And the band plays on

Karl King Band performs birthday concert Sunday in Decker Auditorium

By SANDY MICKELSON, Messenger staff writer


Messenger staff writer

Harold Hill may have had seventy-six trombones leading his big parade, but Jerrold Jimmerson had five trombones playing for him in Sunday’s Karl King Band birthday concert in Decker Auditorium on the Iowa Central Community College campus.

Jimmerson had the best of the deal.

Trombones don’t always stand out in a concert, but when the band blew into ‘‘Circus Days,’’ a galop, their sound filled the room. The trombones could have been leading the way on that tune.

Jason Bradwell drives to Fort Dodge from Des Moines to play trombone in the band, joining Roger Ringnalda, of Clarion, and three Fort Dodge men — Dan Cassady, Mike Richardson and Nick Moore.

There are more than five trombones in the band, but not everybody is able to come at the same time, Richardsosn said.

When the audience is settled in the auditorium, maybe tapping their feet or swaying in time to the music, it’s hard to believe that the band gets together for practice just two hours before the concert.

‘‘They didn’t see the music until 1:30 today,’’ Jimmerson said. He’d just given band members a break — time to dress for the concert or get a drink of water. ‘‘Some of this we’ve done before, but some of it was new.’’

It’s the new stuff that gives trumpeter Wayne Crowe, of Pocahontas, a touch of anxiety.

‘‘For me, it’s tough,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m not as good as these other guys. We’ve played a lot of this stuff through the years, so it’s not entirely new to us, but you have to come with your thinking cap on.’’

Crowe has played with the band between 10 and 15 years — he’s not real sure. He started as a substitute, referred by his friend, Dave Swaroff, of Dayton. The two had played in the Iowa State University band together.

‘‘They called me a few times for subbing,’’ Crowe said. ‘‘And then they had an opening, and I’ve been playing ever since.’’

It’s not easy for some of the band members to remember how long they’ve been playing Karl King’s music.

‘‘It’s something I’ve wanted to do every since I was a little squirt,’’ said Roger Netz, of Manson. ‘‘I didn’t start till late. It’s only been seven to 10 years, something like that.’’

He plays sax in the band.

Musicians come from across the area to participate in the Karl King concerts.

Dave Moklebust, of Eagle Grove, plays sax; Tim Miller, of Humboldt, plays trumpet; Chuck Radke, of Grand Junction, plays clarinet; and Trish Moe, Albert City, plays the bassoon. It’s the love of the music that keeps them coming back.

‘‘I’m always amazed at how Mr. King could write music reflecting these different cultures,’’ Jimmerson said as his musicians found their music for ‘‘In Old Peking,” a romance song published in 1923 and dedicated to Ed Holmquist. ‘‘We were in Spain, then Egypt, and now in China.’’

The group also played ‘‘Glory of Egypt,’’ a waltz published in 1923, and ‘‘Sunny Spain,’’ called a fantasia, published in 1927.

‘‘Sunny Spain, my guess, was written for the opening of a circus,’’ Jimmerson said. ‘‘The galop, I think, for when an act was done and they would have been clearing the ring.’’

Most of the music from Sunday’s concert, he said, would have been written for the circus. And likely, it would have been played with cornets instead of trumpets.

‘‘The cornet is shorter and bigger around,’’ Jimmerson said. It plays a softer, more mellow sound than the trumpet, which can be piercing.

If band leaders get a wish list, Jimmerson’s list would include cornets for the Karl King Band.



Contact Sandy Mickelson at (515) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net