ironlips

Now don't let's jump to premature conclusions here. The "guy in the middle" is the famous one, I think. Do you want to reveal the year, Nanci? Or perhaps, the location?

My word. What a clean-cut trio! (OK, 2 clean cuts and a trim beard.) And they had a reputation as such ruffians.

One solution is a "coat hanger" hook, facing up, slightly behind the left hip, preferably sewn onto the uniform. The mute is placed on this, large end down, such that the hook passes all the way through the body of the harmon and extends an inch or two above the clearance. Retrieving and returning must be practiced. Straight mutes might serve your effect almost as well and are easier to handle. Pouches have been used successfully (see retrieving, above, however) and so have various velcro schemes. The latter method requires attaching material directly on the mute and will affect the sound slightly. All that said, the cost/benefit ratio usually doesn't balance unless you're going to use these in jazz band, as well. You'll spend a good deal of time, treasure and energy for a brief effect in the show, so be sure it's a really great effect. Overall, if I want my trumpets or sopranos to create a "mute effect", I usually have them reach around the bell and cup it with the left hand. There's no cost, little rehearsal time invested and it's unlikely any hands are left on the field. A good compromise might be to use a quartet of trumpets with Harmons, staged up front and/or on a pair of mics while everyone else "hand-mutes". The Harmons themselves could simply be left on a small table at the sideline.

That was a classic work-horse horn in it's day, and is a real bargain for an alumni player at that asking price. If you don't get any action here, I'd suggest eBay, where it would probably fetch twice as much.

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the 'hood Arietano screeched high as he could. Swanny and Martin wailed, oh what a pair, While Pepe was dancing and scratching, down there. Nanci was working, more busy than most Searching the archives for photos to post The Don and Ray Fallon were dropping some hints While Haring admired some new Island prints. Lisko and Peashey supplied the vignettes Of Brigs and Crusaders and Emerald Cadets. McGuinness and Meehan, the two guys named Jacky, Were swapping some tales with the great Glenn Kubacki. Better than this it really can't get Except Ruben, Gaff, Norman and Simpson's Quartet And even though Christmas flys by, so it seems With buddies like this, it's like winning ten Dreams."

I'm glad to hear Tony is feeling better, and all the Pepe anecdotes suggest we develop another thread called "All Notaro, All the Time". This must mean, however, that Nanci has run out of photos. Let's all send her a couple so we can get back to the regularly scheduled programming on this, the most popular of all the DCP threads. "Guess Who" could be photos of entire corps, too.

Pepe-ism: Spectator: "Pep, what do you know? The show ended in a tie." Pepe: "Tie? Jeez, I thought it was a lot closer than that!"

I'm curious about current "professional" players that drum corps folks find relevant to the idiom. Who inspires?

Now you are going to get us in trouble. Neither of us advocates throwing out the blow-up babies with the bath water. There have been some extraordinary visuals in drum corps: the Madison Wedge, Bottle Dance, Chorus Line...etc, but they all supported the music. That notion has my support. We're just looking for a return to balance between captions. Otherwise, just use a recording. Bring back the 8 and 16 bar solo! (And credit the soloists, while you're at it.)

Yes, you'll get in trouble for that, but not on this thread. I'd suggest it's not the adjudicators who edit out solo segments. In my view, it's the visual designers. In general, most just can't think of what to do with brass solos, and (in case you haven't noticed over the past 20 seasons or so) it's the Visual caption and concepts that drive all programming. That's why the music becomes a cut-and-paste buffet. Until music people re-assert themselves, the "best" drum corps repertoires will be the ones we dislike the least, and that's the choice the adjudicator must make, too.

Despite the above, Ray's induction into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame does not qualify him for the urn just yet. He does get the High Imagery Caption Award for this week, however, and he's right about that Ruben Ariola cat. That dude is a movable feast with a cherry on top. Ruben has some outstanding recorded solos, but he's best enjoyed live, and in living color...a certified monster. If Carlos Santana played the baritone he'd be Ruben, and the thing is, I've got to believe there are dozens of potential Ruben-zillas out there in Drum Corps Land just waiting for some gutsy brass arrangers to lay a few bars on them. Jay-Bo, Jay-Ken, Michael the K, JD, Arranger X, Don H, 2CoolWD,...all those cats have the heavy pens that could do some serious justice here.

