Description

The brightness of a brass choir and the holidays just naturally seem to ring together. The Boston Brass quintet, which has performed in all 50 states and some 30 other countries, has been together more than 35 years, playing colorful classical arrangements, burning jazz standards, and the best of original brass repertoire. Trumpeter Jeff Conner may be the sole remaining original member, but the group has stayed true to its founding vision of combining musical education and rewarding concerts. The quintet’s newest release, Blues for Sam (2022), features a mix of classical and jazz arrangements alongside old Boston Brass favorites, and is dedicated to longtime tuba player Sam Pilafian. Backed by 15-piece horn and rhythm section, Boston Brass tours a popular holiday program each year that includes vibrant selections from its two yuletide recordings, Christmas Bells Are Swingin’ and The Stan Kenton Christmas Carols, packing big-band energy into tightly wound charts and other favorites of the winter season.