BRASS BAND MUSIC

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 26, 15 February 1937, Page 5

BRASS BAND MUSIC

Jazz Taking Its Place From a eoncerfc point of view, the popularity of the brass band in Australia is passing, and jazz has taken its place. This is the opinion of Mr E. P. Kerry, conductor of the Randwick Municipal Band, who arrived by the Awatea to judge at the New Zealand brass band championships at Nelson. In Australia, brass band music • was definitely on the wane, said Mr Kerry. The younger generation preferred jazz band music, and he thought definitely, as f ar as Australia was concerned at least, that tfee days of the brass band were numbered. Emphasising the decline in the interest in brass band music, Mr Kerry said that the attendance at the last Syney contest, held just before his departuro from Australia, was nothing like it had been in previous years, in spite of tho fact that better prize nioney was offered. For five grados there were the same number of entries as had been received for two grades at the New Zealand championships. In contrast to this was the ever-growing popularity of the brass band in England, and at the last Crystal Palace contest no f ewer than 205 bands played on the same day — a world 's record. Mr Kerry said that the only New Zealand band he had heard in xccent years was the Woolston Band, which played at Ballarat two years ago. He was agreeably surprised at the calibre of playing, and in his opinion the band was well within the standard of . Australian bands. Mr Kerry previously vi'sited New Zealand in 1909 with the Besses o' th' Barn Band, being principal euphonium player.