Seafair's big Fleet Week celebrations include plenty of sailors at work and at ease around Puget Sound, and a special visit to the KNKX studios from the Navy Band's Brass Band, an almost entirely new group from their visit last year, with a fresh, funky sound.
Clad in their sparkling clean dress whites, we heard two trombones, two saxophones, and trumpet with drums - and a warning to our Leadership Circle studio audience: this is going to be loud.
They were that, especially with the low end dominated by the band's director, Musician 2nd Class Owen Sczurba's baritone sax. Running his horn through effects pedals that would make a guitar slinger jealous, he was able to loop riffs, amplify and distort his sound, and even work out a "wa-wa" pedal.
Beginning their set with a brass band arrangement of the 80s pop hit "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and following with Maceo Parker and Trombone Shorty covers, the Navy Brass band closed with a tasty medley of "Bourbon Street Parade" and the funkiest version of "Anchors Away" we'd ever heard.
It's hard to see how the Blue Angels and hydroplanes can follow this - the fellows were on point from stem to stern, and we hope to make this a regular visit.
Band
MU3 Michael Brehm - trumpet
MU2 Jared Brannon - tenor sax
MU1 Michael Donaldson - trombone
MU2 Ben Fodor - trombone
MU2 Owen Sczurba - baritone sax
MUSC Danny McGowan - drums
Director of Navy Band NW - Lt. Bruce Mansfield