On Monday at 7 p.m. the 2007 Lyceum Series will conclude with a performance by The Canadian Brass. The Canadian Brass is a quintet consisting of Justin Emerich, trumpet; Bernard Scully, horn; Stuart Laughton, trumpet; Gene Watts, trombone; and Chuck Daellenbach, tuba.
The quintet has been in existence for 35 years and has toured all over the world playing with major symphonies in the United States, Canada and Japan. The group has an amazing 73 albums covering the gamut from Vivaldi to Beethoven to jazz and swing.
The Canadian Brass’ specialty is Baroque music, which comes from an era after the Renaissance when classical music began to become more elaborate and instruments’ roles in music were changed.
The Canadian Brass was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1970 as a “modest and experimental” brass quintet, according to their Web site, canadianbrass.com.
After extensive touring and many global appearances, The Canadian Brass has become a tour de force in the music world. They have performed on “The Tonight Show,” “Today” and “Entertainment Tonight.” Also, the quintet has been guest to master composer John Williams, who has composed every “Star Wars” soundtrack and many other movies’ soundtracks, on “Evening at the Pops” and “Boston Pops.”
The quintet is not purely classical. This summer The Canadian Brass will be releasing their album of early jazz entitled And So It Goes, which was produced with Duke Ellington collaborator Luther Henderson, who orchestrated Ellington’s orchestral works.
In addition to the Brass’ take on music, they are known for their performance attire. The quintet plays in their trademark black suits with white tennis shoes, a nod to their somewhat modest beginnings as a band.
The Canadian Brass also took home a Grammy at the 2000 awards ceremony for Best Classical Crossover Album.
For a sample of the Brass, visit their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/officialcanadianbrass. They have some of their songs off their Amazing Brass album uploaded onto a Flash player so you don’t have to actually download them to listen. One song was a jazzy rendition of “Amazing Grace” fit for the best of those flashy New Orleans funerals.
“We’re excited to have them coming here. The Brass is one of the top acts out of Canada,” said Tirus Henry, marketing director for the Lyceum Series. “The Lyceum Series has been providing performing arts programs for MSU students as well as the general public for a number of years. With continued support, we hope to enhance the series over the following seasons. At this point, the next season looks as if it will build upon the already successful run this season has had.