Be Bold, Be Safe, Be Funny, Be Better than the Band
The Then and Now of the Circus Band
What does a modern Circus with a Live Band look like?
Abigail and Rob on the Designs of a Live Band Circus
From the Band:
Rob: I believe it’s part of the larger idea of building social connection, integral to Circus Bella’s vision. By providing live accompaniment to the circus acts we are engaging in dialogue with the performers in real time, and that communication helps clear the way for a greater connection with the audience.
The band starts off each show with some instrumental tunes. This helps create the atmosphere, and we try to play tunes that will make people feel excited and ready to have fun. Then it’s time for the show. Drum roll please!
When composing circus music, the first thing I think about is: what is the mood of the act. Thrilling? Silly? Elegant? This helps me have a starting point to think about how to approach the musical style. I don’t try to purposely place the music in any cultural or historical context, but I try to let all my influences wash over me and follow what feels natural to the act. So even though the music has audible references to specific historical or cultural music, I’m always trying to compose in my own voice, and thus the music is very much of the present day.
Next, I try to find an underlying rhythm to the performance. Not every act is obviously rhythmic, but there’s always an underlying pace. Sometimes it can change throughout the act, and the music can reflect that. For example, “Flight of the Diablo” from our album "Mighty!” was written for Willem McGowan’s Diablo juggling act. This piece is mostly tightly composed, but includes a few open vamp sections for those moments in the act where the timing would change from show to show. For instance, the final trick of the act includes a very difficult “blind” catch, and Willem would usually need a few tries to complete it successfully. The job of the music here is to make sure the energy keeps building, even when the trick fails. In fact, each failure builds more and more excitement. So we just keep jamming on this final section, building intensity until the trick is finally complete.
Most circus these days is done to set pieces, often recorded tracks. Some highly choreographed acts work best with this approach. But many acts require a flexibility in timing. Sometimes a difficult trick takes a few tries to pull off; the music can help build the tension here, in effect “rooting” for the performers. Or sometimes a clown has a prolonged interaction with the audience. The band can help cover for any awkward moments or fails - a problem with rigging or a misplaced prop. In these cases, it’s essential for the music to be flexible. Much of the music has built-in “vamps”, where we stay on one section for a while. But the band is also always ready to improvise at ANY moment, abandoning the written score to make something up on the spot. The flexibility of the music allows for performers to constantly modify and streamline their acts, and as we perform show after show we can create a real synergy between band, performers, and audience.
One of the things that’s surprisingly most difficult about providing live musical accompaniment is knowing when to leave space. Nothing can accentuate a moment quite like a sudden silence. Or just letting things breathe for a few moments after a particularly intense act. Again, this can change from show to show.
In the end, my job as musical director is to keep a constant empathetic eye on the performers, the musicians, and the audience; and provide a musical frame that will encourage everyone to shine and have a great time!
From the Bella company:
Abigail: Having a live band was one of the first things that David and I decided upon when starting the company. I was very inspired by the live conversation that happens when a performer works with a musician. It becomes a wordless conversation. As far as music goes, the inspirations are backwards forwards and everywhere else in between. It is always, to me, what is so amazing about the work that Rob does. The work is eclectic, surprising, and is truly a perfect soundtrack to what is going on in the ring. A live band offers flexibility, spontaneity, and the ability to change on a dime.
A favorite story on how the All-Star Band can play anything: Last summer we had a last-minute substation and were delighted to feature Ossy Sanchez bounce juggling. He had never worked with our band before and bout an hour before the show he walked over to the band and on his phone played the music he usually used - something kind of clubby and techno-y. The band looked at each other, smiled, and then immediately started in on the same energetic beat but live and even better. Ossy (who’s smile is infectious regardless) had a huge grin that afternoon in the ring.
Artists today are not used to working with live music and the initial transition can be unsettling. When you run your act, the music doesn’t sound exactly the same every time it is played and I work with artists to transition from “This is scary” to “OMG this is so much fun”. I love watching our Hula Hooper, Natasha Kaluza and our drummer Michael Pinkham work together on the final beats of her act.
With the abundance of recording music, easy access to editing tools, and the general increase in the cost of doing business I think it is easy to opt-out of having a band. One can still put together a perfectly decent show. As a result, many companies opt out of the added expense.
