Buffalo Bill Cody's Cowboy Band travels to Denver

Editor's note 3/24: Updated to include comments on how the performance went

If Wednesday’s performance by the Buffalo Bill Cody’s Cowboy Band at the Nelson Performing Arts Center in Powell was any indication, the band will be a sensation when it performs during the National Conference of Society for American Music in Denver on Friday.

Between songs, band director Mike Masterson provided a narrative about the band and its music – the same music heard during Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show in the early 1900s – along with historical information about Buffalo Bill and his show.During the performance, a multimedia presentation featured segments of original black-and-white photos, motion pictures and posters of the Wild West Show, along with segments from the Western movie classic, “Annie Oakley,” starring Barbara Stanwyck. With her ability to shoot a dime tossed in the air at a distance of 90 feet, sharpshooter Annie Oakley was the Wild West Show’s star attraction for 17 years.

The band also performed at Casper College on Thursday afternoon.

Masterson said he submitted a proposal for the performance to the society, which looks for music of the region during its annual conferences. What better music to present, he asked, than the music that first portrayed the American West?

While modern cowboy music generally features a combination of guitars, fiddles and banjos, the Buffalo Bill Cowboy Band is a 20-member brass band. For me, Wednesday’s performance was reminiscent of soundtracks of many of the classic western movies I watched as a girl.

Here's a recording of the closing song of last week's show. (Editor's note: The audio quality is a little scratchy, but that makes it sound more historically authentic, right?)

Buffalo Bill's Farewell March and Two-Step - 2:55
If the audio player doesn't work in the space above, you can download the recording here.

Wednesday’s audience was enthusiastic, and Masterson said the performance was exciting for him as well. Band members responded to every tiny motion of his hands and baton, resulting in music that seemingly came alive — and Friday’s performance will be even better, he said.

Society for American Music members — get ready to have your socks knocked off.

Update, March 24, 2009:

Masterson said the band's performance for the Society "went beautifully from beginning to end."

Paul Fees, past Buffalo Bill Museum curator, "had the audience leaning forward to hear the story of Buffalo Bill, his Wild West Show and the Cowboy Band," Masterson said. "The videos and photos in the Power Point presentation provided visual context for the show, and the band had them tapping their feet and moving to the music. The whole event brought the audience to their feet twice at the end of the performance."

"The Cowboy Band members from our Wyoming and Montana region performed with real energy and feeling for the music. It was a true ensemble performance as everyone worked together to make it a great concert," he said. "People from the (Society of American Music) conference were effusive with their positive comments. It was a peak experience for all of us for sure."