” labels released “English Electric Part Two”, the eighth Big Big Train studio album.

Personnel:

  • David Longdon – lead vocals, flute, vibes, tambourine, banjo, accordion, melodica, keyboards, acoustic guitar, birds and bees, mandolin
  • Gregory Spawton – bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar, slow moog, mandolin, keyboards, backing vocals,
  • Dave Gregory – electric guitar, banjo, mellotron
  • Danny Manners – keyboards, piano, double bass
  • Andy Poole – keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, baritone bee, backing vocals,
  • Nick D’Virgilio – drums, backing vocals
  • Daniel Steinhardt – electric guitar
  • Andy Tillison – organ, Moog, keyboards
  • Ben Godfrey – cornet, trumpet, piccolo trumpet
  • John Storey – euphonium, trombone
  • Dave Desmond – trombone
  • Jon Truscott – tuba
  • Eleanor Gilchrist – violin
  • Geraldine Berreen – violin
  • Rachel Hall – violin
  • Sue Bowran – violin
  • Teresa Whipple – viola
  • Abigail Trundle – cello
  • Jan Jaap Langereis – recorders
  • Lily Adams – backing vocals
  • Martin Orford – backing vocals
  • Verity Joy – backing vocals
  • Violet Adams – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Greg Spawton, except where noted.

  1. East Coast Racer
  2. Swan Hunter – Greg Spawton, David Longdon
  3. Worked Out
  4. Leopards – David Longdon
  5. Keeper of Abbeys
  6. The Permanent Way
  7. Curator of Butterflies

Big Big Train: Folklore

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On May 27, 2016, “English Electric” label released “Folklore”, the ninth Big Big Train studio album. It was recorded 2015 – 2016, at “English Electric Studios”, “Aubitt Studios”, “Real World Studios”, “Sweetwater Studios”, “Ashwood Studios”, “Regal Lane Studios” and was produced by David Longdon, Nick D’Virgilio, Greg Spawton, Andy Poole, Dave Gregory, Danny Manners, Rachel Hall and Rikard Sjöblom.

Personnel:

  • David Longdon- lead vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion
  • Nick D’Virgilio- drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Greg Spawton – bass guitar, bass pedals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Andy Poole – acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dave Gregory- electric guitars
  • Danny Manners – keyboards, double bass
  • Rachel Hall – violin, viola, cello, backing vocals
  • Rikard Sjöblom – keyboards, electric guitars, accordion, backing vocals
  • Evie Anderson – cello
  • Keith Hobday – viola
  • Lucy Curnow – violin
  • Dave Desmond – trombone, brass arrangements
  • Ben Godfrey – trumpet, cornet
  • John Storey – euphonium
  • Nick Stones – French horn
  • Sotos Yiasimi – recording
  • Mark Hornsby – recording
  • Rob Aubrey – mixing, mastering
  • Sarah Louise Ewing – paintings
  • Andy Poole – design
  • Simon Hogg – photography

Track listing:

  1. Folklore – David Longdon
  2. Along the Ridgeway – Greg Spawton
  3. Salisbury Giant – Greg Spawton
  4. London Plane – Greg Spawton
  5. Mudlarks – Greg Spawton
  6. Lost Rivers of London – Greg Spawton
  7. The Transit of Venus Across the Sun – Greg Spawton
  8. Wassail – David Longdon
  9. Winkie – David Longdon
  10. Brooklands – Greg Spawton
  11. Telling the Bees – David Longdon

Big Big Train: Grand Tour

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On May 17, 2019, “English Electric” label released “Grand Tour”, the twelfth Big Big Train studio album. It was recorded 2018 – 2019, at “English Electric Studios”, “Abbey Road Studios”, “Real World Studios”, “Sweetwater Studios” in UK, and was produced by David Longdon and Greg Spawton.

