USA East Music NYSB BULLETIN - SUMMER 2019 | Page 7

Highlighting the fact it was Palm Sunday,
the next day the Colonel urged the audience
to pause, ponder and reflect on the main
event of Easter, Jesus’ sacrifice and glorious
resurrection.
The first half finished with another new
composition, this time from the pen of
Kenneth Downie. “God is my Shelter” marries
the tunes of “Rock of Ages”, “Will your Anchor
Hold” and “He Hideth my Soul” to give the
army another work of theological and
musical significance. Immediately accessible,
listenable and with the characteristic sound
world we associate with Dr. Downie this piece
will remain in the folder for many seasons to
come, especially with the band’s connection
with “Rock of Ages”.
After a brief intermission the band
started the second half with 2 upbeat pieces,
“Toccata Fire” (S.Ponsford) and “Birdland” (Arr.
S. Smith) with Wycliffe joining the band for
the latter soloing over the last 30 bars with
epic effect.
Sporting a paisley shirt for the remainder
of the program Wycliffe showed the audience
how quiet and high he could play in Hoagy
Carmichael’s “Stardust” Arr. Mark Freeh.
Finishing in the stratosphere somewhere,
T H E S A LVAT I O N A R M Y U S A E A S T
his tone throughout was clear, vibrant and
beautiful with the sweetest of slide vib.
The showstopper of the evening was
Wycliffe’s original composition “Me, We”
which Wycliffe explained was a piece
from a suite called “I Saw the Light”. A 2004
composition based on the poem of the same
name by the famous boxer Mohammed Ali.
Starting with a razzing solo section, Wycliffe
used a pixie mute along with a plunger
to recreate the human voice and thrill the
onlookers with his amazing facility around
the instrument before joining the band in a
barnstorming lesson in old school hallelujah
call and response.
After tumultuous applause for the soloist
the band finished off the written program
with Steven Ponsford’s “Turris Forissima”.
Written for the Enfield Citadel Band’s tour of
the USA in 2007 this piece includes “Ein’ Feste
Burg”, “Shout to the Lord” and “Blessed be the
Name of the Lord” to portray the assurance
of God as our strong tower and protector.
Perfectly bookending the earlier “God is my
Shelter” this exciting piece also hints to Dean
Goffin’s “My Strength, My Tower”.
The band was in full throttle by this stage
of the evening and sounded like there was
“If there’s a Mount Rushmore of
brass musicians in the United
States, Wycliffe Gordon belongs
on that mountain.”
— Derek Lance
more in the tank, which was fortunate as
the band encored with Wycliffe on Etienne
Crausaz’s “Balkan Dance”. Appearing from the
side nave, Wycliffe was playing his signature
soprano trombone with a specially modified
trombone mouthpiece. Although higher in
pitch than his regular trombone, the sound
had lost none of its bite and character as he
cruised through the solo sections of this funk
chart.
All that was left was the traditional NYSB
final encore of “Stars and Stripes” and the
vocal benediction “Rock of Ages” before
brass fans and young aspiring musicians
descended on the soloist for photos,
autographs, mouthpiece recommendations
and no doubt some quick hints. Of all the 132
festivals this was one not to miss.
SUMMER 2019   NYSB BULLETIN   ‡   7