The Advocate Brass Band

Exploring the world of newspaper marches has resulted in three recordings for The Advocate Brass Band of Danville with one due out at festival time. The ``New York Times'' should be available then.

The band, which debuted at a political rally sponsored by The Advocate-Messenger in 1987, has about 35 members. The other recordings are: ``The Washington Post and other American Newspaper Marches''; ``The Chicago Tribune: More American Newspaper Marches''; and ``Dallas Morning News: Forgotten American Newspaper Marches.''

Director George Foreman, who is festival organizer, 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 more than 53 of them. ``New York Times,'' which features instruments not usually associated with brass bands such as piano and mandolins, completes the series of newspaper marches. The Advocate band was joined by the New Walnut Street All-Stars, the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra and pianist Hayward Mickens for this recording.

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.