Jammin on the one!

Hi all,

Today in class we listened to some pretty hip music.  This week has been a bit of a struggle (and it's only MONDAY), so it was nice to have some fun and educational music to relax to.  Today we listened to the Soul Rebel Brass Band.  Right now as I'm blogging, I'm listening to them and the sound is so smooth, so rhythmic.  I just love it.  I appreciate Professor Manning introducing us to them.  This band is straight from New Orleans and is definitely drenched in that style.  Their music can also be heard on the hit show Treme on HBO.  The Soul Rebel Brass Band features Trombone Shorty who as we all know was here just a few months ago performing at the Englert.  As I'm listening I'm hearing some rapping going on and I had a thought in class that they were influenced by rappers, but the rappers of that area were in turn influenced by the music of New Orleans.  Take the rapper Mystikal for example.  His song, Bouncin' Back is straight out of New Orleans.  I mean, obviously he's from there, but listen to the background.  Almost the first thing you hear is a sax rif.  I mean, check it! It's hip hop, but he is definitely combining the elements of that NOLA jazz style in this sound.  Refer to the song "Bouncin' Back" if you want an explanation of the title.  In fact, here's the video just to give you an idea of what I mean.

This music is such a strong example of the NOLA jazz style being blended into rap.  It's kinda cool to hear and see.  I love it.  Anyway, I just wanted to bring the point that people are so innovative and New Orleans jazz music still lives and is pretty mainstream!

I've had a great time blogging!  Maybe I'll keep it up!

Best,
M.

Chuck Lazarus

Hi all...again,

I just got finished taking a master class/lesson with Minnesota Symphony player, Chuck Lazarus and I thought I'd share a little about my lesson.

It was great to have Chuck come down.  Not only is he a orchestral player, but he has a jazz combo group.  He has a very innovative style that comes through in his compositions.  To start the class, he played for us some of his works.  He has a strong, bright sound.  He's also a funny, well informed person.  I definitely liked him.  For me, the issue was my ability to sustain through the phrases.  I was getting a big sound, but I just wasn't sustaining.  I honestly could not hear that I wasn't.  Chuck also talked a lot about eliminating things that get in the way of your playing such as hand positions, posture, and embouchure.  It was great to have him down and I definitely enjoyed my lesson with him.  Check him out HERE.  Also, I posted a video of him and Manny Laureano jamming. Check it out!  Enjoy.

The Commandant's Own U.S. Marine Drum Corps

Hi all,

Getting down to the wire here, ya'll.  I've had a great time doing these blogs and I've learned quite a bit.  I thought I'd (finally) post about my topic again.  The Commandant's Own is the drum and bugle corps of the U.S. Marine Corps.  It consists of 80 active duty marines.  They dress in red and white uniforms.  The Commandant's own is completely separate from its sister band, "The President's Own"  however, they perform with each other during the summers in the Friday night traditional parades.  The Commandant's Own was first formed in 1934 to augment The President's Own.  They perform a wide variety of styles including marches, jazz, patriotic, and classical music.  Check out their website HERE.  And I found a really cool video about the history of the Commandant's Own.  So Ch-ch-check it out!

Trumpet Tour

Hi all!

Last week the Graduate Trumpet Ensemble took a trip to Chicago.  It is good to be back again after a successful trumpet tour.  It was great to get out and play for some area high schools and not only to play, but to give master classes as well.  It was a fun trip to Chicagoland and I thought I'd blog about that today.

On Monday morning we headed out to Libertyville high school in northern Chicago.  The first performances were great.  We played Cityscapes by Erik Morales, Fanfare for and Angel by James Stephenson, Fanfare, Suite for five trumpets by Ronald Lo Presti, an excerpt from a Midsummer Nights Dream, by Felix Mendelssohn, and a Bach Chorale.  After that gig we took off for Northwestern University to hear a concerto competition (the final round).  Northwestern University is right on Lake Michigan and if you ever get a chance to go, do it!  The water is beautiful, the campus is great and you can see the Chicago skyline from your practice room!  The concerto competition was fantastic.  I honestly don't know how they would be able to pick a winner from all the great performers.  The level of concentration was extremely high and the musicianship was right up there with it.  The next day we headed out to Matea high school and played a couple of concerts for the students.  What I really enjoyed about the trip was that it was an educational process.  Dr. Schendel talked quite a bit about intonation, matching in a chamber ensemble, and we got to talk a little about ourselves and what our journey has been like.  The last day we went to Nequa Valley high school and gave four concerts/presentations.  That was a long day, but it was definitely worth it in the end.  Giving a master class is a lot of work, but it is definitely rewarding.  And the literature we played was fantastic and I enjoyed being a part of such a special group.

Iowa Brass Quintet

Hi all,

Last night was the Iowa Brass Quintet concert.  After a whirlwind tour, it was great to come back and have a really strong concert.  Besides playing a couple Gabrielli pieces, we played an interesting piece by Jan Koetsier.  Has anyone ever heard of him?  He is a Dutch composer and conductor.  I had not heard of him but apparently he was really popular in Germany.  Despite the fact he was a Nazi, he still wrote some good music! The piece we performed was called Quintetto Lirico.  In it's three movements, it has the elements of a waltz, a march, a jazz tune, counterpoint and is all and all a great piece.  I really enjoyed playing with Iowa Brass this year--it was a scary/humbling/fun learning experience and I hope to have many more like it.  Maybe my next post will be about Koetsier.  Has anyone ever played one of his quintets?

Thanks!

Pershing's Own

Hi all,

Nate's latest blog got me thinking about the Pershing's Own.  I'm just going to slip in a bit more info about them.  Thanks for the idea, Nate!

The Pershing's Own is the premier musical organization of the U.S. Army Band.  It was established in 1922 by General John J. Pershing.  It is the only band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat relations.  The Pershing's Own has performed in Carnegie Hall and around the world.  They currently have several openings.  Check them out HERE if you want to know more!

Also, check out this video if you want to see them in action...or if you just need a good laugh.

Lenny B

Hi all,

I'm feeling crummy this morning so I thought I'd take some time and blog.  On Monday we listened to Bernstein's Dance Suite.  I was definitely reminded of Stravinsky during the Waltz.  It was quirky, a bit off kilter  and fun.  I'm sure that Bernstein drew some inspiration from him.  How could he not?  I thought Dave made a great point in class that Bernstein was trying to keep himself relevant.  The fifth movement, MTV, was a call to the new generation of music listeners.  I think he's making a reference towards young people that are stimulated not only by the music, but from visual images associated with it.  On a side note, my friend Jon and I were obsessed with Bernstein back in college.  At one point I had a picture of him conducting taped to my locker at school.  We called him Lenny B, hence the title of this post.  He was such an inspired conductor, educator, and composer.  I could watch West Side Story right now!  It's so addictive.  In fact, let's take some time and watch a video of him conducting I Feel Pretty.

Enjoy!

The Tour

Hi all!

It's great to be back at school after a whirlwind tour with the Iowa Brass Quintet.  I have been so lucky to have been apart of the group for the past year.  We all learned quite a bit on tour, I certainly did.  I'll give you the run-down.

Our first stop was a small high school/jr. high in southern Iowa called Central Lee High School.  It was our first live performance together and the kids really enjoyed it.  We headed back to Iowa City that same day and the next day we set off at 10 am towards Missouri.  It was at Maryville that we gave a master class.  The college was small, but the students were great.  They have a lot of potential and they were also great to work with.

Our next stop was the next day in Lawrence, Kansas.  That day the weather was just perfect for playing and after we had lunch at a Mediterranean place, we headed over and played our program.  It was interesting to be in that environment as a student.  Besides sometimes adding my own comments, I was definitely learning a lot about teaching and what it means to be a professional.  That same day we headed up to Kansas City, MO.  We stopped at UMKC for a bit and gave a master class and  answered some questions.  I met few people there and it was great to talk shop with students at a conservatory.  After the concert, we headed over to the cheesecake factory for some seriously delicious food and I got to talk to a few more students there.  Although UMKC is a conservatory, they said it was actually laid back.  I can definitely see that within the brass studio.  Kansas City was amazing, by the way and if you ever get a chance to go, take it!

