One of the songs in our book that we’ve played for years isNever Gonna Let You Go. It is not the hit pop tune by Sergio Mendez, but theone that features trombones, as its origins are from a trombone shout band that played for the United House of Prayer for all People.
This Pentecostal denomination was founded in Massachusettsin 1919, by a Cape Verdean, da Graca, and has spread primarily throughoutSoutheastern USA to its current peak of 145 churches. Their services include performances by “shout bands” that are mostly composed of brass instruments, especially featuring a large number of trombones. Shout bands rarely perform outside the House of Prayer.
The style of music, with musicians improvising over rhythmicphrases played by the rest of the band, is deeply rooted in African Americanmusic. It is made up of phrases that musicians already know, that are collaged together, often with call and response sections. There is little distinction between performers and audience in the shout band performances as the congregation will sing, dance, and pray while the band is playing.
It wasn’t clear in my research which band composed the song,maybe it was simply the house band of the House of Prayer, but the shout band whoserecording I found is Madison’s Lively Stones.