Seventh Fleet Band

{{Short description|United States military band in Yokosuka, Japan}}

The United States Seventh Fleet Band is a United States Navy military band in Yokosuka, Japan. It is composed of professional navy musicians and operates under the direct control and supervision of Fleet Band Activities, the official navy music program.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usna.edu/USNABand/links/fleet.php|title=Navy Fleet Bands :: Naval Academy Band :: USNA}} It serves aboard the Seventh Fleet flagship, the USS Blue Ridge.{{Cite web|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/global-filipino/03/20/14/meet-fil-am-member-us-navy-7th-fleet-band|title=Meet Fil-Am member of US Navy 7th Fleet Band|first=Maria Aleta Nieva-Nishimori|last=ABS-CBNnews.com|website=ABS-CBN News}} It was created upon the renaming of the Southwest Pacific Force on 7 March 1943.{{Cite web|url=https://www.c7f.navy.mil/band/|title=U.S. 7th Fleet Band|website=www.c7f.navy.mil|accessdate=3 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_234.html#tab_1_0|title=LCSD - Cultural Presentations Section ,International Military Tattoo|website=LCSD - Cultural Presentations Section ,International Military Tattoo}} The Seventh Fleet Band is today composed of six professional ensembles, all of which have performed for millions of people throughout the Western Pacific Ocean. Countries it has performed in include Japan,{{Cite web|url=https://japan.stripes.com/spotlight/uss-blue-ridge-seventh-fleet-band-sapporo-1550102733|title=USS Blue Ridge, Seventh Fleet Band, Sapporo|date=14 February 2019|website=Stripes Japan}} the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, as well as many other cities and countries of the Far East.

The band has used the traditional costumes of these countries in its routines.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWhF1001yA8C&dq=Seventh+Fleet+Band&pg=RA4-PA2|title=Direction|date=7 April 1971|publisher=Navy Internal Relations Activity, Office of the Chief of Information, Department of the Navy|via=Google Books}} One of its more notable members was Ralph M. Gambone, who later served as officer in charge of the United States Navy Band from 1998 to 2007.

Composition

The band leadership consists of the fleet bandmaster and the senior enlisted leader. The band has the following ensembles:

Ceremonial Marching Band
Pacific Ambassadors
Far East Edition
Orient Express
Shiokaze Chamber Ensemble
Shonan Brass Quintet

=Far East Edition=

It was established in 1974 and is a popular music ensemble known for its transforming itself from a brass band to a rock band to a jazz combo. It can be heard playing traditional New Orleans-style jazz, classic rock, and local regional favorites. It has been featured at major events throughout the Indo-Asia Pacific region and have entertained hundreds of thousands of people over the years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.c7f.navy.mil/band/ensembles/far-east-edition/|title=Far East Edition|website=www.c7f.navy.mil}}

=Orient Express=

The Orient Express is a nine-member group of professional rock musicians performing live examples of English-language rock, including covers of songs ranging from Stevie Wonder or Journey, to Avril Lavigne to Katy Perry. Orient Express also performs as a Smooth Jazz ensemble, as well as a full-range Dixieland Band. Leadership of this group is coordinated on a talent and personnel level.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nparks.gov.sg/activities/events-and-workshops/2017/11/us-7th-fleet-band|title=U.S. 7th Fleet Band – Orient Express|website=National Parks Board}}

=Pacific Ambassadors=

The Pacific Ambassadors is a 20-piece show band operating in a variety of musical styles, ranging from traditional to contemporary Jazz, Big Band, Latin, and other popular music genres of today. It has been featured as a main attraction at major international cultural events throughout Australia and the Far East, covering more mileage squared than any other navy band operating today.

=Ceremonial Marching Band=

Marching band performs for official military and civic ceremonies, as well as providing official representation of the Commander, Seventh Fleet during musical performance at public concerts throughout the Western Pacific & Asian areas. In 2012, the band began to attend the "International Military Tattoo" in Hong Kong to replace the United States 8th Army Band.{{Cite web|url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201206/11/P201206110428.htm|title=US 7th Fleet Band to perform for International Military Tattoo|website=www.info.gov.hk}}{{Cite web|url=https://hk.usconsulate.gov/n-2017071301/|title=7th Fleet Band performs in Hong Kong at the International Military Tattoo | U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau|date=13 July 2017|website=U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau}}

Gallery

File:US Navy 060227-N-1194D-009 Seventh Fleet band member Musician 1st Class Frank Newton demonstrates how his saxophone keys operate to Aurora Sribuapun, headmaster of the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind.jpg|Members of the Seventh Fleet band engaging in cultural diplomacy at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind.

File:US Navy 050611-N-4104L-003 Seventh Fleet Band Orient Express performing at Singapore's Sentosa Island Musical Fountain - 20050611.jpg|The band performing for visitors on the platform of the Sentosa Musical Fountain.

File:U.S. Sailors assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet Band contemporary music ensemble Orient Express perform for the audience inside SM City Iloilo at Iloilo, Philippines, March 2, 2012 120302-N-SM668-011.jpg|

Image:USNavyBand 7thFleet 20101216.jpg|Members of the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet Band perform alongside the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Band.

References

Category:Musical groups established in 1943

Category:Bands of the United States Navy

Category:1943 establishments in the United States

Category:Military bands located outside their country of origin