[JimF-LowBari]

Edit: Thought the discussion about using top 40 was in a post, now I see (had more coffee) it was a seperate thread. Please ignore that part of this thread... (I don't want to hijack).

One of these topics that spreads over the Jr and All Age/Sr worlds but more traffic here.... Disclaimer: I never liked Disco and it's taken 30 years before I can hear it without cringing (long college stories)..... And at least "Urkels Aunt" was funny and down to earth in interviews. But...

Two thoughts collided and will try to combine here (but need enough coffee):
Someone posted about using current top 40 music in Drum Corps and thought it would be a good idea to open a new thread on why and why not. Also wondering what corps played a top 40 song while it was popular. Since Donna Summer just passed away figured I'd start with her music. Used corpsreps as a starting point "Search ALL = Summer) but some entries do not show up.

Jr
1979 Glassmen - Last Dance
1979 Knight Raiders - Last Dance
All Age
2012 Govenaires - Hot Stuff
(not when the song was Top 40 but list anyway for Ms Summer)
1979/1980 Erie Thunderbirds - Last Dance (not in corpsreps but I remember)

Any other top 40 songs played by a corps when the song was popular?

This post has been edited by JimF-LowBari: 18 May 2012 - 07:14 AM

[Northern Thunder]

When you talk about Donna and drum corps music you have to recall.....

MAC ARTHUR PARK

In looking over my archive I find no fewer than 98 corps that played it over the years (even Phantom Regiment!)

[JimF-LowBari]

Northern Thunder, on 18 May 2012 - 06:54 AM, said:

When you talk about Donna and drum corps music you have to recall.....

MAC ARTHUR PARK

In looking over my archive I find no fewer than 98 corps that played it over the years (even Phantom Regiment!)

But Brian, do the corps play it in the Disco style or Richard Harris (still can't believe that's him singing) or Maynard style.

Hmm, might have number 99 as Westshoremen did it as a concert number in 1974. Believe it's the same chart as 1973 Yankee Rebels "Also Spake Zaranthusa" leading into "Mac Park", now THAT would have made an intersting disco number.

This post has been edited by JimF-LowBari: 18 May 2012 - 07:04 AM

[glory]

JimF-LowBari, on 18 May 2012 - 07:02 AM, said:

But Brian, do the corps play it in the Disco style or Richard Harris (still can't believe that's him singing) or Maynard style...

You mean disco like this? Or Maynard like this?

Warning to purists: Those links don't point to drum corps.

MacArthur Park is one of the all-time great charts. I live in the hope that one year one corps will find a way to make its tempos and phrasing work in the modern idiom.

People can dither over the lyrics or protest disco all they want. What they can't do is deny the fundamental appeal of that music. And as much as I love the Maynard and Kenton approaches, I love what Donna Summer did with it too. Check out that link and listen to her make that music soar. The band is totally tight too.

One more thing while I'm way off topic: In the Maynard link, the flugelhorn player/soloist is Don Hahn, a great trumpet player and great guy I had the pleasure of playing with for a couple of years. Those were the days.

HH

This post has been edited by glory: 18 May 2012 - 08:49 AM

[MikeD]

glory, on 18 May 2012 - 08:47 AM, said:

You mean disco like this? Or Maynard like this?

Warning to purists: Those links don't point to drum corps.

MacArthur Park is one of the all-time great charts. I live in the hope that one year one corps will find a way to make its tempos and phrasing work in the modern idiom.

People can dither over the lyrics or protest disco all they want. What they can't do is deny the fundamental appeal of that music. And as much as I love the Maynard and Kenton approaches, I love what Donna Summer did with it too. Check out that link and listen to her make that music soar. The band is totally tight too.

One more thing while I'm way off topic: In the Maynard link, the flugelhorn player/soloist is Don Hahn, a great trumpet player and great guy I had the pleasure of playing with for a couple of years. Those were the days.

HH

Staying OT...Maynard's version on the "Live at Jimmy's" album is my all-time favorite recording of the tune. Saw him live quite a few time and always loved when he did that number.

Summers' version is also great, of course. She was one of my all-time faves. My wife said she almost called me at work when she heard about her passing.

I hope a corps will find a way to stage it the modern era; with the various style and tempo changes built in I think it could be made to work just fine.

[JimF-LowBari]

MikeD, on 18 May 2012 - 09:10 AM, said:

I hope a corps will find a way to stage it the modern era; with the various style and tempo changes built in I think it could be made to work just fine.

Did any corps NOT play MacArthur Park as a concert number? (Hello Brian?)

[Northern Thunder]

JimF-LowBari, on 18 May 2012 - 09:13 AM, said:

Did any corps NOT play MacArthur Park as a concert number? (Hello Brian?)

It's hard to tell just where in the program the corps may have played it, since many times the order listed in the repertoire is not the order it was played.
I never knew of anybody coming off the line or going off the field with it. Someone on DCP may be familiar with such cases.
By the way, when I mentioned earlier that I knew of 98 corps that did it, that was only through the 1999 season. (I quit keeping musical repertoire info by then, since most of it was
available on the internet by that time.)

[Jeff Ream]

MikeD, on 18 May 2012 - 09:10 AM, said:

Staying OT...Maynard's version on the "Live at Jimmy's" album is my all-time favorite recording of the tune. Saw him live quite a few time and always loved when he did that number.

Summers' version is also great, of course. She was one of my all-time faves. My wife said she almost called me at work when she heard about her passing.

I hope a corps will find a way to stage it the modern era; with the various style and tempo changes built in I think it could be made to work just fine.

"On the field...presenting their show platform shoes and frizzy perms....."

[Northern Thunder]

Jeff Ream, on 18 May 2012 - 09:54 AM, said:

"On the field...presenting their show platform shoes and frizzy perms....."

That could have been the Bridgemen, especially from 1976-1981.

[JimF-LowBari]

Northern Thunder, on 18 May 2012 - 09:47 AM, said:

It's hard to tell just where in the program the corps may have played it, since many times the order listed in the repertoire is not the order it was played.
I never knew of anybody coming off the line or going off the field with it. Someone on DCP may be familiar with such cases.

Understand that problem... just threw it out there and figured you'd be more in the know than most....