Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band - The Sousa Band Experience

The Sousa Band Experience

Why does Seattle's Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band have an ever-expanding cult following? They draw enormous crowds at the summer Ballard Locks concert series. They've been forced to add additional shows to their sold-out Sousa's birthday celebrations. Hundreds of rabid fans seek them out at the Northwest Folklife Festival. What is the mysterious allure of this band?

The answer is a unique concert experience that no other musical group can provide. In their own wacky way, the band will take you on a swirling carnival ride through the greatest hits of the golden age of band music. Come to a show and you'll notice:

The performers are wearing a collection of mismatched band jackets from various high school and college bands across Washington State and the U.S. It is a multi-colored patchwork community band that invites players of all ages and all levels of experience.
The band features the world's only sedentary majorette. Edith Farrar takes her place in a folding chair at the front of the band, and absolutely stuns the audience with amazing feats of baton-twirling. Occasionally she may literally stun one of the band members if the baton flies out of control and bounces off the head of an unfortunate performer. The possibility of such mayhem only increases the rapt attention of the audience.
This band will not march under any circumstances: a rare and daring distinction among bands that play marching music.
The group has an "informal" sensibility. For example, the group's director, Liz Dreisbach, will have the entire band poised to begin a number, when suddenly, she'll turn to the audience and say, "By the way, did I ever tell you this story about John Philip Sousa's wife?" Everything stops while she launches into a personal anecdote about the life of her hero. Such moments stimulate the intellectual sensibilities of the audience.

No one will remain unmoved by the music, the spectacle, and the sheer fun and exuberance emanating from the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band.