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Brazil Concert Band honoring Indiana’s ‘March King’ Sunday
BRAZIL — The Brazil Concert Band will present “Jewell of the Wabash” on Sunday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. in Forest Park, rain or shine.
The band and Director Matthew Huber will honor Fred Jewell, known as the Indiana March King, with a concert of compositions by him.
Jewell was born in Worthington in 1875 into a musical family. By age 16, he left home for life as a circus musician, playing the euphonium and cornet and conducting circus bands for the next 20 years with Gentry Brothers, Sells Floto, Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey and Hagenbeck-Wallace.
Jewell also conducted Shrine bands and community bands, composed more than 200 works for band, taught music and earned teaching accreditation from Indiana State Teachers College, now Indiana State University. He moved his publishing company to Worthington in 1923.
Jewell played in the Brazil Concert Band during the off-season in the early 20th century. His son Fred Jr. grew up and became an attorney, and also played the E-flat clarinet in both the BCB and the Jackson Township Community Band.
John Philip Sousa had the highest respect for Jewell and his music, and had visited the Jewell family in Worthington according to Fred Jr.
Twenty-five years ago, the Brazil Concert Band and the Jackson Township Community Band sponsored an Indiana Historic Marker recognizing Jewell, which is located in downtown Worthington. The BCB also professionally recorded two compact discs of Jewell’s music which sold worldwide.
Jewell passed away in 1936 and was buried in Worthington. After the passing of Fred Jewell Jr., the Brazil Concert Band and Jackson Township Community Band inherited the remaining stock music from the publishing company.
The following Jewell works will be performed: “Cloth of Gold,” “The Pumpkin Center Cornet Band,” “The Old Circus Band,” “The Scarlet King,” “At Break of Dawn,” “A Passing Fancy,” “March of the Prophets,” “Trumpets of Victory,” “At Evening Time” and “Pageant of Progress.”
The Brazil Concert Band will play every Sunday evening through August.