Editing The Salvation Army (section)

===Music playing===
[[File:SalvationArmyParadeOxford20040905.JPG|thumb|A Salvation Army band parade in [[Oxford]], United Kingdom|293x293px]]
[[File:USA Southern Territory Youth Choir.jpg|thumb|The USA Southern Territory Youth Choir singing in [[Atlanta, Georgia]].|293x293px]]
As the popularity of the organisation grew and Salvationists worked the streets of London attempting to convert individuals, they were sometimes confronted with unruly crowds. A family of musicians (the Frys, from [[Alderbury]], Wiltshire) began working with the Army as their "bodyguards" and played music to distract the crowds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacollectables.com/firsts.html |title=Salvation Army Collectables – Salvation Army Firsts |publisher=Sacollectables.com |access-date=11 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419061231/http://www.sacollectables.com/firsts.html |archive-date=19 April 2012  }}</ref> In 1891, a Salvation Army band attempted to parade and play music in Eastbourne, Sussex, England.  This was in contravention of local by-laws and resulted in the arrest of nine Salvationists. Unperturbed the Army continued to parade in defiance of the law, with the aim of gathering support for a change in legislation. Over the next few months the situation in the town escalated to such an extent that there were riots, and mounted police had to be called in from surrounding areas to try to maintain order.<ref>{{cite journal |title=THE SALVATION ARMY DISTURBANCES AT EASTBOURNE. |journal=Hansard |date=24 July 1891 |volume=356 cc315-7 |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1891/jul/24/the-salvation-army-disturbances-at |access-date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807185906/https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1891/jul/24/the-salvation-army-disturbances-at |archive-date=7 August 2018 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite news |title=Sir W Harcourt and the Eastbourne Riots |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22575829/eastbourne_riots/ |access-date=7 August 2018 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 October 1891 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807185846/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22575829/eastbourne_riots/ |archive-date=7 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The tradition of having musicians available continued and eventually grew into standard brass bands. These are still seen in public at Army campaigns, and at other festivals, parades, and at Christmas. Across the world the [[Brass band (British style)|brass band]] has been part of the Army's ministry and an immediately recognisable symbol to Salvationists and non-Salvationists alike. The Salvation Army also has choirs; these are known as [[Songsters|Songster Brigades]], normally comprising the traditional soprano, alto, tenor, and bass singers. The premier Songster Brigade in the Salvation Army is the [[International Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army|International Staff Songsters]] (ISS). The standard of playing is high and the Army operates bands at the international level—such as the [[International Staff Band]] (a brass band) which is the equal of professional ensembles although it does not participate in the [[Music competition|brass band contest]] scene—and territorial levels such as the New York Staff Band. Some professional brass players and contesting brass band personnel have Salvation Army backgrounds. Many Salvation Army corps have brass bands that play at Salvation Army meetings, although not all. The Salvation Army also fielded large [[concertina]] bands. From the turn of the (20th) century to the Second World War between a third and a half of all SA officers in Britain played concertina. For an evangelist, the concertina's portability, its ability to play both melody and chords, and most especially the fact that the player can sing or speak while playing, were all distinct advantages over brass instruments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.concertina.info/tina.faq/images/salv.htm |title=Salvation Army Concertina Bands |publisher=concertina.info |access-date=15 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221185404/http://www.concertina.info/tina.faq/images/salv.htm |archive-date=21 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKv1_-BIFBs |title=Bramwell Thornett – Salvation Army Concertina Solo (1940) |publisher=Salvation Army |access-date=15 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904091646/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKv1_-BIFBs |archive-date=4 September 2015 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIru7v0UsHg |title=Archie Burgess and Eric Ball – Salvation Army Concertina Solo (1936) |publisher=Salvation Army |access-date=15 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705193705/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIru7v0UsHg |archive-date=5 July 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Army tradition in music is to use the popular idiom of the day to reach people for Jesus. The Army's [[The Joystrings|Joy Strings]] were a hit pop group in the 1960s and early 1970s in the U.K. and beyond, reaching the charts and being featured on national television. Another popular band is [[The Insyderz]], an American ska-core group popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. Hundreds of bands carry on this Salvation Army tradition, such as New Zealand's Moped, Chamberlain, Vatic, Agent C, and [[The Lads]]; England's [[Electralyte]]; Australia's Soteria Music Ministries, Summer Carnival Band, Crown of Thorns and Escape; and America's transMission, The Singing Company, HAB, BurN, and CJD – Cookies, Juice, & Donuts. Saytunes is a website designed to encourage and promote these contemporary Salvation Army bands and artists. Another significant musical feature of the Salvation Army is its use of [[tambourine]]s with colourised ribbons representing the colours of the Salvation Army flag. They are mainly played by women.{{cn|date=October 2024}}