West Valley jewels commingle during interview

One of the West Valley’s crowning jewels paid a visit to another of the West Valley’s crowning jewels Feb. 5, as Charles Musgrave, conductor of the Desert Brass Band, sat down in a sound booth at Recorded Recreational Reading for the Blind to talk about yet a third jewel, Mary Apick’s documentary film, “Jewel of the Desert,” an hour-long film about Musgrave and his nearly quarter-century-old band.

The film’s premiere showing at Fat Cats Entertainment in Surprise was extended to a three-week run in late January and early February because of popular demand. This will be the film’s only showing until it appears in the 30-plus international film competitions it has entered, including those in Paris, London, Cannes, Moscow, Berlin, Robert Redford’s Sundance and Hollywood’s Academy Awards in 2025.

Musgrave confessed he had no idea how grand this film would be until he saw the final product on the screen; he said he was “flabbergasted” at what he was watching. Making the film took two years from inspiration to finish. Working without a script, director Apick filmed with as many as 16 cameras to create the one-hour documentary.

During the interview Musgrave was asked about some of the gems inside his concert band. Among the many he mentioned were Mike Vax, who played first trumpet with the Stan Kenton Band for many years, and Dan Reed, who was in charge of music for the 1980s TV series, “The Love Boat.” Other Desert Brass Band jewels include numerous musicians with distinguished careers in America’s military bands, most prominently the band’s founder, Retired Air Force Col. Bill Fedor.

The general public can listen to this jewel of a band in person 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at the Willowbrook United Methodist Church, 19390 N. 99th Ave., and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at Bellevue Heights Church, 9440 W. Hutton Drive.

To listen to the Charles Musgrave interview, visit readingfortheblind.org, then click on the Listen tab and scroll to Gary Cohen’s and Mel Livatino’s interview with Musgrave.

The public is welcome to visit Recorded Recreational Reading for the Blind at 9447 N. 99th Ave., Peoria. Visitors, volunteers and donations are welcome.

RRRB has been serving the blind and visually impaired for more than half a century in three ways: with KRUV Radio Sun, with a podcast atreadingfortheblind.org and with cartridges containing an audio magazine with 6-8 hours of news and entertainment mailed to subscribers’ homes each week.

Call 623-933-0985 or 623-933-4682 for more information.