King's Brass

[gmcclure61]

I agree , played with them a couple of times here in the Bay Area. Great playing and arrangements. The tuba player is outstanding. I hope they are all becoming fabulously wealthy.

[bort]

I hope they are all becoming fabulously wealthy.

Does that happen with 'Jesus' music?

Nope, just with preachin'.

[Three Valves]

I won't quit my day job!!

[ppalan]

...all stood for the entire performance. He did not have a small tuba.

In the picture of Mr. Leibensberger on the website it looks like he's got an attachment on the bottom bow for a belt similar to what Mr. Brandstötter uses in the Mnozil Brass. Still, that Thor he's playing is pretty big. I sure wouldn't want to be standing for 2 hours with it, belt or not. I got to hear them a couple years ago....what a great group of musicians.

[gmcclure61]

He's not a big guy and was playing on a Thor when I saw him. Not the easiest horn to be mobile with.

[Art Hovey]

I have not heard of the King's Brass before, but I met John last year at a brass recital. A real gentleman; we had a nice chat. He is studying with Carol Jantsch at the Yale School of music. Perhaps he learned about the belt gizmo from her.

[Douglas]

I agree , played with them a couple of times here in the Bay Area. Great playing and arrangements. The tuba player is outstanding. I hope they are all becoming fabulously wealthy.

I looked online and the players audition each year. They only get $450 a week for 21 weeks - with a $50 bonus per week for each year they have been with the group. There is a list of former players - a LONG list. It is more of a mission than a way to make a living, I am guessing. Anyhow - they are VERY good. Not only was the two hours memorized, they were all over the auditorium and all stood for the entire performance. He did not have a small tuba.

Returning players don't reaudition. Just new guys. Seems to happen pretty frequently for tuba players in that group. Just about everyone involved, except Tim, has other gigs to supplement their income. Sometimes it got a little interesting, KB doesn't always play well with the academic calendar and last year half of us had college teaching gigs and two of us were in the process of getting DMAs.

DB

[jimgray]

I toured w those guys (aging myself here) in the late 80s!
Did a summer tour and a winter tour.
Great experience for a college student (I was a sophomore then) or young pro - strongly recommended.
Tim is great.

[bort]

I almost went to one of their concerts about 10 years ago, but backed out. I forget what the deal was exactly, but something like I had to play with a church's band one time, and part of the pay was tickets. I barely made it through the rehearsal with the band, and never went back. I have no clue what kind of church it was, but it was very intense and uncomfortable... All middle aged men, Lots of weeping and sobbing and people praying separately out loud. I have no clue, and maybe that's normal for some folks, but not for me. I was respectful, but it freaked me out and I was worried that Kings Brass was going to be more of that, so I didn't go back. Sounds like maybe I should have gone. Whoops. Oh, young Bort...