Personnel:

  • Nick D’Virgilio– co – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, additional keyboards, guitars
  • Greg Spawton – bass guitar, bass pedals, additional 12-string guitars, string and brass arrangements
  • Dave Gregory– 6-string and 12-string guitars
  • David Longdon– lead vocals, flute, additional keyboards, guitars
  • Danny Manners – keyboards, string arrangements
  • Rikard Sjöblom – 6-string and 12-string guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Rachel Hall – violin, backing vocals
  • Rachel Hall – string arrangements
  • Dave Desmond – brass arrangements
  • Rob Aubrey – mixing, mastering

Track listing:

  1. Novum Organum – lyrics by Greg Spawton, music by Nick D’Virgilio, Greg Spawton
  2. Alive – David Longdon
  3. The Florentine – David Longdon
  4. Roman Stone – Greg Spawton
  5. Pantheon – Nick D’Virgilio
  6. Theodora in Green and Gold – lyrics by Greg Spawton, music by Nick D’Virgilio, David Longdon
  7. Ariel – David Longdon
  8. Voyager – Greg Spawton
  9. Homesong – Greg Spawton

Big Big Train: English Electric Part One

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On September 3, 2012, “Electric Recordings” label released “English Electric Part One”, the seventh Big Big Train studio album. It was recorded in 2012, at “English Electric Studios” in Bournemouth, “Aubitt Studios”, “Regal Lane Studio”, “Studio Aurelia”, and was produced by Andy Poole.

Personnel:

  • Andy Poole – keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, baritone bee, backing vocals, design
  • David Longdon– lead vocals, flute, vibes, tambourine, banjo, accordion, melodica, keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, birds and bees
  • Danny Manners – keyboards, piano, double bass
  • Gregory Spawton – bass guitar, electric guitar, slow moog, mandolin, acoustic guitar, keyboards, curator, backing vocals
  • Nick D’Virgilio– drums, backing vocals
  • Dave Gregory– electric guitar, voice of the court usher, banjo, mellotron
  • Andy Tillison- organ, Moog, keyboards
  • Daniel Steinhardt – electric guitar
  • Dave Desmond – trombone
  • Ben Godfrey – cornet, trumpet, piccolo trumpet
  • John Storey – euphonium, trombone
  • Jon Truscott – tuba
  • Eleanor Gilchrist – violin
  • Geraldine Berreen – violin
  • Rachel Hall – violin
  • Sue Bowran – violin
  • Teresa Whipple – viola
  • Abigail Trundle – cello
  • Lily Adams – backing vocals
  • Martin Orford- backing vocals
  • Verity Joy – backing vocals
  • Violet Adams – backing vocals
  • Jan Jaap Langereis – recorders
  • Rob Aubrey – recording, mixing, monitoring
  • Ken Brake – recording
  • Matt Sefton – photography
  • Pete Callow – portrait photography

Track listing:

  1. The First Rebreather – Greg Spawton
  2. Uncle Jack – David Longdon
  3. Winchester from St. Giles’ Hill – Greg Spawton
  4. Judas Unrepentant – David Longdon
  5. Summoned By Bells – Greg Spawton
  6. Upton Heath – Greg Spawton, David Longdon
  7. A Boy in Darkness – David Longdon
  8. Hedgerow – Greg Spawton, David Longdon, Andy Poole

Big Big Train: The Underfall Yard

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On December 15, 2008, “English Electric” label released “The Underfall Yard”, the sixth Big Big Train album.

Personnel:

  • David Longdon – lead vocals, flute, keyboards, guitars
  • Gregory Spawton – keyboards, guitars, bass
  • Andy Poole – bass, keyboards
  • Nick D’Virgilio– drums, backing vocals
  • Dave Gregory– guitars, electric sitar
  • Francis Dunnery– guitar
  • Jem Godfrey– synthesizer solos
  • Dave Desmond – trombone
  • Nick Stones – French horn
  • Jon Truscott – tuba
  • Rich Evans – cornet
  • Jon Foyle – cello

Track listing:

All tracks by Gregory Spawton.

  1. Evening Star
  2. Master James of St. James
  3. Victorian Brickwork
  4. Last Train
  5. Winchester Diver
  6. The Underfall Yard