Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 13/00) - What do you get when you bring together a tuba, a trombone, a French horn and two trumpets? A quixotic quintet, of course.

Quixotic in an elusive, romantic sense because a brass quintet such as Foothills Brass is one of those rare and magical musical ensembles that elicits intense response.

Yellowknifers will have a chance to hear the magic when the group plays tomorrow night at NACC.

And it seems even the critics love them:

"I know I speak for many -- you were wonderful! The combination of individual personalities, humour and exceptional musical talent was just too good to go without comment."

"You are certainly proof that brassy is beautiful!!"

"Exceptionally versatile -- one of Canada's best."

The quintet promises butterflies and goosebumps, while its program of Bach and Handel, of Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael, promises a musical repast fit for kings and queens.

For our listening pleasures, the group offers a mix of baroque, dixieland and swing, with a bit of jazz -- a full menu to ensure we are left sated.

When asked to describe the sound of five brass instruments playing in unison, trumpet player Chris Morrison uses words such as "warm, rich, exciting."

Morrison's visit to Yellowknife will also be a trip down memory lane. He was a student at Sir John Franklin high school in the 1960s.

"We moved to Pine Point in '64. I did my Grade 9 in the Anglican residential school in Fort Simpson. And then my folks moved to Yellowknife, 'til I went to university."

The musician's first professional gig was for CBC North in Yellowknife at the age of 17.

In 1982, Morrison returned to Yellowknife, with Foothills Brass.

"It was our first year."

The quintet now plays 180 to 200 concerts a year. They offer a wide range of programs: family concerts such as The Building Blocks of Music and The Time Machine, Christmas concerts, as well as classical and recital concerts, not to mention a concert straight from Dixie.

Besides two school concerts for Yellowknife children, Foothills Brass Quintet Saturday night. Tickets are available at Birchwood Gallery.