Fab Four

Because of the 50th anniversary of the last Beatles concert in Toronto, there has been several events around town over the last month. On Friday, I went to Indie Friday at Yonge Dundas to listen to The Massey Hall Band, a collection of sax/horn players with unique arrangements to pop songs. I was quite impressed with their collaboration with Bry Webb.

However, I have seen them here and there since then and it's been a diminishing return. Tonight was part of that downward trend. This is their sound: a drawn-out intro into the song, usually unrecognizable to the average listener; a first pass through the tune, played straight; then one or more solos; a segue into a loud, chaotic breakdown where every instrument improvises; then outro. There's no doubt they are accomplished musicians. But it's curious that though there are several arrangers (all members of the band), they all end up sounding the same.