Presents

Sousa in the Parks

Let us bring this exciting take on Historic American Music to your venue!

Since the summer of 2001, Jeff Newell's New-Trad Octet has presented free, 90-minute performances in Brooklyn's parks.  Hearkening back to the great parks concerts of yesteryear, these events take place on or around significant dates in the history of the United States and the fight for Liberty, i.e. Flag Day, Independence Day, Bastille Day.  The Brooklyn Parks served has included Amersfort Park, Carroll Park, Fort Greene Park, Von King Park, and Empire State Park.  On July 4, 2007, we presented the event from the top of Bargemusic—Brooklyn’s premier chamber music venue located on a 19^th-Century coffee barge—for thousands of people waiting for the Macy’s fireworks at the Brooklyn Bridge.

The centerpiece of this presentation is our exciting new arrangements of the music of John Philip Sousa, the most popular American musician at the turn-of-the-20th-century.  This music from the early days of American life is given a brand new sound with the joyful rhythms of modern Haitian "Kompa" and other Caribbean styles.  This century-wide connection ties American culture, with its many Caribbean influences, to a time when concerts in the town square or city park were the focal point of social and cultural life for many Americans.

The “March King” lives on in the 21st Century!

For Bookings or Information                         Or call us at: (718) 624-3789

 

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