The last stop we made was to Truman State University in Missouri.  It was small, but their music program is very good!  I was impressed by the students there, not only in their playing, but their demeanor as well.  After we did a master class, Dr. Schendel did kind of a impromptu Q& A with us.  It was such a learning experience and I thought it was fantastic to vibe with other students with the same and sometimes different ideas.  After that we all went out to a jazz concert at a theater.  It was really fantastic.  I don't remember the name of the group, but they came down from New York to this little town called Kirksville to give us some great tunes.  That definitely topped the night off.

I learned quite a bit traveling with the Iowa Brass Quintet.  I won't forget the experience and I'm glad I made some new contacts.

That's all! See you in class tomorrow!

Searching for Ewald

Hi all,

What a whirlwind this week has been!  It's been tough getting back to business, but I'm confident that this week will be easier.

In my readings this week I focused on the Ewald article.  Honestly, I didn't know much about him before I started reading.  I played his second quintet with the graduate brass quintet one day, and I brought in his third quintet for my listening presentation.  Andre Smith seems like a very patience man.  He took such a long time to carefully gather the research he needed to present a true picture of Ewald.  I think this teaches us that we must start our research early and be extremely thorough in that quest.  A question that this article brought to mind was, why did Mary Rasmussen behave so carelessly with her research of Ewald.  In a way, when you come to a dead end with a subject like Rasmussen may have, it is easy to just say, "Forget it!" There are deadlines to make, things like that, but what is more important?  Presenting a clear picture of such a influential composer, or giving a vague outline of his works?  I think we all know the answer to that one.  I have been playing rotary trumpet for a little while.  I used it once for an orchestra concert and some on my own.  I gathered from the article that they are the norm in Europe.  Since I have very little experience with rotary instruments I can't really make up my mind on a rotary vs. piston battle.  But I can say that if I ever moved to Germany to play with a brass quintet or a large brass ensemble and everyone was playing on rotary horns, I would get one.  From what I know they have a darker sound, I'm not entirely sure this has anything to do with the valves though.  But in order to match the other players a rotary would definitely be needed.  I disagree with the statement, "there is no true legato on trombone."  I think Smith makes a great point when he writes, "trombone players would basically be unemployed if they didn't know how to play legato..."  A trombone player must learn to be proficient in the lyrical sense to be able to match the the other players in the brass quintet or large ensemble.  Although it took a long time, the ABQ brought the Ewald quintets to Carnegie Hall.  As it states in the article, the rediscovery of the Ewald quintets 2-3 are due to the Empire Brass Quintet.  The handwritten parts were obtained by Werke.  Werke had brought them back from Leningrad and exchanged them for a medley of Gershwin tunes.  Amazing....they might have never gotten to America without him!  

In the UK

Hey all,

I wanted to expand my blog to military bands outside of the U.S.  I figured it was about time.  The first one I'm going to blog about is the Corps of Army Music, which is the band for the British Army.  The Corps of Army was formed in 1994.  The primary role of Army Bands is to play music in support of the Army's moral component and to assist in its engagement with civilian communities.  If you leave the band, you're able to re-enlist.  I'm not sure if you're able to do that in America.  This division has a jazz band, a rock and pop group, big bands, and includes fanfare trumpets.  The primary goal is to provide first class music for any military event, but other duties include guarding key installations, close protection, driving, and guarding prisoners of war.  That's pretty serious!  I wouldn't know how to guard a POW.  But I believe they give training to the musicians to do such things.  There is so much information on their website.  I wonder if an American can become part of one of these groups?  Check out the info HERE.

Until next time!

