Jewel of the Desert
A Documentary Feature Film
by
mary apick
Trailer
trailer
A film by mary apick
Desert Brass Band
Jewel of the Desert
INSPIRING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES
The Desert Brass Band has become a premier musical institution in the Phoenix West Valley. Modeled after the traditional British brass band, the ensemble includes cornets, flugelhorns, baritones, trombones, tubas, and percussion. Many members are retired music teachers, professional musicians, and military veterans who now dedicate their time to their shared love of music.
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Among the band’s notable members who appear in Jewel of the Desert:
Col. Bill Fedor
Bill Fedor served in the US Air Force for 27 years and retired at the rank of colonel in Surprise, AZ. He brought music and musicians into Sun City Grand as the founder of the Sun City Grand Music Club and Desert Brass Band.
Charles Musgrave
Emeritus conductor of both the Desert Brass Band and the Sun City Concert Band, and a professional musician with the St. Louis Symphony and a Philharmonic Orchestra, he has decades of experience leading bands and orchestras across the country.
Dr. Robert Ouren
Dr. Bob Ouren is a lifelong musician playing trumpet in many different ensembles… He has taught at every level of education, instructing students to become better musicians, work as a team, and accomplish goals… Bob is currently director of the British brass band.
Mike Vax
Mike Vax is a Summit Records trumpeter with over 80 album credits, leadership of six major groups, and more than 3,000 school workshops worldwide. He played lead with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, the Clark Terry Big Bad Band, and the U.S. Navy Show Band, and he has performed with jazz greats such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Art Pepper, Gene Krupa, Cab Calloway, Don Ellis, and Louie Bellson.
Dan Reed
Former music director aboard The Love Boat, Dan played for 20 years while sailing and continued as Director of Music for Princess Cruise Lines. Now, he leads the cornet section of the Desert Brass Band.
Carole Mundy
Piano was Carole’s first musical interest. She was introduced to the trombone in high school. Since then she has organized and played in combos and bands in several communities in Ontario, Canada. She is currently first trombone in Desert Brass.
Ron Capriotti
Ron Capriotti has been a member of the Desert Brass cornet section since 2019. Born with a lifetime disability, music became an important outlet for him. Ron has degrees from multiple universities in Music also in Broadcast Journalism. Ron has been part of multiple band organizations and hosts a weekly radio interview show.
Leslie Nock Band member
Leslie Nock joined Desert Brass in 2018 after retiring from 30 years active-duty service in the Army Music program. She holds multiple degrees in Music as well as Adult Education. Leslie began trombone in high school and continues honing her craft today.
Dee Smith
Dee is the oldest woman in Desert Brass Band. Her trumpet has beautiful engraving, which she chose in seventh grade, and she has played in different bands since. A graduate of the University of Arizona and a proud grandmother of twin girls.
Carl Eckhardt
Carl Eckhardt, Bb and Eb Soprano cornet player in Desert Brass Band, played trumpet and cornet from 5th grade through college. A retired USAF attorney, he plays in four community bands in the Sun City, AZ area, including Desert Brass Band, as well as a Western Music group where he sings, plays guitar and mandolin.
Desert Brass Band
Founded in 1997 as the Renaissance Brass, the Desert Brass Band has become a premier musical institution in the Phoenix West Valley. Modeled after the traditional British brass band, the ensemble includes cornets, flugelhorns, baritones, trombones, tubas, and percussion. Many members are retired music teachers, professional musicians, and military veterans who now dedicate their time to their shared love of music.
film maker
Mary Apick
Mary Apick, Producer, writer and director of Jewel of the Desert, is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, actress, and director. She was the recipient of the Best Actress Award from Moscow International Film festival 1977 for the Movie ‘Dead End’. She was the creative force behind Beneath the Veil, A Critics’ Choice-winning play about the atrocities faced by women in her birthplace Iran and the Middle East which was presented at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Geffen Playhouse. Her short, animated film, The Cat, was an Academy Award contender in 2021 and earned over 27 film festival awards. In 2023, she received the Maverick Award from the Los Angeles Women’s Theater Festival. Her work has been broadly covered around the world. In publications such as Daily Variety, the HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, Broadway News, and Washington magazine as well as numerous television and cable networks.
bob yari
Bob Yari, Executive producer of Jewel of the Desert, has produced numerous award-winning films, including Crash, which won the Academy Awards Oscar for Best Film in 2006. Also the Illsionist, the Painted Veil and over 70 feature films. He has produced numerous televisions series, including Yellowstone, 1883, MobLand, Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, 1923 & More…
Bob Yari & Mary Apick have collaborated on making many film projects as partners for decades. He recently launched Magenta Light Studios, a production and distribution company developing a wide state of high-quality independent films that champion diverse voices and enrich the cultural conversation in cinema.
awards
Press
Arizona’s Desert Brass Band Proves the Age-Defying Power of Music in New Documentary, Jewel of the Desert
In a small town aptly named Surprise, an extraordinary group of musicians is redefining what it means to grow old. The Desert Brass Band, the most beloved ensemble in the West Phoenix area, is composed of musicians whose average age is 80—but their energy, talent, and passion for music rival performers half their age. Their inspiring journey is now the subject of Jewel of the Desert, a stirring documentary about resilience, purpose, and the transformative power of music.
