Canadian Brass

The Canadian Brass is a brass quintet founded by Charles Daellenbach and Gene Watts in 1970. In addition to maintaining a heavy international touring schedule, the Canadian Brass have recorded over 100 CDs and DVDs. They have commissioned, performed, and recorded hundreds of transcriptions and original works for brass quintet.

Description and history

Their first European tour was in 1972 with the Festival Singers. The Canadian Brass (known for their unique performance attire of formal black suits with white running shoes) made its American debut at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in 1975. A significant international visit was made in 1977 when they were sent to mainland China as a cultural exchange between Canada and China. The ensemble was chosen and sent on this cultural mission by then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. They are now remembered in China as the first Western musicians allowed into China after the Cultural Revolution had subverted Western art music.

In 1979 Canadian Brass became the first chamber ensemble to solo the main stage at Carnegie Hall. As The New York Times reported, their sold-out performance "clearly establishes the Canadian Brass as a main-stage attraction." In addition to their heavy international touring schedule for over 40 years, and their extensive recording catalog, they have been on the Billboard charts in each decade of their existence, recording with the majors RCA, BMG, CBS, Sony, Philips and Decca, occupying virtually all the spots open to brass players. Canadian Brass recordings are currently released by Toronto-based Opening Day Entertainment Group (ODEG), headed by Daellenbach.

The band has been named the "world's leading brass ensemble" by The Washington Post.^{[citation needed]}

Members

Current members

• Dr Charles "Chuck" Daellenbach, tuba (1970—present)
• Caleb Hudson, trumpet (2013-present)
• Chris Coletti, trumpet (2009—present)
• Eric Reed, horn (2010—present)
• Achilles Liarmakopoulos, trombone, (2011—present)

Past members

• Brandon Ridenour, trumpet (2005—present)
• Eugene Watts, trombone (1970–2010)
• Stuart Laughton, trumpet (1970–1971, 2003–2005)
• Graeme Page, horn (1970–1983)
• Ronald Romm, trumpet (1971–2000) & "Trumpet Dream Team"
• Fred Mills, trumpet (1972–1996)
• Martin Hackleman, horn (1983–1986)
• David Ohanian, horn (1986–1998)
• Jens Lindemann, trumpet (1996–2001)
• Christopher Cooper, horn (1998–2000)
• Jeff Nelsen, horn (2000–2004, 2007–2010)
• Ryan Anthony, trumpet (2000–2003) & "Trumpet Dream Team"
• Joe Burgstaller, trumpet (2001–2004, 2007–2009)
• Bernhard Scully, horn (2004–2007)
• Keith Dyrda, trombone, (2010—2011)
• Jeroen Berwaerts, "Trumpet Dream Team"
• Manon Lafrance, "Trumpet Dream Team"

