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The staid reputation of marching bands has beenupended in recent years by the wider exposure of the New Orleans brass band tradition as well asthe general shift toward cultural eclecticism. Witness Portland,Ore.’s MarchFourth Marching Band, for whom Crescent City funk is only the starting point.Melodious and rhythmic, M4 combines the hand-clapping urgency of horns andpercussion with influences from the Near East, the Balkans, Brazil and theCaribbean, along with a touch of swing and bop. Unlike the many bands that tossingredients into the stew pot and hope for the best, M4's blend of elementssounds entirely natural and electrifying.
