America has not only been a melting pot of peoples, it has also been a melting pot for marches. It all began when the hardy pioneers marched westward and opened up a vast new continent. In this album the All-American Band chronicles the unique character and exciting influence of ‘March Americana.’ Starting with a march interpretation of the beloved pioneer folk song, Wayfaring Stranger, Robert A. Williams directs the band in a high-spirited panorama of rousing rhythms. Sousa’s Triumphal, dedicated to the great bandmaster-composer, typifies the “grand” era of American marches... the late 19th century, where everything was the “biggest”, “super-colossal” or another “wonder of the world.” Both La Siesta and The Three Musketeers are examples of how titles and themes from outside our borders were absorbed into the American march style... Make Way For The Army and Man O’ War display the heroic glory of military marches. The patriotic fervor of martial music had been a great vogue in Europe for many centuries, but was not too popular in America until the War with Spain in 1898. Each of the succeeding conflicts brought forth a march style that was genuinely American. Marches have practically kept step with the growth of this country, and it is doubtful if any form of music has ever been so universally accepted and loved throughout the land. The selections herein are a vital part of ‘March Americana.’