This morning, while checking through the latest interesting sax pics on Flickr, I happened across this interesting little gem: an album cover from the Royal City Saxophone Quartet, for their performance of the music of the Six Brown Brothers.
Music Of The Six Brown Brothers Royal City Saxophone Quartet CBC
Image provided by: iClassical Com Source: Flickr
For those of you not familiar with them, the Royal City Saxophone Quartet is a saxophone ensemble based out of Elora, Ontario. Yes, that’s in Canada. In my mind it’s rather fitting that a Canadian saxophone band would pay musical homage to another Canadian saxophone band—the Six Brown Brothers.
https://youtu.be/t1xJ6gfp1o8
Love ’em or loath ’em, the Six Brown Brothers were arguably Canada’s greatest cultural export of the early 20th century. Their vaudeville-type show was ostensibly the best paid musical act by the early 1920s. Like pretty much most acts, it was The Great Depression that caused the careers of The Six Brown Brothers to come to a crashing halt.
The music of the Six Brown Brothers does live on however, and thanks to the efforts of the Royal City Saxophone Quartet, it is given a fresh and updated sound. The old is made new again, while still maintaining its roots in ragtime and trad jazz.
I know Ernie Kalwa personally. He helped me establish my chart collection for my sax quartet here in Ontario, California. He has even visited and played with me. Such a great bunch of guys. I’m extremely indebted :saxplayer: to him