Air Force Brass Quintet

Hey all,

The Air Force Brass Quintet is a component of the Air Force Band in Washington, D.C.  The quintet performs at children's concerts to official protocol functions in the National Capital Region.  Members include Master Sergeant Andrew Wilson, trumpet, Technical Sergeant Michael F. Bosch, trumpet, Technical Sergeant Kathleen L. Monroe, Horn, Senior Master Sergeant Lindsey Smith, trombone, and Technical Sergeant Christopher Wade, Tuba.

I would really like to be apart of this group one day.  But what am I saying? I'm sure we all want to be apart of a great group that plays great music and gets paid for it!  I'll be keeping an eye on auditions so that one day I can sit with these guys! Read all about them HERE.  Watch some vids too!

Trumpet Audition for the Air Force Band

Hey all, 

I just found out there was a position for a trumpet in the concert band in the Air Force.  I probably won't take this audition, but I thought I would post the requirements just in case anybody wanted to.  The audition process can be rigorous.  Lots of places ask for a preliminary CD and this one is no different.  I thought all of the auditions were live, but apparently you must be approved before you can take a live audition.  These "tapes" as we call them are due June 1st of 2012.  The live auditions take place in Washington D.C. on July 30th.  It is important to start the taping process as soon as possible.  It can be a little tricky to get exactly what you want from a recording i.e. the right kind of sound, the right room, the proper format.  This isn't a post about electronics or anything, but the preliminary recording can mean the difference between a rejection or an acceptance.  Just something to keep in mind!  Here is a link to the site AIR FORCE.  Check out the career section if you want to know more.

On the trail...

Hello all! I'm having a great time here in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The SoM is beautiful and so is the campus.  Surprisingly, I'm getting a lot of work done.  Megan mentioned on my blog that the Tokyo Metropolitan Brass Trio was probably taken from member from the Tokyo Metropolitan Brass Quintet.  Unfortunately my search lead to on the members names: Hiroyuki Odagiri, Kiyoshi Sato, Osamu Takahashi, and Takashi Nakayama, Takato Saijo.  I'm pretty interested in finding out more about this group.  It seems that they have some recordings at the moment: Brass Quintet "Dragon Quest" Part 2 and Part 3, Tokyo Metropolitan Brass Quintet Plays Sugiyama Koichi Songs, and Brass Quintet "Dragon Warrior" Dragon Quest.  Hmm they seem to care a lot about dragons.  I'll definitely keep on the trail of this group!

Down in the Treme just me and my baby.....

Hey all!

Shelby did a great job today.  His presentation was super fun, educational, and overall well put together.  I'm so glad he played some NOLA brass bands in class.  I mean, that stuff is apart of African American history as well as American history and it's important to recognize that.  He got me thinking about this show called Treme, which I mentioned briefly in class.  It is a show about a neighborhood in New Orleans called Treme (apart of the Lafitte Projects) and the people who live there.  The main characters are Batiste, a teacher and freelance trombone player, Davis, a local musician and radio DJ, Albert, carpenter and Indian Chief.  Then there is LaDonna (ex-wife of Batiste) who owns a local bar, Toni, a lawyer, Jannette, a chef, Delmond (Albert's son) freelance trumpet player, Annie who is dealing with the murder of a friend and violin player, Sonny, a fisherman and guitar player, Terry, a cop, Creighton, a jazz enthusiast and teacher (husband to Toni), and Sofia, their teenage daughter.  This show starts off right after hurricane Katrina and follows each of the characters as they recover and try to build back their lives.  The reason I like this show is because it is deeply rooted in music.  To be honest, I sometimes find myself wondering what an episode was about, but the music is always burning!  It spends about half the time with the characters and half the time in some bar with Batiste and his band just making music.  I'm talking long sequences of these bands playing, their musical struggles, and what it is sometimes like to manage a band (in Batiste's case).  There was a particular episode with a funeral procession and it was just like the video Shelby showed today.  That's how it really goes down in NOLA and it's pretty fantastic.  Unfortunately, Treme is only offered to HBO subscribers, but you can buy the first 2 seasons on Amazon if you really wanna get into it.  Check out www.hbo.com and type Treme in the search box.  You can get a better explanation of this fantastic show there.  Check it out--it's worth a peek!


