Sunday, March 23, 2014

March Fourth Marching Band

At the end of the soundtrack for the Pixar animated film, Monsters University is a funky and upbeat tune called "Gospel" by the group March Fourth Marching Band. Check out the sound at this YouTube link.

Like a lot of brass bands we've heard, their group also includes saxes and percussion, but M4 is so much more. They have added elaborate costumes, singers and dancers to create an innovative circus-like atmosphere. Here is a description from their website:
MarchFourth Marching Band (M4 to its fans) is a kaleidoscope of musical and visual energy that inspires dancing in an atmosphere of celebration. Aside from their marching band themed costumes, as well as the 5-piece percussion corps and 6-part brass section, M4 is far from a “marching band” in any traditional sense (though this group of 15-20 has been known to parade down Main Street before taking the stage). M4 is anchored by funky electric bass and has been evolving into a more guitar- and vocal-driven musical experience. The show will take you on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the gypsy camps of eastern Europe to the African jungle by way of Brazil, echoing the deepest grooves of American funk, rock, and jazz then boiling it all together in cinematic fashion with high-stepping stilt-acrobatics and dazzling dancers. This genre-busting, in-your-face experience is not to be missed! What began as a Fat Tuesday party in Portland, OR. on March 4th 2003, has since become one of the nation’s best live touring acts.

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