Green Street Mortuary Band

Alex F · Post by **Alex F** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:35 pm

Surfin instead of workin...shame on me.

Just came accross a piece NPR did on the Green Street Mortuary Band, a group of about 10 pro musicians in San Fran who play Christian hymns on brass instruments at traditional Chines funerals. Seems that this tradition started about 100 years ago when some Chinese folks in SF, who had come from Hong Kong and were used to hearing British brass band music, hired a brass band to play for the funeral of a prominent member of the Chinese community. Today the GSMB does about 350 funerals a year. They also do birthdays, weddings, and other gigs.

The GSMB is led by sax player Lisa Pollard and trumpeter Johnny Coppola. Lisa's website, www.saxlady.com, discusses the group and contains a link to the NPR/ATC piece that ran last year. I found both quite interesting.

Alex F · Post by **Alex F** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:39 pm

Does anyone know who the GSMB tubist is. the website does not identify him.

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 12:12 pm

My last "professional" gig in Chicago was a Chinese funeral. As the original poster said, we played hymns and the Chopin "funeral dirge."

It was the most unusual gig I've ever had.