Canadian Musician - September/October 2016 | Page 44

Ryan Marshall

Punk , hip-hop , and top 40 pop – probably not the genres that come to mind when you think of someone cradling a saxophone or raising the bell of their trumpet into the air .

After all , it would be fair to say that the vast majority of brass and woodwind players who have earned the title of “ professional musician ” have done so in a jazz or orchestral context , but in today ’ s popular music landscape , convention isn ’ t just outdated – it ’ s actually counterproductive to innovation as genres blend and boundaries are pushed in every direction .
Take the innovative fusion of hip-hop and jazz that , according to hoards of taste-making outlets the world over , has made Toronto trio BadBadNotGood one of Canada ’ s most buzzworthy bands , or the arena-commanding pop anthems of YouTube sensations Walk Off the Earth . Both rely heavily on orchestral instruments for their signature sounds , and prove that there ’ s a place for brass and winds in virtually every corner of pop music .
And so while earning a seat with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra or Vancouver Philharmonic remains an incredible feat worthy of admiration and accolades , brass and woodwind players looking to make their music their life have heaps more options available to them , and we ’ ve got members of Walk Off the Earth , BadBadNotGood , Escondido , Sun K , and The Brass Action lined up to help us delve into a few .

Broader Horizons Bringing Brass & Woodwinds into a World of Popular Styles

By Andrew King

Ryan Marshall

Walk Off the Earth
Jupiter JEP1000 Euphonium ( Silver Finish ) Jupiter JTR-1100 Trumpet ( Silver Finish )
While they ’ ve garnered literally hundreds of millions of views via their creative and quirky covers of songs by Gotye , Adele , MAGIC !, and more , Walk off the Earth have also found plenty of success thanks to their explosive take on anthemic arena pop . The band is currently riding a high , having snagged the 2016 JUNO Award for Group of the Year on the back of their sophomore LP , 2015 ’ s Sing It All Away .
One of two founding members currently with the group , vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Marshall has contributed everything from trumpet to melodica to “ whirling sound tubes ” throughout WOTE ’ s catalog of covers and originals .
“ I played the baritone , euphonium – the three valves – starting in grade six ,” Marshall begins , crediting his longtime music teacher and Canadian Brass alum , Sue Smith , for instilling a passion in him that pushed him through high school and into his post-secondary years . “ I didn ’ t even touch a trumpet until I was in university . I was in first year and just didn ’ t want to be carrying the baritone through the dorm ,” he laughs .
As the lead guitarist in a ska punk band , Marshall began experimenting with trumpet leads in the band ’ s music – his first experience incorporating a brass instrument in a mainstream musical setting . “ We were influenced by Mighty Mighty Bosstones , Goldfinger , The Planet Smashers – that old punk era with a lot of ska ,” he shares . “ I didn ’ t even know how to read treble clef , but it was all original music , so I was just going by ear .”
RYAN MARSHALL ( LEFT ) & BEARD GUY ON STAGE
44 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN