Americus Brass Band Concert

The Americus Brass Band returns to Ridgecrest with a new show,Top Brass! The Indian Well Valley Concert Association once again presents: Americus Brass Band. Building on more than three decades of national touring, recording and television/movie appearances, the Band presents a new evening-length Concert featuring America’s most memorable music, performed by the military bands from the Civil War through World War II - the music that has inspired America’s “Greatest Generations.” The theme for this new concert was inspired by audience feedback from Ridgecrest’s own Indian Wells Valley Concert Association. To present this exciting music, the Americus Brass Band has added woodwinds and piano to the instrumental mix, plus vocals, and fascinating narrative. The performance begins with what Americus does best – a brilliant performance of authentic music from the Civil War on period antique brass instruments and drums! Inspired by Patrick Gilmore’s 24th Massachusetts Infantry band, the Band plays patriotic songs and marches from the era like “Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” and “Sumter Light Guard March.” Our Vocalist joins the Band, in popular songs of the time including “The Fireman’s Polka,” and “Amazing Grace,” and campground favorite, “Goober Peas.” After this rousing beginning, the Band will move forward a few years as John Philip Sousa takes the reins of the US Marine Band in Washington in 1880. The musicians will play a “newer” set of historical instruments to recreate the authentic sound of this legendary band. Of course the music will include Sousa’s greatest and most endearing marches such as “The Thunderer”and “Semper Fidelis,” the official march of the Marine Corps. After intermission, the Americus Brass Band ushers in a new century with modern instruments and a new style of music - Ragtime! One of the most popular military bands of World War I was the African-American band lead by Lt. James Reese Europe, the 369th Infantry Band known as “The Harlem Hellfighters.” The Hellfighters band took France by storm with numbers like “That Moaning Trombone,” and syncopated arrangements of popular songs like “On Patrol in No Man’s Land,” and WC Handy’s famous “Memphis Blues.” In fact, the Americus Brass Band concerts will be the first modern performances of these wonderful and historic pieces of music! Finally, the band members form a big band jazz ensemble to re-create the music of Maj. Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band of World War II. New arrangements of gold record hits from the Swing era like “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” “American Patrol,” and “In the Mood,” that entertained our troops across the globe during WWII, will be offered in their full glory. The Grand Finale brings the show to a spectacular close. The concert concludes with “A Salute to the Services,” a special swing arrangement featuring all of America’s military service songs in honor of the Veterans in the audience. Rousing renditions of Sousa’s greatest patriotic march, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” followed by the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” will attest to why the Americus Brass Band is, and will forever be, America’s Brass Band. The Concert is January 10, 2016, at the Performing Arts Center, Burroughs High School 500 E. French St.Ridgecrest CA., Pre-sale Tickets are available at REDROCK BOOKS and JEFF'S MUSIC SHOP. General Admission tickets are $25.00. Remaining season concert tickets are also available at a discounted rate.