Have a good spring break!!

The New Layout

Hi all!  I thought I would post some things I forgot to put in my handout from my listening session the other day.  It was fun to present music to my colleagues and enjoy some listening for about 40 mins.  I still can't find any info on the Tokyo Metropolitan Brass Trio.  Can anyone help with that?  So here it is! The updated version of the listening.  Thanks for reading!  

Chamber Brass Listening Session

Center City Brass Quintet

Fire Dance (3:46)  --Anthony Dilorenzo From the album "Streetsong"

4 Outings No. 2 Blues Tempo (5:03)---Andre Previn From the album "Streetsong" 

Anthony DiLorenzo, trumpet Ryan Anthony, TrumpetRichard King, Horn

Steve Witser,Trombone Craig Knox, Tuba

Steve Witser has served as Assistant Principal Trombone of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1989.  He received his Bachelor of Music Degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music in 1981.  That same year he was a prize winner in the Munich International Solo Competition.  In 1988 Mr. Witser returned to Europe and won second prize in the Geneva International Competition for Music Performers.  Mr. Witser has served as Principal Trombone with the Music of the Baroque Phoenix Symphony.  A faculty member of the Cleveland Institute of Music since 1993, he has also taught at the Eastman School of Music and The Oberlin Conservatory

*Since his unexpected death in 2009 Steve Witser has been replaced by Ko-Ichiro Yamamoto.  

Richard Kind was appointed Principal Horn of the Cleveland Orchestra by Christoph Von Dohnanyi in 1996, having held the position of Associate Principal Horn since the age of twenty.  As a soloist, he has performed with the Auckland Philharmonic as well as numerous appearances with his own orchestra; his recent performance of the Mozart Horn Concerto #2 was noted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for its “silken stream of beautiful tone” and “flawless performance”. 

Geoffrey Hardcastle is Second Trumpet of the Buffalo Philarmonic.  He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Bernard Adelstein, David Zauder, and James Darling.  Geoffrey performed for several seasons as an acting member of the Cleveland Orchestra.  He was a founding member of the Burning River Brass Ensemble, and is currently a member of Proteus 7.  Geoffrey is on the faculty at Celeveland State University. 

Anthony DiLorenzo has appeared as a soloist with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, and New York Philharmonic, and has held positions with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New World Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, and Utah Symphony.  Anthony is also a member of Proteus 7 and the Burning River Brass ensemble.  DiLorenzo is an Emmy Award-winning composer, whose works have been performed by the San Francisco Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Utah Symphony, and New World Symphony.  The CCBQ takes full advantage of Anthony’s composition talent, and regularly enlists him to write new music for the quintet.  His original work, “Firedance”, which the CCBQ premiered and recorded on its Street Song album, has become a favorite among student and professional brass quintets around the world. 

Craig Knox, tuba, is Principal Tuba of the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra, Adjunct Professor of Tuba at Duquesne University, and Artist-Lecturer in Tuba at Carnegie Mellon University.  He has served as Acting Principal Tuba of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and held the Principal Tuba chair of the Sacramento Symphony and the New World Symphony, with which he appeared as soloist.  He has held teaching positions at Kent State University, California State University-Hayward, as well as the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he was Director of Brass Chamber Music.  In addition to being a founding member of the CCBQ, he is also tubist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass and has played and toured with the Chicago Chamber Musicians Brass Quintet and Empire Brass. 

                                                                        -http://www.centercitybrassquintet.com/

American Brass Quintet

Brass Quintet No. 3 In Des-Dur, Op. 7: 2. Intermezzo Moderato (4:37)--Victor Ewald 

Solfeggiamento (0:48)- From the album "Fyre and Lightning" Consort music of 1600

Fancy a 6 (2:18) From the album "Fyre and Lightning" Consort music of 1600

Raymond Mase, Trumpet

Chris Gekker, Trumpet

Robert Biddlecome, Bass Trombone

David Wakefield, Horn

Ronald Borror, Trombone

“Now in its 51^st season, the American Brass Quintet has been internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles of our time and an icon in the brass world….Equally committed to the promotion of brass chamber music through education, the American Brass Quintet has been at residence at The Julliard School since 1987 and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970.”