Discography

• Canadian Brass (self-titled)' (1971,1972) CBC
• Rag-Ma-Tazz (1973) CBC
• Make We Joy (1973) CBC w/Festival Singers of Canada
• Royal Fanfare (1973) Boot Master Concert Series
• Canadian Brass in Paris (1973) Boot Master Concert Series
• Rag-Ma-Tazz (1974) Boot Master Concert Series
• A Touch of Brass (1974) Welk Group
• Canadian Brass: Pachelbel to Joplin (1974) Welk Group
• Pucker & Valve Society Band (1975) Umbrella
• Unexplored Territory (1977) CBC w/Don Gillis Jazz Quartet
• Canadian Brass Plus Organ (1977) CBC w/organist Doug Haas
• Toccata, Fugues & Other Diversions (1977) Umbrella Direct-to-Disk
• Canadian Brass Encore (1977) CBC
• Bells and Brass (1978, with Gordon Slater) Independent
• Mostly Fats; Fats Waller's Greatest Hits (1979) RCA Red Seal
• Pachelbel Canon & Other Great Baroque Hits (1980) RCA Red Seal
• Christmas with the Canadian Brass (1981) RCA Red Seal
• The Village Band (1981) RCA Red Seal
• Champions (1983) Sony
• Canadian Brass Greatest Hits (1983) RCA Red Seal
• High, Bright, Light and Clear (1983) RCA Red Seal
• Ain't Misbehavin' and Other Fats Waller Hits (1984) RCA
• Brass in Berlin (1984) Sony
• Canadian Brass Live! (1984) Sony
• A Canadian Brass Christmas (1985) Sony
• Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (1986) Sony
• Basin Street (1987) Sony
• Strike Up the Band — Canadian Brass Plays Gershwin (1987) RCA Red Seal
• Bach: The Art of Fugue (1988) Sony
• The Mozart Album (1988) Sony
• Canadian Brass More Greatest Hits (1988) Sony
• Best of the Canadian Brass (1989) Sony
• Gabrieli/Monteverdi: Antiphonal Music (1990) Sony w/Members of the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kazuyoshi Akiyama
• English Renaissance Music (1990) Sony
• Super Hits Sony
• The Christmas Album (1990) PHILIPS
• Beethoven Fifth Symphony & Overtures (1991) PHILIPS w/Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Georg Tintner
• Red, White & Brass: Made in the USA (1991) PHILIPS w/Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lukas Foss
• The Essential Canadian Brass (1991) PHILIPS
• Red Hot Jazz: The Dixieland Album (1992) PHILIPS
• Wagner for Brass (1992) PHILIPS w/Members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival, conducted by Edo de Waart
• Rejoice! -- Brass and Voice (1993) ODEG w/Indiannoplis Children's Choir
• An Evening of Brass Theater (1994) ODEG (Opening Day Entertainment Group)
• Brass on Broadway (1994) PHILIPS
• Gabrieli for Brass (1994) PHILIPS w/Members of the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Elmer Iseler
• Noel (1994) BMG with James Galway, Kings Singers, Angel Romero & others
• Bolero & Other Great Melodies (1995) BMG
• Brass Busters (1995) BMG w/New York Philharmonic & Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Fireworks: Baroque Brass Favorites (1995) BMG
• Go for Baroque! (1995) BMG
• Ragtime (1995) BMG
• Renaissance Men (1995) BMG
• Swingtime! (1995) BMG
• Brass Theater II with Star of Indiana (1995) ODEG
• Brass Theater III with Star of Indiana (1996) ODEG
• Canadian Brass Plays Bernstein (1996) BMG
• The Canadian Brass Live in Germany (1997) BMG
• Christmas Experiment (1997) BMG
• All You Need is Love (1998) BMG
• A Christmas Gloria (1999) TELARC w/Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• Take the "A" Train (1999) BMG
• Celebration (1999) ODEG
• Bach Goldberg Variations (2001) BMG
• CBC Radio Years (2001) CBC
• Holidays with Canadian Brass (2002) BMG
• Sacred Brass (2002) BMG
• Amazing Brass (2002) ODEG/LINUS
• Sweet Songs of Christmas (2002) ODEG
• A Holiday Tradition (2003) LINUS
• Magic Horn (2004) ODEG
• Joyful Sounds (2005) ODEG
• High Society" (2006) ODEG
• People of Faith (2006) ODEG
• Wedding Essentials (2006) ODEG
• Concert Band Essentials (2007) ODEG
• Christmas Tradition (2007) ODEG
• Bach (2008) ODEG
• Legends (2008) ODEG
• Jazz Roots (2008) ODEG
• Manhattan Music (2008) ODEG
• Echo — Glory of Gabrieli (2009) ODEG
• Swing That Music — A Tribute to Louis Armstrong (2010) ODEG
• Stars & Stripes" — Canadian Brass Salute America (2010) ODEG
• Spirit Dance (2010) ODEG w/pianist David Braid
• A Very Merry Christmas (2010) w/various artists
• The Classics: From Pachelbel to Purcell (2011) ODEG
• The Classics: Between Bach & Handel (2011) ODEG
• The Classics: Mozart & More (2011) ODEG
• Brahms on Brass (2011) ODEG
• Canadian Brass 'Takes Flight' (2011) Steinway/ODEG

Videography

• Canadian Brass Live (1986)
• The Canadian Brass Masterclass (1989)
• The Canadian Brass Spectacular (1989)
• On Stage at Wolftrap (1990)
• Home Movies (1991)
• Strings, Winds, and All That Brass (1992)
• The Canadian Brass Live in Germany (1994)
• Christmas Experiment (1998)
• A Christmas Gloria (1999)
• Bootleg Canadian Brass — Authorized Version (2002)
• Three Nights with Canadian Brass (2003)
• "KAMEN - QUINTET" (2005)
• State Street Stomp (2006)
• Brass Romance - Lady Gaga (2011)
• Brahms' Chorale Prelude #10 (2011)
• "Flight of the Bumblebee" (2012)
• "Live from LPR New York" (2012)

Music videos

Year	Video
1991	"Amazing Grace"
	"Canon"

External links

• Official website
• Listing of Canadian Brass concerts
• Canadian Brass at Allmusic