This novelty is great as either a featured number or as an encore. It is upbeat, a medley of turn-of-the-last-century tunes that, in the tradition of Haydn?s "Farewell" Symphony (No. 45 in F-sharp minor), provides opportunity for four musicians to leave, one by one, until only Tuba remains. It opens at a fast clip with a statement of ?Good-Night, Ladies? followed by a four-measure vamp that is subsequently repeated after nearly every section. First, horn and tuba perform ?There is a Tavern in the Town.? Second, trombone and trumpets combine to ask, ?Bill Bailey, Won?t You Please Come Home.? Third is a close-harmony, ensemble version of ?Goin? Home.? Fourth features exchanges between trumpets and low brass in ?Toot, Toot, Tootsie!? Fifth is an amalgam of all the tunes; this is played four times, each time featuring a different instrument, which then drops out for the rest of the number. The tuba ends the piece and takes a bow. This arrangement was completed in 2014, and performance time runs about 3 minutes, 56 seconds. The arranger, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge; contact him directly at [email protected]. For more arrangements by Les, enter "Sweetwater Brass Press" (without the quotation marks) in the SheetMusicPlus search box.

Prolific Tin Pan Ally songwriter Albert Gumble's "The Minstrel Band" is subtitled "(rag)" with good reason. Stylistically it lies between the hard-driving precisely written syncopations of Scott Joplin and the more relaxed rags of the Tin Pan Alley ragtime style. Musically it is a rhythmically engaging, varied, and overall delightful piece. Arranged for brass quintet (two Bb trumpets, French horn, trombone, and tuba). Performance time is approximately 2:45. Visit our website, www.tootsuitebrasspublishing.com, for a catalog of our arrangements available through sheetmusicplus.com.