Salvation Army Band

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 4

Salvation Army Band

The Salvation Army Canadian Staff Band, conducted by Major Robert Redhead, at the Salvation Army Citadel, July 11, 7.45 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman.

Is it a band that sings or a choir that plays? It would not be surprising if the members of the Salvation Army Canadian Staff Band collectively suffer a crisis of musical identity, for in their concert last evening they showed an equal facility for performance both as a male-voice choir and as a brass band. These twin skills were brought together at the close of the programme in a stunning performance of William Hines’s “To the Chief Musician.” This emotionally and spiritually intense three-movement suite admirably capped an evening of musical variety that was most enjoyable.

As a brass band, the group has a pleasing, softedged tone and a wide range of colour at its command. The dryish acoustics of the Salvation Army Citadel particularly highlighted its crisp ensemble work. The repertoire range from stylish performances of classical works such as Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” overture through to rousing instrumental accounts of gospel songs. Of the greatest surprise perhaps, was the ability to deliver a jazz score with all the rhythmic swing and ornamental nuances of a seasoned big band.

This was clearly in evidence in the performance of the mercurial “So Glad!” which featured Brian Burditt on solo flugel.

A number of other instrumentalists also popped up out of the ranks through the course of the evening to

deliver memorable solos. These included a startling display of double-tonguing by Clarence White on trombone in “Concert Etude,” by Goedicke, and a beautifully toned account of Robert Redhead’s “Life Abundant” by Deryck Diffey on cornet. The only disappointing solo was provided by Bill Way at the piano, with a somewhat flowery self-arrangement of “Down by the Riverside.”

If the band had any flaw in its sound, it was in the rhythmic modulation. Often, with a change of pace in a score, there would be a number , of bars that wobbled in pulse before the new tempo was precisely set. However, this was but a minor quibble. The highlight of the malevoice singing was an energetic delivery of “The Day of Jubilee,” powered by a sprightly bongo line.