By Michael Breen, SDAM Staff Writer
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com

Ever hear someone shred on a tuba? When's the last time you were at a concert that made you laugh, but sent shivers up your spine just a few minutes later? How about a show where you heard Jazz, Classical, Pop, Show Tunes and Movie Music, all in one sitting? All this and more happened at the Westwind Brass show I attended recently. Held at the San Diego Museum of Art's indoor theater, most people would have assumed they were in for a night of "stodgy" Classical music. However, I have heard the Westwind Brass quintet before, and I know they specialize in making "Classical" music accessible to people who would probably never sit through an entire symphony. This performance was titled "Uptown, Downtown and All Around," and it lived up to its name. This performance was part of Westwind Brass' 16th successful season. The quintet is made up of five virtuoso musicians. Barry Perkins and John Wilds are both trumpet players that could hold their own in any Jazz or Pop band in town (I should know, I've written for three- and four-piece horn sections in Pop, Reggae and Latin bands). Barry Toombs excels at playing what most people call the "French horn" but which is properly know as simply "horn." Richard Gordon plays trombone (I would have killed for a trombonist of his caliber in my Reggae bands "Tok'n White Boys" and "Modern Zoo"). And the one shredding on the tuba is Brent Dutton. These guys know how to have fun! They dress the part of the "serious" musician, and the audience in attendance that night definitely averaged well over 50 years of age. But the ensemble opened up the night with some amazing Duke Ellington arrangements, then some "serious" music by Harald Genzmer (no, I have no idea who he is either!). The rest of their first set was a "Westwide Story Suite." Yes, Show Tunes! When Brent took the lead line on "I Feel Pretty" on the tuba, I almost laughed out loud! I dunno, I guess the tuba just seems like a very "masculine" instrument, doomed to playing the top-of-the-beat notes in "Oom-pah-pah" bands...not in Brent's hands! I'm a electric bass player myself, so it was "amusing" in some places and "astounding" in others to hear the kind of fast scales and lead lines that Brent can muster. The serious "spine tingling" I experienced came at the very end of the first set, during the performance of the tune "Somewhere" from Westside Story, wherein the group proved their ability to perform with incredible "lilting grace" as a counterpoint to the "shredding." After a short break, the group continued with very interesting arrangements of three Beatles tunes. Then came another surprise: Movie Music by Michele Legrand, arranged by Brent Dutton (a man of many talents, he was also the night's very entertaining announcer/emcee!). I didn't realize how many of Legrand's melodies I had heard before, until I started recognizing one after another famous and hummable tunes in this interesting piece. The last two pieces of the night proved this group is as serious as they are talented. They performed two arrangements of Thelonious Monk compositions. I doubt if any of the many "Pop" or "Rock" bands in this town would even attempt such a feat (I know I never would!). The first piece, "Round Midnight" was somewhat familiar, but very complex and it showcased the Westwind Brass' 16 years of "tightness." The last piece was Monk's "Epistrophy," which Brent Dutton explained started in three different keys, and two different time signatures. Most groups would have made a huge cacophonous mess, but Monk's difficult music was rendered in all it's musical glory. Most impressed was that piece's arranger, Mr. David D. Murray, who was sitting just behind me, and left the theater literally glowing and bouncing on the balls of his feet, mumbling "...made my whole night." I can only imagine how it must feel for an arranger to hear an extraordinarily complex arrangement like that played by such a talented group. The Westwind Brass Quintet performs educational outreach programs, taking their talents and love of music to school kids year round. I strongly recommend you attend one of their upcoming performances, and you should definitely add their Christmas CD to your collection for the upcoming holidays, as well as their new CD "Music of the Californias." More about this important local group on their Web site: WestwindBrass.org