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Re: Geographic Breakdown

Matt-

>You're not looking hard enough! Check out the Great American Brass 
>Band  Festival or Grand Celebration of Brass Bands. GABBF draws 30,000
>annualy! Plus, many of the amatuer bands have large, well-attended
concert 
>series. Eastern Iowa, Triangle Park, Woods Mfg., Brass Band of Columbus,
to 
>name a few.

My point exactly, Matt!  One has to look very hard to find brass banding
in the US!  And what is 30,000 compared to the population of the US?? 
Two well known festivals, (well-known to BB enthusiasts),  in all of the
United States!! 

>Once again, you're not looking hard enough. I bought Dyke's 'Champions 
>of Brass' from Best Buy!

My point again!  One British BB and one British CD!

>> Bleak! (In regard to the overall music scene.)  
>
>Blather! Anyone who believes the overall music scene of the brass band 
>is bleak is doing a great injustice to the many bands that, although not
to
>the same level of the Grimethorpes, Black Dykes, and Faireys, are doing
a
>fantastic job of keeping alive and helping expand the U.S. brass band
tradition. 

You missed my point completely!!  Brass banding is bleak in regard to the
overall music scene.  When you consider all the music produced in the
United States, from the symphony orchestras to drum corps to community
bands to the local garage rock band,  brass bands are indeed a very, very
small percentage of the overall music scene!   Drum Corps International
has a much larger following than NABBA.  And a large percentage of the
musical population do not know about DCI.

You said many bands.  How many compared to the UK?  Nearly every
community in England (it seems that way from reading the list!) has a
brass band.  And England is much smaller geographically.

>Have you listened to the NABBA Champion bands the past few years? Have
>you noticed how high the playing level has gotten? Have you seen the
rise in
>popularity of bands in their communities during the past few years? If
you
>had, you woudl definately not say the U.S. scene is bleak. Far from it!

No I haven't and that is part of the problem.  I am sure they are getting
better, I don't doubt it at all.  But again I say,  it is influencing too
small a percentage of the population.  Not enough people know about, let
alone hear, brass bands.

>> >Do US bands make CDs?
>> 
>> Brass Band of Battle Creek and River City Brass Band.  
>
>And MANY more! There are countless SA Cd's and many from the amature 
>bands as well. The Brass Band of COlumbus just sent a CD to the UK and 
>recieved rave reviews!
Again you are emphasizing my points, Matt!  They are amateur or local
bands with no national distribution!!  Only BBBC and RCBB are national
and only if you "look hard".  George just said he would put a list of
bands with CD's on the NABBA site-- that will help.
>> >Is the music played by US bands of a similar type and standard to 
>> >that in the UK? A player with and Australian band commented to me 
>> >recently that brass music over there all tended to be loud and 
>raucus and quiet melodic playing was almost unknown.
>> 
>> Probably not and he's probably right.

>I am personally insulted by this comment above. Anyone who would say 
>this is ignorant of the real state of brass band playing in the US.
Sure, 
>not all the bands are refined to the level of Britain's greats, but you 
>can find many bands each year at NABBA and other places that play with
an
>extremely high level of musicianship and "quiet melodic playing". I've
>done a little of it myself!

What is your definition of "many bands each year at NABBA"?  Weren't 
there just two or three in the Championship Section this year?  I don't
question that they play "with an extremely high level of musicianship and
'quiet melodic playing'".  What I am saying is, it is a very small
percent of musicians that participate in brass bands and _overall_  the
US has no concept of brass banding compared to the Brits, where BB's seem
to more prevalent than the local high school band in the US.  ( And their
population is less than ours.)

>Can you REALLY say that the BBC plays "tends to be loud and raucus" 
>all the time? What about Illinois Brass Band? Central Ohio? Eastern
Iowa? 
>The All Star Brass and Percussion? (or ANY of the youth bands for that
>matter???) Name me a band you've heard that's been in existence for 
>more than a year or two that can't play with control and meet the
extremes 
>of all dynamic levels whilst maintaining a mostly non-strident sound!
>I'm sorry for being so defensive, but when someone writes something 
>this ignorant about the US brass band scene and something this insulting
to 
>the hundreds of great musicians who inhibit it I can't help but respond 
>this way. Open your ears and your mind, and maybe you will change your 
>outlook! I invite my fellow U.S. brassbanders to comment, please!
>
>Regards,
>Matt LaFontaine

I didn't say the BBBC was loud and raucous! I enjoy their music.  But, in
comparison to the SA  bands I have heard, they are loud and raucous.  I
haven't heard the other bands. (I have heard the Sheldon Theatre Brass
Band)
That is my point again-- the bands are either too far away to attend a
concert or do not have national distribution of their recordings.

The reality of the situation is that brass banding in the US is facing an
up-hill battle.  We are making progress!  But too many people do not know
about brass banding; musicians first, then the population in general.  I
am trying to change that in Fort Wayne, but it is not easy!  (Pulling
teeth or squeezing turnips might be easier!)

How about some of the better US  bands getting national recognition?  Say
NPR? or Performance Today?  Saint Paul Sunday Morning?  Prairie Home
Companion?

Happy banding,
Rick


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