Concert Band

Erie Canal Jazz

Composer

David Bobrowitz

The folk song, Low Bridge, Everybody Down was written in 1905 by Thomas S. Allen. Eventually the song became known under many different titles, including Erie Canal Song, Fifteen Years on the Erie Canal, Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal, Erie Barge Canal, and Mule Named Sal. This brand new version is a wonderful high energy swing rendition. All sections of the band get to “swing out” and have front and center material. The tune, driving from start to finish, features sectional play by the drummers, low instruments, and high instruments, and lots of motivic interplay between sections. In other words fun for all, but mostly for the the audience, who won’t be able to resist clapping along!l