Frederick Joseph Ricketts (February 21, 1881 ? May 15, 1945) was a British composer of marches for band. Using the pen name Kenneth J. Alford, his marches are considered to be great examples of the art. Where military music is performed, whether the venue be the historic Horse Guards Parade in London, the forecourt of the futuristic Opera House in Sydney, Australia, or, less grandly, the parade ground of a run-of-the-mill military establishment, almost certainly a march from the pen of Kenneth J. Alford will be performed. His career as a Bandmaster in the British Army and latterly as a Director of Music in the Royal Marines is legendary, and conductors, musicians and the public, are one with conductor Sir Vivian Dunn in calling Ricketts 'The British March King.' Ricketts? frequent use of the saxophone contributed to its permanent inclusion in military bands.
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