Alloy Brass

We were able to meet this week after all.  Marjorie Black sat in for Neil Okerlund.

We ran:

#228 "Music for His Majesty’s Sackbuts and Cornets" by Matthew Locke, arr. Christophe Marion

#155 "Quintet #2" by Victor Ewald

#295 "Two Improvisations on Folk Songs" by Declan Townsend

These are three of our favorites.  I’ve written about them before, and I don’t have anything new to say about them at this time, except that they are always fun to play.

I would like to make mention of a couple of events that members of Alloy have been involved with recently.

Neil Okerlund is also a member of the Prevailing Winds woodwind quintet.  They have been together for more than fifteen years, and perform a free public recital about four times per year.  On Monday January 25, 2010 they held their winter concert.

The program consisted of

“Introduction and Dance” by Edward Troupin

“Circus Etudes” by Jeffrey Agrell

“Quintet for Winds” by Robert Washburn

“Mississippi Five” by Jim Parker

Prevailing Winds is Neil Okerlund, French Horn, Katherine Eklund, Flute, Lorelei Giddings,Oboe, Bruce Bissonett, Clarinet, and Heather Clark, Bassoon.  

This past Wednesday, Brad Bellows performed at St. Paul’s Artists Quarter with his jazz quintet, Valves meet Slide.  Joining Brad on valve trombone were Dave Graf on (slide) trombone, Mikkel Romstad on piano,Chris Bates on bass, and Mac Santiago on drums. The group plays a range of numbers from Gerry Mulligan, Freddie Hubbard, and Bill Evans, among others.  There are videos posted onYouTube.  Check out this and this.