The Advocate Brass Band
Exploring the world of newspaper marches has resulted in three recordings with more to follow for The Advocate Brass Band of Danville.
The band, which debuted at a political rally sponsored by The Advocate-Messenger in 1987, has about 35 members. The recordings are: ``The Washington Post and other American Newspaper Marches''; ``The Chicago Tribune: More American Newspaper Marches''; and the soon to be released, ``Dallas Morning News: Forgotten American Newspaper Marches.'' ``We hope to have it in time for the festival,'' says director George Foreman, who is festival organizer.
He says the band's connection with the newspaper is part of the reason for the recordings. The interest began in 1990, when Leonard Smith was commissioned to write The Advocate-Messenger March for the newspaper's 125th anniversary. Foreman was aware of ``The Washington Post March'' by John Philip Sousa. ``I had no idea there were literally hundreds of newspaper marches.''
They located 300 newspaper marches, but not all were published for bands. The recordings account for 53 of them. They plan to record one more CD on the newspaper marches for bands and a fifth CD that will be newspaper marches for unusual instruments. Foreman notes that mandolin orchestras, for instance, were popular around the turn of the century. ``A number of these were written for piano.''
Members of The Advocate Brass Band include nationally known trumpet player Vince DiMartino, as well as high school band directors, college students, physicians, engineers and retirees.
The Advocate band usually performs in three spring concerts and three fall concerts in Danville. It usually doesn't travel, but did go to Washington, D.C., in 1996 and performed in Louisville a few years ago.
The band especially enjoys its growth in membership during festival time. People from all over show up at the Thursday night practice. Sometimes these are fabulous professional players.