American born Blast! Brings music and motion to Logan
After seeing Blast! in concert, R.J. Donovan of the Showbiz Boston said:
“Ireland gave us Riverdance, England produced Stomp. Now comes the American contribution to the music-in-motion movement.”
Blast! will arrive in Logan for two nights next Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts’ 2006 season.
Originating from the Drum and Bugle Corps team “Star of Indiana,” Blast! was created to give the artists on the team a new challenge after they left the drum corp competitions. Drum corps teams, reminiscent of drum and bugle corps that have marched with troops during war for centuries, consist of trumpet, mellophones, baritones, euphoniums, french horns, flugel horns, and tubas. Blast! differs from traditional teams intheir addition of saxophones and their emphasis on theatrical elements in the show. They often add maneuvers, such as running backwards or doing one-handed cartwheels, while playing and staying in formation to their shows. Blast! also takes a typical field show and compresses it down to fit in a concert hall.
James Mason, the creative force behind Blast!, said the concept behind Blast!’s production is movement.
“To me, it’s a celebration of instrumental music and outdoor pageantry, put in a theatrical setting,” Mason said. “Blast! is almost like a Disneyesque animation, only in Blast! the animation comes to life with real people playing the music and interpreting it visually.”
Auditions for the team can be very difficult and require skill, time, creativity and dedication. Applicants must submit a videotape not only displaying a variety of scales, styles of music, and specific pieces, but showing some acting and singing abilities, as well. In addition, applicants must also submit a description of their current exercise plan for “injury prevention,” a letter of recommendation from a band leader or instrumental teacher and a summary of previous musical and acting experience.
Participants need to be well versed in various types of music because Blast!’s repertoire consists of classical, jazz, folk, and popular music. Their program will include (Act One) “Bolero” by Maurice Ravel, “Everybody Loves the Blues” by Maynard Ferguson, and “Simple Gifts/Appalachian Spring” by Aaron Copland. Act Two includes “Color Wheel Too” by D. Ponce, Land of Make Believe by Chuck Mangione, and Malaguena by Ernesto Lencuona.
More information on Blast! can be found on www.blasttheshow.com. Ticket and venue information can be found at ww w.centerforthearts.us, or by calling 752-0026. Tickets range from $20-$30.
-limarc@cc.usu.edu