We have done shows without a band and the audience still loves the show and goes away happy - but I feel that they have missed something. In the beginning, I would sometime in order to cut costs, book the show without a band - but I don’t do it anymore. No band no Bella. The music is half of what we are as a company, they are a character in the show, just as is the and I would rather do fewer shows and do it correctly. That is my choice. We are lucky to have what I (with a huge bias) consider to have the best Circus Band in the industry. We have tradition backstage where we always Circle up as a company before a show - one of our saying during this moment is “Be Brave, be safe, be funny, be better than the band!”
Shameless Plug: BUY OUR ALBUM!
A Little History:
When Musicians run away with the circus…
The late 19th century saw the rise of the Circus Live Band. Circus had grown in scale and as shows and tents became larger, it was necessary for the music to project further and further. The traditional flutes and string instruments were replaced by robust brasses known as “windjammers” after how much breath musicians had to jam into their instruments while playing the newer spectacularly loud, difficult, and non-stop circus marches. These were aptly named “screamers.” These “Windjammers” could expect steady, reliable, and decently paid work for much of the year. But, as musicians unions were not yet in existence the hours would be long and included parades, free concerts in town, and on the grounds outside the tent. They were also often on the work crew which tore down and set up the tents and other structures.
In the heyday, a circus’ Live Band was one of its prominent attractions. Amongst the circus crowd, the music and band were a point of pride and competition—and rightly so as creating and performing circus music was a challenging creative endeavor. Though known mostly for their marches, circus musicians were savvy in a lot of genres and ready to charm the crowds with anything from waltzes, rags, and serenades to intermezzos, Latin rhythms, smears, and gallops. Many also created mashups of the pop music of their times. Now the musicians not only had to be well-versed in their tunes, they specifically had to be masters of improv in order to engage with the dynamics of the circus. They worked together with the rest of the company, and each performance was a living, breathing, dynamic relationship between the audience, the musicians, and the circus artists. The drummer, in particular, played an essential role. Their job was to “play to the trick” and carefully sync to every clown’s trip, acrobats tumble, or grand finale to intensify and immortalize the moment. In the next performance, watch the drummer. Notice that they are always positioned within the line of sight to the stage and the performers.
Beyond entertainment, live bands played a very important and serious role. Before there were walkie talkies, PA systems, and cell phones the band served as an essential medium of communication between the ring and the performers and staff backstage. Musical cues helped keep everyone informed about the going-ons of the show. For example, when common mishaps and delays arose, the 12th Street Rag cued the clowns to come out to divert attention and stall for more time. On a more serious note, in 1944, band communication became essential during the Hartford circus fire. When a fire broke out, Famous Bandleader Merle Evans led the band into “Stars and Stripes Forever.” At the time, it was known as the “disaster march” in showbiz and it was well understood that it was reserved exclusively for emergency situations. The performers and staff backstage knew right away that the few thousand patrons and performers needed to leave the tent immediately. Thanks to the Band’s warning, the number of casualties stayed under 200.
Circus Music has not always been glamorous though. It, as in many art forms reflected its times, both the good and the bad. The circus music industry straddled opportunity and the lack thereof. At the beginning of the 20th century, the circus became early and reliable employers for African American musicians who performed jazz and ragtime music as part of the sideshow performances accompanying the main show. This offered African American musicians an opportunity to introduce their music genres to new audiences. Unsurprisingly, the tunes quickly became widely popular. But, as in all things, the Circus still reflected the Jim Crow Laws of the south. Although essential to audience draws, the band themselves were segregated and black musicians were rarely allowed to perform as part of the main show in the Big Top. Circus bands were not fully integrated until the 1960s after the civil rights movement. Some black artists still were able to make a decent life-long career. The most famous black band leader was Perry George (P.G) Lowery, a classically trained cornetist was famous for his virtuosic playing as well as his inventive compositions who went on through his nearly 50-year circus career.
Can you name them? Brush up on your circus trivia and challenge a friend!
Do you know these classic Circus tunes?
And finally….Be Bold, Be safe, Be Funny, Be Better than the Band!
This post is dedicated to the memory of Ralph Carney 1956-2017.
Ralph was a superstar musician and original member of the Circus Bella All-Star Band. He was well-known and well-loved. Circus Bella misses him and his honks, squeaks, and perfect cacouphony.
