Connecting people

Back in 1988, when several friends and I founded the Salt River Brass Band (a British style brass band, based in Phoenix), we had no money, no appropriate instruments, no audience, no place to perform, and no experience in running such a thing. Just some armature musicians looking for a better opportunity to perform.  Others handled recruiting personnel and music; I was handed administration.

I tapped my firm’s graphics and layout fellow to do the same for the Band.  We couldn’t pay Karl, but the work over the years was not onerous: a posed group photo and numerous live shots during a concert sound check about once per year, and a bit of layout work – mostly for our season mailer and the outer shell of our printed programs.  We credited him on the printed material and on the website (he was setting up as a professional and fine art photographer, and needed the exposure). We comped his extended family and friends into whatever concerts he requested.

We used his artfully posed program cover photo for an occasional season poster and on our CDs; KONC Radio used one as the front cover of their monthly magazine profiling the Band. Similarly, when we performed for the Verde Valley Fine Arts Association, the local paper used Karl’s work for the front cover of their “What’s Happening” supplement.

Our home venue, Chandler Center for the Arts, housed an art gallery.  We secured for Karl a exhibit in the gallery, which subsequently placed a bit of his work in its permanent collection; our tuba/euphonium quartet played for the exhibition’s opening, providing a bit of exposure for the Band, and a bit of tone to the gallery and to Karl.  And complementary wine and cheese for the quartet.

Karl’s photography and layout work was exemplary; it presented the Band as professional and artistic.  We all benefited – Karl, the Band, our audience, the radio station, our various venues, and the Chandler Center.  All from connecting talented people.