                                             -http://www.americanbrassquintet.org

Triton Trombone Quartet

                                                                             

The Triton Trombone Quartet was formed in 1982 under the name of Bielefeld Trombone Quartet.  The four musicians initially concentrated on performing early music and selected twentieth-century compositions.  Gradually the repertoire expanded to take in the entire literature for this instrumental ensemble from the Renaissance to the experimental music of today.  The ensemble has been praised for its stylistic security, its homogeneous sound and its fascinating expressive power. 

Sonata In E Minor for 3 trombones (3:29)--Daniel Speer 

Kindermann: Sonata “La Affetuosa” for 3 trombones (3:14)--Erasmus Kindermann

Olaf Ott, Ulrich Behrends , Hermann Baumer ,Ulrich Dieckmann           

Tokyo Metropolitan Brass Trio

Divertissement –Maurice Faillenot

I.                   Prelude (1:38)

II.                Sarabande (2:07)

III.             Menuet (2:53)

Trio For Brass- Vaclav Nelhybel

I.                   Leggiero marcato (1:43)

II.                Andante moderato (2:42)

III.             Molto viva con bravura (0:28)

For a New Theatre (0:45)

Reinhold Friedrich and Wolfgang Bauer

 

 -Dedicated to Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine, this fanfare was composed for the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center, new home of the New York City Ballet.

                                                                             

                                                            -http://www.talkingtrumpet.wordpress.com

Rebirth Brass Band-

Here To Stay (4:00)

Aint No Party (6:43 tentative)

***In February this group won a Grammy for their album "Rebirth of New Orleans"  Congrats!!  

“Simply put, the Grammy Award winning Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans institution. Formed in 1983 by the now infamous Frazier brothers, the band has evolved from playing the streets of the French Quarter to playing festivals and stages all over the world.  Rebirth is committed to upholding the tradition of brass bands while at the same time incorporating modern music into their show.  Their signature brand of heavy funk has not only won over several generations of music lovers, it has become the soundtrack to an entire city.  In the wake of the sometimes-stringent competition amongst brass bands, Rebirth is the undisputed leader of the pack, and they show no signs of slowing down.”

                                                     -www.rebirthbrassband.com 

A Blue (Grass) Navy Band.

Hello all!  Rachel did a pretty cool presentation on Wednesday.  I liked the whole concept of contemporary music.  I often wonder who is premiering these works and who is writing them.  I wonder if there is one brass ensemble out there dedicated to new music.  I also liked how the presentation ended with some funk/jazz music.  Although those groups aren't considered "traditional" I think their musicianship is great.  It's also fun to grove to.

For this week I'll be sharing a few things about the Navy Band.  The United States Navy Band is the premier musical organization of the the U.S. Navy.  It is comprised of six performing groups as well as many chamber ensembles.  The performing groups include:

Concert Band
Ceremonial Band
Sea Chanters
Commodores
Country Current
Cruisers
Chamber Ensembles

The Concert Band and the Ceremonial Band both play patriotic music like marches and wind ensemble literature.  But what is really interesting is the Country Current group.  It is a country/blue grass group.  They tour the country to recruit for the Navy by spreading music throughout the nation.  I had no idea that the Navy had this type of ensemble.  You learn something new everyday...

There are lots of interesting things about the Navy Band HERE.  Check it out!

Military Career Info. Condensed

Hello all,

Tonia did a great presentation today.  I thought it was good to start off with something that we all know and love.  The variety was great too and I enjoyed the presentation.  I found a three or four page pamphlet in MWIB the other day detailing the career information about the Presidents Own Marine Band.  There is quite a bit of information so I'll just get down to the nitty gritty.  

Musical Requirements:

No specific level is needed, but most members hold college degrees and some hold advances degrees.  

Qualifications: 

Be a U.S. citizen

Renounce foreign citizenship if candidate has both 

Maximum age of 28

Pass the ASVAB

Comply with heath and weight standards 

No arrests or felonies 

No involvement with the law even as a juvenile 

No DWI/DUI 

No illegal drug use 

No moving/parking fines over $200

This info also details the rate of pay with and without dependents: 

Without dependents 

Basic pay: 2,281.20 

BAH 1689.00 

PRO/SEP RATION 325.04 

______________________

Total monthly  4295.24

With dependents 

Basic pay: 2281.20

BAH 2217.00

PRO/ SEP RATION 325.04

_______________________

Total monthly 4823.24

On average a member makes 6,000 more per year.  That's quite a bit.  I think it's time to get married! 

Furthermore, there are benefits, a savings plan, vacation time and educational assistance.  More about that next time.  I'll let you digest these figures and qualifications first.  

Stevie Wonder gets down with the Air Force. Do you?

Hello again!  Check out this video I found of the Hot Brass.  Being from the South, (yes, capital S) I love this kid's accent.  I seriously didn't know that the Air Force could (or would) get down like that.  Enjoy!

A Funk band in the Military?? Who knew!

Hello all!  I'm back to blog.  I thought Nate did a great first presentation on his listening project.  Maybe I should have known this, but it was pretty cool to find out that John Aley, professor of trumpet at UW-Madison, was in the American Brass Quintet.  That is pretty serious.  I definitely enjoyed the presentation and cannot wait to bring some cool stuff to the table like Nate did.

Adam Stevens suggested I look up the Hot Brass so I did.  Thanks, Adam.  It is apart of the USAF Band and they do stuff like funk, jazz and blues styles.  They also do outreach concerts around the world.  I always thought that the USAF Band was about marches, classical music, and more marching.  However, it's way cool that they also do jazz.  I guess it's another way to promote the military and patriotism using American music.  Since I want to be in the Air Force, I'd better work on my jazz chops if I ever wanna hang with these guys.  Check them out here!  Look up Hot Brass and you'll learn all about them.

Sorry all!  That last blog was a mess!  Try highlighting the text to see what it says.  There is also a link to check out!  Again, my apologies.  Still getting used to this blogging thing, ya'll!

US Army band

Hello all!  I have to admit that blogging is a task that I must stay on top of everyday it seems.  But that's okay because when it comes to military bands there is never a shortage of topics.  I thought I'd start by talking about the Army Band.  I have a few friends who joined this group and they are outstanding.  Here is a little blurb  from the Army Band website:

"Dating back over 230 years to the Revolutionary War, musicians have served a vital role in the Army by upholding tradition, entertaining our Soldiers, and serving as musical ambassadors of our nation. Today, the US Army is the oldest and largest employer of musicians in the world. With assignments around the world and a long list of benefits, the Army Bands Program offers talented musicians a unique opportunity to do what they do best — play music." 


The website is actually pretty cool.  They've got all you need to know eligibility requirements, auditions and benefits.  Read on Here to see more about what it takes to be in the Army Band.  

A German Brass Quintet

Hey all!  Still getting used to this blogging thing.  It sounds like a snap though.  I've already started following some people in class and I'm interested to see what comes up.  Today in class we talked about the history of brass quintets.  I definitely perked up with Prof. Manning talked about bands being used in war.  I'm thinking, "No way." But it made more sense when he said that they were used for calls and cadences.  Pretty sad about those guys though, being the first to die and all.  Geez... But let's not end on a sad note!  I've got a really hot BQ to talk about.  The Elbebech Brass Quintet is a German group.  I stumbled upon a recording of Quinetto Lirico they did and was blown away.  From the website they don't seem to have a lot of activity in the past year, but I think they're still worth checking out.  Make sure you translate the page.  Here is the link: Elbebech Brass   The last CD they put out in 2009 is called As Good As Bach.  It's got some great press--I'll have to check this one out.

The Second Blog

This is my second blog!  Still trying to figure things out.  All of a sudden computers got confusing.  I used to be young.....

My first post in class!

Hi Ya'll! It's my first post!

This picture is from Brass Musician