Hopkinton Library Holds Renaissance Oldies Night

Dressed in Renaissance costumes, The Solstice Sackbuts took listeners at the Hopkinton Public Library on a musical tour through the centuries this week.

Divid Lindsey, Leslie Havens and Alan Johnson told anecdotes about the music, the times, the history of the trombone and ended the evening with toe-tapping selections.

Sackbut? The sackbut is a brass instrument from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and the ancestor of the modern trombone, according tio Wikipedia.

David Lindsey from Randolph has toured with bands led by drummers Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson, and served as bandleader for Ray Charles and Mel Torme among others

Leslie Havens of Waltham is a member of many groups with whom she's recorded six CDs. She has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and  in many different jazz festivals across the world.

Alan Johnson of Waltham studied trombone at the University of Michigan with Glenn Smith, a mutli-instrumental Las Vegas headliner. While living in Michigan, he toured Europe with the Midland Symphony and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

The program led off with a beautiful Rennaissance Sonata 1 by Daniel Speer (1687), followed by Ayres of Phantasticke Spirites by Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623).

Lindsey told how the talented Weelkes could often be found in a bar.

"He was fired and re-hired after he sobered up," said Lindsey.

The musical journey continued with tunes from the Baroque period including Chorale Prelude by Pachelbel (1623-1706). 

Johnson said that the Baroque period, late in the 18th century, brought in more elaborate scales and details to music.

The last song from the Baroque period was a soulful rendition of Lassus Sackbut by an American, Henry Fillmore (1881-1956).

"Henry Fillmore wrote many marches during this time, but had to practice in private because of his fathers religious beliefs," Johnson said.

He was the first one to use the smear (sliding from one note to another without interruption) with the trombone, which was considered vulgar during this time," Johnson said.

Havens demonstrated "the smear" with her trombone transitioning from a high note-to a low note in one fell swoop.

Moving from tunes from the Baroque period to jazz, the group played a series of famous tunes including, St. Louis Blues (1914) by "the father of the blues" W.C. Handy. Handy wrote and owned his own material and eventually formed the Pace Music Co.

Toes were tapping through a lively rendition of Downtown (1965) by, Tony Hatch which transported guests back to the '60s, walking down the streets of San Francisco.

The audience was thrilled with the performace and the musical journey through the ages. 

 "It is nice to have a program like this here at the library surrounded by history," listener Steve Gilbert said, The library is truly a center of the community."

The Solstice Sackbuts are available to play during the holidays or any special occasion. Contact them at  solsticesackbuts@gmail.com.