The Salt River Brass through their yearly American Dream performance pay tribute to the veterans of America. John Philip Sousa heads the parade of inspirational musicians in their yearly tribute. Sousa along with his exciting pastiche of his familiar marches plays the Easter Monday on the White House Lawn that will automatically have your feet tapping to a ragtime beat. The band not only makes your feat tap to the music but also can amuse you with Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals, in which the instruments mimic the sounds and movements of several animals, and Charles Ives' playful Variations on America too brings a smile on your face. American tunes loved by all including the Civil War elegy Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen and Beautiful Colorado, put an end to the moving program to honor America's service men and women.

27 brass and percussion sensations forging the upbeat grandeur of a military band, the full-throated sonorities of a symphony orchestra, and the warm intimate sounds of a chamber group; this is what Salt River Brass band, is popular for. The band skillfully enthralls its audience with everything from light classics and marches to show tunes and folk melodies.

Salt River Brass apart from creating music is also popular for its unique "British" style of orchestration. The band uses lyrical cornets, instead of trumpets for the higher melodies, mellow tenor horns, baritones and euphoniums for mid-range melody, counter-melody and harmony, two sizes of tubas for strong harmonic foundation and trombones for blazing color and accent. This style helps the band in making a rich, deep music, very different from the aggressiveness of quintets and marching bands.

The band was started in 1988 by a group of musicians, and since then it has been mesmerizing the music lovers in the Valley's best concert locales. The band has also won laurels at the three North American Brass Band Association competitions, and has presented outstanding guest soloists, ensembles, and conductors to valley audiences.

World famous performers such as; Scottish cornet sensations Phillip McCann and Roger Webster, Welsh euphonium soloists Bob and Nick Childs, euphonium soloist Steven Mead, conductor / arranger Ray Farr, New York Philharmonic Principal Trumpet Philip Smith, Geoffrey Brand, eminent conductor of the City of London Wind Ensemble and Wayne Bailey and Sam Pilafian, celebrated individuals and resident at ASU have all performed with the band. The Salt River Brass band conducts yearly concert seasons at the Chandler Center for the Arts playing to some of the largest regular season audiences in the metro Phoenix area.