Again God blessed us with a perfect night, great weather, good food, an appreciative audience, and wonderful music with some remarkable musicians for the Eleventh Annual Trombone Night at the Red Bank Salvation Army Corps.

First of all thank you to everyone! And I mean everyone. What a night! Even with so much going on Wednesday night July 13th with several events and another concert in town, an Organ Recital at the Great Auditorium in neighboring Ocean Grove, even a basketball tournament going on in our own gym, more than 200 turned out for the BBQ (a real BBQ that filled the neighborhood with some incredible aromas from the grills) and over 300 (full house) filled our Corps Hall for Trombone Night 2011!

This year there were 26 “Sackbuts” that came from New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Maryland for a rehearsal at 5:00 PM. After eating at the BBQ we started right at 7:00 PM. There was an immediate electricity felt as the ensemble played Stephen Bulla’s trombone arrangement of “Fanfare & National Anthem” with the audience singing the “Star Spangled Banner.” You could feel the energy in the Hall! God was already blessing us with the sounds of 26 trombones and His congregation singing our National Anthem.

With the “Welcome” each member introduced themselves and were all given applause one by one as you could tell this assemblage was ready for some great music and an incredible night. The ensemble then opened the concert in a Trombone “Invocation” by Eric Ball transcribed by Charles Baker. A pin could drop when the Amen was played.

That changed though with the first March of the night, Milton Kippax’s “Golden Jubilee” arranged in 12 Trombone parts by Thomas Walker. From this fast paced march the group followed and changed the mood with a beautiful arrangement of “Scarborough Fair” arranged by G. Bill Reichenbach. This was special for one group in particular in attendance that was recognized during the program, the Red Bank Salvation Army Music Institute being run at the Corps for local Middle School age musicians by Captains Stewart and Christa Dalrymple and Captain Ester Rosamia (Red Bank Corps) who have been practicing the tune Scarborough Fair during the week (This group was set-up following the New York Staff Band’s visit to Red Bank earlier this year when they included a clinic for Middle School band members from the area preceding their concert at the Corps).

Kevin Downing of the National Capitol Divisional Band then literally “amazed” the audience with his rendition of Arthur Prior’s “Fantastic Polka” accompanied by Captain Christa Dalrymple on the piano. As one person commented later, “I didn’t know you could do those things on a trombone.”

In addition to the Brass Institute two other groups were also recognized during the program. The first was our own New Jersey Divisional Music Conservatory coming in from Camp Tecumseh to Trombone Night as a learning field trip (two of the group aspiring Sackbuts). What a great group of young people and they helped take up a freewill offering for the program to go to World Services.

The other group recognized was our Special Olympics Athletes with their friends (two members attend the Red Bank Corps) who this year won, from among the 2,500 athletes competing at the NJ Games, 13 God Medals, 3 Silver and a Bronze. Again as a tribute to them and all of our gifted children the ensemble played Dorothy Gate’s trombone transcription of John Williams “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.” I wish I could describe what happened then with the music, the kids and the audience. It was one of those electrifying “WOW” moments only God can create.

Stephen Bulla once again provided Trombone Night with some arrangements from his library that were new for us and our night. The first was a beautiful jazz arrangement of Robert Doyle & William Coons’ “Scarlet Tree.” In contrast was an original piece titled “Flourish for Trombone Quartet.” Both proved to be keepers with the audience by their prolonged applause.

Burt Mason, from New York, once again demonstrated why he is in such demand playing his Trombone. There is some music, and in particular hymns, that are just meant to be proclaimed on the trombone. Playing a solo “Joyful, Joyful,” with an Organ accompaniment via CD, Burt brought the house down.

The trombones then played a simple but beautiful William Broughton arrangement of “Amazing Grace” and Captain Stewart Dalrymple shared a Word in Meditation on that beautiful song. Following this one of the Trombone players, Will Clarke, came center stage and shared how he came to Trombone Night for the first time last year and heard Burt Mason share his testimony and play a solo. The entire 5 hour trip back to Massachusetts he couldn’t stop taking about the program and that solo with his father. He decided that night to get serious about his playing and practiced to apply for the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he is now a student. Talk about “Amazing Grace.”

The group then played one of my favorite pieces, Thomas Walker’s transcription of Edvard Grieg’s “Varen (Last Spring).” It was the perfect blessing to close off this section of the program.

Giving appreciations took some time. In addition to such a wonderful and appreciative audience, the special groups that came out, the cooks and help with the BBQ, set-up staff, sound systems helpers, Media Ministries who covered the night to produce a DVD of the concert, Good News Publication, DHQ supporters, the Red Bank Corps and our Officers, our arrangers, our accompanist, and of course our “Sackbuts,” this year we also needed to thank Dillon Music for being our first sponsor so all of the monies raised during the evening will go to World Services.

To close out the concert the ensemble played Stephen Bulla’s upbeat arrangement “Spiritual Medley 2 Sing-Along” featuring “This Train is Bound for Glory, Wade in the Water, and Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit!” for a fun closing number that had everyone “in the Spirit!”

The benediction, again a beautiful trombone arrangement, was the Red Bank Corps’ traditional band led “Alleluia – God Is So Good” with the congregation singing with the words up on the screen.

For an encore the ensemble played a 1940’s “big band” style arrangement by Barrie Gott that left everyone leaving the Corps Hall singing “Go, Tell It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ is born!”

(If you were not able to make it this year and are interested in obtaining a copy of the upcoming Trombone Night 2011 DVD can contact the Red Bank Salvation Army at 732-747-1626 or email him at Stewart.Dalrymple@USE.SalvationArmy.Org . All proceeds will be used for World Services.)

Article written by David Hulteen.