CANADIAN BRASS ROMP AND STOMP

They’re not the world’s greatest musicians. They’re not the world’s funniest comedians. They may not even be the world’s funniest brass quintet (the Brass Band could give them a run for their money).

Yet, the five members of the Canadian Brass form a special entity that far exceeds the sum of its parts, as was proved convincingly before an adoring audience at Segerstrom Hall on Thursday.

Taking full advantage of the bright acoustics and friendly vibes of the spacious auditorium, the Canadians blasted and crooned their way through Baroque favorites by Bach and Vivaldi, camped it up in a familiar (too-familiar?) “Tribute to the Ballet” and set feet tapping to a medley of New Orleans-style stompers and the three Gershwin Preludes.

Along the way, one encountered clams aplenty, notably in an unnecessary pastiche from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Likewise, one couldn’t escape the heavy-handedness of some of the humor--the appearance of trombonist Eugene Watts in a tutu during the ballet send-up, for example.

No matter. With their solid musicianship, faultless ensemble and irresistible charm, trumpeters Frederic Mills and Ronald Romm, horn player David Ohanian, tuba player Charles Daellenbach and Watts easily carried the night.

Daellenbach drew plenty of guffaws both from his dry-witted introductions and a delightful spoof of graceless operatic singers in his rendition of “Largo al factotum.” Romm dazzled the crowd with a virtuosic solo turn in “Amazing Grace.” And, of course, everyone earned a barrel of yuks in the silly ballet hoppings-about.

All the fun and games aside, the most satisfying offering of the evening came in a performance of serious music written for serious brass: a canzona by Gabrieli that sent the Canadians to various locales in the downstairs seating area, re-creating the antiphonal glories of St. Mark’s Cathedral.

There was something for everyone, be they connoisseurs of brass or merely fans of fun.