For 28 years, the 38-member Desert Brass Band has been making music, defying stereotypes, and proving that creativity and community don’t fade with time. Through a compelling mix of interviews and performances, Jewel of the Desert showcases the stories of these remarkable individuals – many of whom put down their instruments for decades to raise families, serve in the military, and build careers, only to return to music later in life.
In a small town aptly named Surprise, an extraordinary group of musicians is redefining what it means to grow old. The Desert Brass Band, the most beloved ensemble in the West Phoenix area, is composed of musicians whose average age is 80—but their energy, talent, and passion for music rival performers half their age. Their inspiring journey is now the subject of Jewel of the Desert, a stirring documentary about resilience, purpose, and the transformative power of music.
For 28 years, the 38-member Desert Brass Band has been making music, defying stereotypes, and proving that creativity and community don’t fade with time. Through a compelling mix of interviews and performances, Jewel of the Desert showcases the stories of these remarkable individuals – many of whom put down their instruments for decades to raise families, serve in the military, and build careers, only to return to music later in life.
The documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Mary Apick and the Oscar-winning producer Bob Yari, reveals how music has become the heartbeat of their golden years. For these musicians, the band is more than just a pastime – it’s a lifeline, a source of joy, and the driving force that keeps them engaged, vibrant, and thriving.
“The intent of this film is to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams, to never give up, and to continue creating, giving back, and paying it forward,” says Apick. “The Desert Brass Band members are living proof that passion doesn’t retire.”
In a small town aptly named Surprise, an extraordinary group of musicians is redefining what it means to grow old. The Desert Brass Band, the most beloved ensemble in the West Phoenix area, is composed of musicians whose average age is 80—but their energy, talent, and passion for music rival performers half their age. Their inspiring journey is now the subject of Jewel of the Desert, a stirring documentary about resilience, purpose, and the transformative power of music.
For 28 years, the 38-member Desert Brass Band has been making music, defying stereotypes, and proving that creativity and community don’t fade with time. Through a compelling mix of interviews and performances, Jewel of the Desert showcases the stories of these remarkable individuals – many of whom put down their instruments for decades to raise families, serve in the military, and build careers, only to return to music later in life.
The documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Mary Apick and the Oscar-winning producer Bob Yari, reveals how music has become the heartbeat of their golden years. For these musicians, the band is more than just a pastime – it’s a lifeline, a source of joy, and the driving force that keeps them engaged, vibrant, and thriving.
“The intent of this film is to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams, to never give up, and to continue creating, giving back, and paying it forward,” says Apick. “The Desert Brass Band members are living proof that passion doesn’t retire.”
“The intent of this film is to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams, to never give up, and to continue creating, giving back, and paying it forward,” says Apick. “The Desert Brass Band members are living proof that passion doesn’t retire.”
Every Thursday, the band gathers at the Salvation Army Headquarters in Surprise, rehearsing tirelessly. They perform weekly – playing free concerts at churches, retirement homes, community centers and concert halls. Their music brings laughter, joy, and even tears, proving that art has no expiration date.
“They have fought their own battles – some on the battlefield, others in their careers or personal lives. And while many in their age group are slowing down, these musicians refuse to fade quietly,” others in their careers or personal lives. And while many in their age are slowing
slowing down, these musicians refuse to fade quietly,” Apick remarks. “When others choose to sit back in rocking chairs, this group chooses to rock on.”
Jewel of the Desert has won awards in the documentary feature category from the Montreal Independent Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival, Accolade Global Film Competition, and Arpa International Film Festival. It was a contender for The Best Documentary Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards, And with showings booked at 27 international film festivals this year, it continues to be a force in the documentary film category.
It is being screened in selective theaters across the country.
“The intent of this film is to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams, to never give up, and to continue creating, giving back, and paying it forward,” says Apick. “The Desert Brass Band members are living proof that passion doesn’t retire.”
Every Thursday, the band gathers at the Salvation Army Headquarters in Surprise, rehearsing tirelessly. They perform weekly – playing free concerts at churches, retirement homes, community centers and concert halls. Their music brings laughter, joy, and even tears, proving that art has no expiration date.
“They have fought their own battles – some on the battlefield, others in their careers or personal lives. And while many in their age group are slowing down, these musicians refuse to fade quietly,” Apick remarks. “When others choose to sit back in rocking chairs, this group chooses to rock on.”
Jewel of the Desert has won awards in the documentary feature category from the Montreal Independent Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival, Accolade Global Film Competition, and Arpa International Film Festival. It was a contender for The Best Documentary Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards, And with showings booked at 27 international film festivals this year, it continues to be a force in the documentary film category.
It is being screened in selective theaters across the country.
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Producer/Director
Mary Apick
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