SYMPHONY REVIEW
SYMPHONY REVIEW
 The National Band of the Naval Reserve
A free Father's Day performance in Market Square proves most entertaining


Of all the happenstances by which one could come across a free concert, having to go to the nearest bathroom is one of the luckiest. Last night, after using the facilities in Market Square, I stumbled across a performance of the National Band of the Naval Reserve. It was their second stop on their cross-Canada tour. Who could have predicted a pee break would lead to an evening of culture?

I'm neither a fan of the Armed Forces nor of symphonies, so it's admittedly odd that the meshing of the two subjects proved such a fun experience for me. A lot of it had to do with the choice of material. While it is inevitable that a naval band would have its share of prerequisite marches, the bulk of the evening focused on experimental genres of music and in showcasing an expansive repertoire. It made for a good time.

Things started off with the national anthem, then proceeded into a rousing rendition of that old high school band standby, the score for Star Wars. Though attacked with intensity, I was worried that the John Williams medley would be an indicator of generic fare to come. I was mistaken.

The "Trish-Trash Polka" by Johann Strauss was the next bouncy and light selection. Although I didn't recognize the melody, I'm guessing it was related in some way to Looney Tunes based on the expression of recognition on the faces in the audience. The next piece was an original composition by one of the members of the National Band of the Naval Reserve. It was a song entitled "Silverwaves", written last year to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the National Band (hence the "silver", and waves are the symbol for the Navy).

A Frank Sinatra medley followed, beginning with "New York, New York", then "It Was A Very Good Year", and finally "The Lady Is A Tramp". Then they brought out the big guns: a soft, aching version of "Danny Boy", dedicated to the fathers in the audience and in the band. Next was the evening highlight, a Dixieland number performed by a handful of band members, where you could almost taste the spicy Cajun food. It was a fiesty tune called "Washington and Lead Swing", and it made me want to own more Dixieland CD's.

The next song was a medley about the sea, including melodies such as "Sailing Sailing". This led, believe it or not, into a reggae/calypso number called "Jamaican Rumba". The recreation of a steel drum sound was innovative, but unfortunately it was too short a piece to capture enough of the Caribbean flavour. Concluding the performance was a rousing mix of marches called "Light Cavalry" and an overly patriotic song named "Hard About". Small price to pay, though, for a free concert. I'll try to make a point of seeing the National Band of the Naval Reserve next time they're in Saint John. They aren't half bad. (Comment on this)

06/17/02

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