Scoring points with their successful first entry under this banner, Altissimo has nevertheless managed to better their own work in the follow-up, Not Sousa Volume 2, featuring, as the first volume did, the United States Marine band. While the first volume consisted mainly of familiar marches that have eluded listeners in the past as the name "Sousa" is not attached to them, this volume branches out into some material that has gained traction in recent times, in addition to including some unfamiliar but worthy marches by well known composers. Among the most recognizable marches here are Kenneth Alford's "Colonel Bogey," Gilmore's "Famous 22nd Regiment March," the "Guadalcanal March" of Richard Rodgers from Victory at Sea and Russell Alexander's rousing "The Southerner." In the category of once obscure, but now widely enjoyed, falls Charles Ives' "The Circus Band" and Percy Grainger's "Children's March." From the category of obscure but notable are some marches by Beethoven and the exhilarating and brightly colored "Franklin D. Roosevelt March" of one William Woodin, later Secretary of the Treasury in Roosevelt's cabinet - what a good march won't do for one's political career!

The slight variance in sound quality noted in the first volume is nowhere to be found here, even though this remains a mixture of studio and live recordings; leaders of the U.S. Marine Band on this recording include Colonel John R. Bourgeois, Colonel Timothy W. Foley and one track, the late, great Frederick Fennell. Fans of March music will not want to miss Not Sousa Volume 2, if for any reason to enjoy the terrific performance of Grainger's "Children's March," the only recording so far that can hold a candle to Fennell's definitive version recorded for Mercury Living Presence in the 1950s and in some ways improving on that performance. However, the standard held throughout is very high indeed; Not Sousa Volume 2 will not disappoint. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis