Rock 'n' roll meets military precision in free concert

CORVALLIS - When music fans talk about their favorite performers - whether it's the earthy blues of Ray Charles, the energetic rock and roll of Chuck Barry, or the edgy sounds of Sting - it's a sure bet they don't associate them with the U.S. Air Force.

At least not unless they have attended a concert by Mobility, the rock band of the Band of the Golden West, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, near San Francisco.

"People get used to it very quickly. It's not always the first thing you think of when you think of a military band," said Tech. Sgt. Mike Williams, the musical director who has been with the band for two years and in the military 17 years.

Friday evening, mid-valley residents can experience the musical connections for themselves when the band performs a free concert at 7:30 p.m. at LaSells Stewart Center at Oregon State University.

A Nebraska native with a bachelor's degree in music and a master's certificate in arranging, Williams said the Air Force has had a popular music band for decades. Mobility was formed in 2004.

"Admission to the band is by audition," Williams said of the six-piece unit. "Performers know before they enlist if they have made the audition or not. It's generally a four-year tour. Almost everyone in the group has at least a bachelor's degree."

Williams said his job "is always interesting, whether the band is performing at a high school or college somewhere along the West Coast, or at military bases around the world.

He said the group's trademark is taking a popular piece of music and putting its own jazz or pop spin on it. Of course, there also will be favorite patriotic selections.

The band is packing numerous performances into its current nine-day tour of Oregon and northern California. Stops include Crescent City, Calif., Coos Bay, Eugene, Salem, Lake Oswego, Corvallis and Astoria. The band usually tours about 90 days per year and concerts are always free to the public.

In 2008, Mobility spent 70 days entertaining troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. They also entertained Iraqi children at local schools. The trip included eight airplane flights over 16 days and culminated with performances in Kenya, Africa.

Williams said the band is always well received, whether performing for high schoolers or more mature audiences.

In addition to Williams, band members include: Airman First Class Dustin Trimble, guitar; Senior Airman Nathan Bersee, bass; Tech. Sgt. Preston Keating, drums; Tech. Sgt. Paula Goetz, vocals; Staff Sgt. Niko Ellison, vocals; Master Sgt. Tom Eckert, trombone; Tech. Sgt. Jon Ruff, trumpet; Tech. Sgt. Jim Butler, saxophone.

The 60-piece Band of the Golden West traces its roots to 1959 when it was the Air Force component of the famed NORAD Command Band. Since that time, it has been known as the Band of the Golden Gate, America's Band in Blue and the Air Mobility Command Band. The organization received its current name in 1994 when it merged with an Air Force band previously stationed at March Air Force Base in California.

CHECK IT OUT

WHO: Mobility: rock band of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West.

WHAT: Rock, jazz, blues and country.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24.

WHERE: LaSells Stewart Center, Oregon State University.

SPONSORS: Corvallis Gazette-Times/Albany Democrat-Herald, KRKT and KLOO radio and the LaSells Stewart Center.