Brass band Song List for lively protests as of March 27th 2024

After a search of the internets, I found sheet music for these tunes. These will be the “standards” for rallies. They are chosen on the basis of being easy to sing a long with, using the Chants and Songs for a Lively Protest booklet from the Syracuse Cultural Workers. I did not include every single tune from there; there are also tunes here that came from other traditions.

YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj-dDQeXcu-AYJ7CTRviqOVL&feature=shared

Here is the list, with brief commentary;

1.All You Fascists Bound to Lose (use original lyrics) The Pete Seeger tune. https://youtu.be/dWUa7aAIfLE?feature=shared We have a brass band version courtesy of B.L.O.

2. Ain’t Going to Let Nobody Turn you Around https://youtu.be/WPuBGcng6Tw?feature=shared this is a gospel tune, call-and-answer. Gained prominence during the civil rights era.

3. Amen https://youtu.be/rn6w255CGkk?feature=shared Popular since the movie “Lilies of the Field” now found in many church hymnals.

4. De Colores https://youtu.be/O-tXDrRCuEI?feature=shared bilingual, brass band version.

5. Down By The Riverside https://youtu.be/nQ1gHm8v3ek?feature=shared Dixieland.

6. Frere Jacques https://youtu.be/CluxBlTaZDc?feature=shared the version in the playlist is one of the few that was not marked as being “for children.”

7. Highway to Hell https://youtu.be/LMuDrj5BpM0?feature=shared we would only be playing this under very specific circumstances.

8. I Can’t Keep Quiet ( use original lyrics) https://youtu.be/1cc_neVdjb4?feature=shared famous tune from 2017 Women’s March.

9. If You’re Happy and you Know It (need Lyrics) https://youtu.be/COqdCzlBOQo?feature=shared

10. I will Survive https://youtu.be/6dYWe1c3OyU?feature=shared Every Woman I know has memorized these lyrics. 90% of the tune is a riff and the rest is instrumental, equally well-known disco

11. This Little Light of Mine  (resistance revival chorus) https://youtu.be/1TbDPwA09Bc?feature=shared Gospel

12. Solidarity Forever Filed under B for Battle Hymn https://youtu.be/rIqALCU2_RE?feature=shared

13. Stand by Me https://youtu.be/Us-TVg40ExM?feature=shared we will use the low brass arrangement

14. We Shall Not Be Moved (RMO) https://youtu.be/Qf0vf6eV6JE?feature=shared

15. We’re Not Going To Take It https://youtu.be/4xmckWVPRaI?feature=shared also only to be played under specific circumstances

16. When the Saints Go Marching In https://youtu.be/Xb6WfjAbzCM?feature=shared Dixieland.

The Huddled Masses Orchestra will be in Brunswick, Maine Sunday Feb 25th, 1 to 4 PM

We will play for a dance party at LeMont Hall on 2 Pleasant Street in Brunwick, Maine the afternoon of February 25th. 1 to 4 PM.

You can’t miss it, The Lemont Block is prominent on Pleasant St, the “main drag” of Brunswick downtown. On a weekend afternoon the parking is not so bad.

An elevator (as well as the stairs) will get you to the second floor. This has been recently renovated and the dance floor is hardwood. (and yes, we will put out more chairs!) to see more, go to: https://www.lemontblock.com/events

The elevator

The elevator and back stairs are at the back of the building.

Who are The Huddled Masses?

This is not all of us. Margot Bridgett ( trb), Paul Greenstone (tuba) Joe Niemczura (trpt) Jay Hanes (trpt) and John Herzfeld (reed man).

(and are they truly yearning to breathe free?)

We are a small brass band, with a few non-brass such as percussionists, one reed guy and an accordionist. We play “Serbian Style” brass band music, from the Balkan region of Europe. Serbia is famous for their brass bands.

This is dance music.

This has been called choral dancing. By that I mean, most dancers will do a similar step and the visual effect is analogous to being in a choir as opposed to singing a solo. When a critical mass of dances joins in, a feeling of community descends on the room. Peace and harmony ensue!

This is a community event? yes, in the Old Country, there would be a squadron of kids running around, the black-clad grandmas of the town would sit and gossip, and people would sing along if they knew the tune ( or better yet, make up a new set of words, often bawdy or humorous). It’s chemfree.

This is a cultural window. Serbia is famous for the annual Trumpet Festival in Guca, a small village, where 200,000 people descend for a wild party to the tune of brass bands. For years there has been a Serbian brass band in New York City and they emulate the party in their “Golden Festival“ 

This is a family event. We select dance step combinations based on “village style” – easy to learn, with an emphasis on fun. Now, it’s true to that small kids should not be in the adult line; but hey – God gave them two legs so they could run around underfoot. It’s a great way to spend a winter afternoon.

For brass players who read this: We apply a different style of ensemble play than you might usually come across in Maine. The tunes themselves are often in minor keys, they are in unusual time signatures (and for example, how to play in 9/8 rhythm is not taught in schools around here, not even at the college level). The band does “improv,” but we call it “taxim” because we are likely to play it in Phrygian dominant mode, as opposed to exclusively following chord changes. ( by the way, this scale is favored by metal bands. The Huddled Masses are a metal band too; but of course, the metal in our music is brass)

For elementary school teachers who read this: we work with a variety of dance teachers/leaders who will guide the participants through the steps. Maybe you want to find a dance expereince suitable for school children. Here is a place where you can find somebody who can help you figure out how to make that happen).

Jerusalema Challenge at Common Ground Fair Sept 23rd, 4 p.m.

Short and Sweet:

One of Maine’s best events of the whole year? The Common Ground Country Fair in Unity Maine, sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association ( MOFGA). It’s a three-day event and the Huddled Masses will appear on day Two.

The Common Ground Fair is a terrific family event.

The Common Ground Fair was impacted by the pandemic. The 2020 Fair was presented “virtually” and the 2021 version was cancelled.

The 2022 Fair was a return of this wonderful community-building event that has taken place for forty six years. Here is a TeeVee promo from 2022:

Over the course of three days, 65,000 people will attend this event. It’s a tribal gathering in it’s own way.

Now: Watch this video:

This was/is a worldwide pop hit and dance phenomenon. The lyrics are in Swahili. During the pandemic the message resonated during the lockdowns and quarantine: “this is not where I want to be, come with me as we find Jerusalem.” It was inspiring. Somehow, carrying a plate of food became part of the dance. It’s optional.

The Huddled Masse Orchestra

In 2023 the Huddled Masses Orchestra will be a “roving performer” on Saturday the 23rd from 3 to 5 PM. We play folk dance music of eastern Europe and we will unveil our Serbian brass band program. But we could not resist adding just one non-Serbian tune to the list. It’s a catchy tune that zoomed to the top of the wolrdwide pop charts in 2021. The lyrics imply a sense of hopefulness for the end of the pandemic and the resolve to get through it. The Jerusalema Challenge was born.

Bottom Line:

1. If you know the steps, teach them to your friends beforehand, then join the crowd at the Fair Saturday the 23rd. The Fair is always more fun when you go as a group.

2. If you don’t know the steps? watch this tutorial:

3) If you don’t watch the tutorial? come anyway and learn it on the spot.

Here is another:

Jerusalema

Go to YouTube and type “Jerusulema Challenge” in to the search bar.

different groups:

Here are more examples:

and

Share this with every dancer you know.

there is an event page for the Jerusalema Challenge on FaceBook, here is the link: https://fb.me/e/4B8PIF6IA

Press Release for Aug 27th concert of Ukrainian Music in conjunction with Ukraine Independence Day, Lewiston Maine at 2 PM

Mark your Calendar for August 27th

The Maine Balkan Choir will reprise an all-Ukrainian-language musical program for a charity concert in Lewiston at the Saints Peter and Paul Basilica Sunday afternoon August 27th starting at 2 PM. The event coincides with Ukraine Independence Day August 24th.  The theme of the event is “Flowers and Songs from a Ukraine Garden.”  The program is designed to offer a vision of hope and family, suitable for all ages. Proceeds of the event will go toward Catholic Charities of Maine and the Jewish Community Alliance,  each of which serves refugees in the Lewiston area.  The suggested donation is ten dollars, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. We expect a large turnout of local Ukrainians and supporters and for that reason the announcements will be simultaneously made in both English and Ukrainian. If you own a blue-and-yellow flag or banner, please bring it. 

The Choir

“The Maine Balkan Choir was founded in 1998, and mostly focused on the music of Bulgaria, but when the war started last year we decided to learn Ukrainian folk songs in support of the defense of Ukraine.  We chose songs that offer a sense of hopefulness and community with a strong sense of family,”  said Joe Niemczura, the organizer of the event. “We first presented this repertoire in Portland May 21st. The standing-room-only crowd was very enthusiastic. Many Ukrainians expressed their delight  with our ability to sing in their language and the choice of uplifting songs. There were immediate requests to repeat this in Lewiston, where refugees from many communities have been welcomed.” 

Singing in Ukrainian language

The Maine Balkan Choir began rehearsing in January for this concert. “Many of us grew up around Slavic music. There is a wide variety of Slavic genres, and the women’s choral music is very popular. It is characterised by the use of minor keys and haunting melodies. We worked very hard to achieve authentic pronunciation, helped by a number of Ukrainians who joined the Choir. This added an element of authenticity that took it to a new level. We expect to welcome new Ukrainian members when regular rehearsals resume in fall, creating even more opportunities to create cross-cultural bonds with music as the vehicle.” The concert featured Lyudmila Iurchenko of Saco, who plays the Bayan, an authentic instrument of eastern Europe, and Dasha Artemchuk of Bar Harbor, who is from Kherson. 

Three subgroups from around the state of Maine

The Maine Balkan Choir has been based in Ellsworth, but in December 2022 when we announced our plans, we got inquiries from other parts of Maine. We ultimately formed three subgroups, adding one in Belfast and one in the Portland region. The three groups never met each other until a month prior to the May concert. Fifty singers created a wonderful sound. Niemczura was joined by Tanya Cherednichenko of Auburn, who repeated each announcement in Ukrainian, since we knew there would be many recent arrivals in the audience. 

The Basilica in Lewiston

Lewiston is a natural venue for this event. It is a city of  immigrants. Lewiston is the home of the only Byzantine Catholic Church in Maine, as well as a thriving Eastern Orthodox Parish. The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul dominates the skyline. It is the second-largest Roman Catholic church in New England, built by the French-speaking immigrants from Quebec who migrated there to work in the textile industry. The pipe organ, built by Casavant Freres, is renowned for its power, tone and flexibility. The Basilica  presents a prestigious summer series of organ concerts every Sunday afternoon. 

High Definition videos available for use in TV or radio promotion

There is a set of YouTube videos to show the Choir at the Portland event, and the media has permission to use these for promotional purposes. The link is: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj_ANpKXqFTlK9YKa2_y8Wtt

We have contact information from various members of the Choir and local Ukrainian community who are involved with this event. For further information call (808) 352 1714 or email joeniemczura@gmail.com