In addition to his world-famous marches, John Philip Sousa was a master of the piquant "humoresque", of which there are two examples here. The first, On the 5.15, is a popular song detailing the travails of a commuter, while the second, The Band Came Back, introduces popular tunes in witty fashion. The sonorous Second Fantasia from El Capitan showcases the band’s bravura qualities and The Fighting Race draws on a trombone solo. There are charming detours to explore rural Americana in the form of Sheep and Goat (‘Walkin’ to the Pasture’) and the evergreen classic, Turkey in the Straw. © Naxos