sousaphone polyphony from Congo

[jacobg]

Check out around 3:10 or so:

http://youtu.be/2cq_dpptBUQ" target="_blank" target="_blank

Someone with more resources than me needs to a brass band themed travel show, just like one of those "foods of the world" shows.

[PaulTkachenko]

A mate of mine did this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00nzw7j" target="_blank

[jacobg]

Hey, that's cool! Somebody did a brass travel show! But I can't listen in the US, apparently.

[David Richoux]

Check out around 3:10 or so:

http://youtu.be/2cq_dpptBUQ" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Someone with more resources than me needs to a brass band themed travel show, just like one of those "foods of the world" shows.

Look for 2 CDs (long out of print) called "Frozen Brass" some amazing field recordings of brass from all over the world! I played them often on my KFJC radio show. Also look for equally out of print "Le Miserables Brass Band" CD...

Also, last year at the Boston HonkFest there was a group similar to this one that played home-made funnel shape horns (metal and PVC) along with percussion that had a very similar feel to the music in the video (not as brassy, but still very interesting.) They did improv riff songs that went on for almost half an hour! Very hypnotic... better than Vuvuzelas!

[sousaphone68]

It was hypnotic I watched all 15 minutes enjoyable looked at few more of their videos must have chops of stone as all their pieces seem to be 10 min plus riffs.
Thanks for posting
Back in the seventies Irish TV had a show called country brass that did an hour documentary on bands around Ireland.
Here is a link to one on YouTube the steam train was a special service for the documentary all trains by then were diesel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8QDMk-q ... ata_player" target="_blank

[basspiper]

It's basically a church festival, as I understand it. Thinking simply that he'd like the video, I sent the link to one of my best friends, who grew up in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo). He did like it, but did me one better: he told me about Prophet Simon Kimbangu, who founded the Kimbanguist Church, a Christian church entirely of Congolese origin that is now worldwide.

Kimbangu himself was an anti-colonial revolutionary and a very charismatic leader with a reputation as a faith-healer. He spent much of his life in exile and prison, and died in prison in 1951 for speaking out against the Belgian colonial authorities and encouraging his followers to acts of civil disobedience, such as not paying taxes. If you Google him, he seems to have been something of a blend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Joseph Smith.

I thought the back-story added a lot to the music. Especially since I didn't know any of it before this morning!

Dave

[PaulTkachenko]

I just listed my Les Misrables Brass band CD on Amazon ... Great CD.

[David Richoux]

Some Googling turned up this interesting documentary about a "dancing" brass band from the Ivory Coast. There is a short preview video.

Also this less dramatic performance (but lots of tubas!)

Other things also turned up, but I have to get away from my 'puter - Matt Perrine (with John Ellis Double-Wide) is playing at the French Quarter Festival in an hour!