I was wondering, with the tons of Octet standards and new songs which are arranged by each years groups, how the songs were picked for each of the Octet cds. So I asked Brandon Swansfeger from the 01-03 Octet, and this was the reply I got. "The first two criteria are quality and popularity. The next factor is whether the song has been on a previous recording, and if so, how long has it been since that recording was published (we try to keep things fresh and new). Lastly, we try to get as many people doing solos as possible, but sometimes the first three criteria limits who can solo on each cd so that not everyone has a recorded solo." Makes sense to me. Now, go and head on to Brandon's YouTube channel to check out his videos and show him some Octet-love. (He solos in "Somebody's Crying" on his page and has an incredible voice!) Oh, and you might want to pick up the Octet's most recent CD, "High Octane", which features the '03-06 Octet. Information on how to purchase the cd is on the Links page.
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