Crossroads Brass Band

Writer  /  Kristen Sexton
Photographer  /  Forrest Mellott

Food, family and festivities. Lights, tinsel and ornaments. Music, music and music. Along with the many sights of the holiday season come the many sounds of the season. This Christmas, a unique band experience will be available for your listening pleasure.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 3, to hear Central Indiana’s outstanding British Brass Band, the Crossroads Brass Band (CRBB), perform at the Franklin United Methodist Community in Franklin. Bring family and friends to hear traditional British Brass Band music, while celebrating the Christmas season.

The CRBB, a nonprofit, amateur, performing arts ensemble, uses the same traditional style as British Brass Bands of the past. The British Brass Band gained popularity in Great Britain in the 18th century, but to this day remains an important part of that country’s musical culture. In the U.S., brass bands rose to prominence during the American Civil War era, but declined significantly in the years that followed. The brass band movement declined even further with the popularity of marching bands that included woodwind instruments. However, thanks to the Salvation Army and North American Brass Band Association which was organized in 1982, British Brass Bands are gaining ground in the United States.

The brass band’s unique sound is thanks to its collection of unique instruments. The band, using conical instruments, has a more mellow sound. The band features cornets instead of trumpets, E-flat tenor horns instead of French horns, and English baritone horns in addition to flugelhorns, euphoniums and tubas. The exceptions are the tenor and bass trombones, a cylindrical bore instrument, which adds a strong, bright quality to the music. The percussion section adds a different sound and rhythm to enhance the sound. The Crossroads Brass Band is made up of 30 to 32 members, playing 25 brass and six percussion instruments, while using the same seating style as the traditional brass band. The group performs a variety of music including marches, hymns, show tunes and big band arrangements, composed or arranged in the British tradition.

Established in 2012, the CRBB currently serves as the Franklin College Ensemble in Residence. The band’s members range from high school students to retirees, most of which are from South-Central Indiana counties. Other members are local doctors, teachers and professionals who are experienced musicians. Directing the band is its founder Donald Bookout. He began his brass band experience in 1995, when he became a member of a similar band in Evansville. The band in Evansville and CRBB are two of the very few brass bands in Indiana. CRBB is a member of The North American Brass Band Association (NABBA), and music director Don Bookout is Immediate past vice president as well as a board member. The NABBA sponsors an annual championship concert, and promotes youth, collegiate, and adult bands across the country. The main concentration of brass bands exists on the East Coast and the Midwest, while a small number exist on the West Coast as well as internationally.

The spring of 2015 will bring a chance for a championship win at the annual North American Brass Band Association’s contest. The Crossroads Brass Band will compete with other brass bands from across the United States March 13 and 14, in Fort Wayne.

For more information on the Crossroads Brass Band and their upcoming events, visit their website, crossroadsbrassband.org.