Chops was as influential as he was indescribable. He was 2 parts Leonardo da Vinci and 1 part Henry VIII, and that doesn't even begin to paint the picture.

For the generation before mine, buglers emulated stars like Harry James, Louis (no last name required), Tommy Dorsey, JJ Johnson and their like. You can hear this influence in the playing of legendary corps soloists like Tommy Martin, Bill Hightower, Bucky Swan, Joe Brancati, Bobby Gaff, John Simpson, Harry Hazelwood, Jimmy D'Amico. Ace Peterson, Riggie Laus, and so many more. After 1962 or so, the deal was Maynard (no last name required) and Bill Watrous. Think of Pooh Bear, Jeff Kievit and Chris Metzger. In recent years (with some notable exceptions) there's been a general scarcity of opportunities for great soloists in drum corps, and not for lack of talent. A few minutes ago, I watched a cat render "Jingle Bells" at the National Christmas Tree Lighting. He played with that trademark drum corps bravaura sound and confidence, great expression and technique, spot-on pitch, and nailed a triple (yes) "F" at the end of the tune. Here's hoping all the drum corps brass players have been paying attention to Arturo Sandoval. Perhaps the arrangers will notice, too.

Initial Forensics Report Photo appears to have been taken at the same time and venue as that of the previous subject. Conclusion: They know each other. Facial expression implies slight impatience or mind on other matters, perhaps barey tolerating sitting for portrait. Conclusion: Probably involved in corps management, at some level, or looking for the restroom.

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Nanci, How about a hint as to when/where the photo was taken?

I'm not promoting the libertine lifestyle for drum corps kids, but the times were different, and it was perfectly legal for 18 year-olds (in certain states) to have a beer, or be sent to Viet Nam, whichever came first. As for the staffs, they had (and have) a custodial responsibility. We fulfilled that at least as well as anyone does today. China? Fitz? That's another thread..

Fran, I don't know about that health rumor, and think it's unfounded. What is true is that Mervin could not be located. (I was involved in the search for him.) He seems to be off the radar. I wasn't kidding about the documentary, as Raffaelle Marraffa is actually developing a script for "Finding Mervin Hurd" for PBS. But Nanci's photo is not he.

Good point. Still, today's corps members enjoy many of the same experiences we had, the most important being the comraderie and cohesion necessary to put a show on the field that has a high degree of integrity. And they are so amazingly good at what they do.

It really wasn't a diversion at all, since some were discussing how the Boston and Garfield members were partying together that summer. That was no coincidence because their respective staffs, though highly competitive, were pretty tight friends and also missed no opportunity to socialize. Brothers and sisters recognize each other, even when wearing different colors. (Footnote: This fraternization is largely absent today, unfortunately. There are many reasons: the necessity of night travel to the next destination, the raising of the legal drinking age, the shifting mores of society in general...We lived in a magical time and wouldn't trade a second of it for all of Mr. Lucas's Oil.)

Yes, that sounds like Tony, a true Shellmer disciple who takes no prisoners, just like Ghost, Charlie Poole and Jack McGuinness, among others.

Andy, It's not Mervin, though he did march in the Sunrisers, too, and played in the drum and horn lines, and is the subject of a film documentary in development, "Finding Mervin Hurd", by fellow Sun alum, Raffaelle Marraffa. If the present subject marched there it was probably in the '80s, I think, well after Mervin had vanished, though there is some resemblance between these two linebacker-sized guys. The "mentoring" anecdote did not relate to this subject but was just an attempt to get the discussion back to him. (I do ramble, occasionally, I am told.)

It didn't rise to the level of irritation...mild amusement is more like it. And just about all of us who post on this thread live OT lives. We can blame drum corps for our collective ADD.

Oy vey! As a Queensmen rookie, I stood on the sideline one day as we watched Blessed Sacrament perform. "SAC sucks!", I proclaimed, thinking this an appropriate way to ingratiate myself with the older guys. A hand gripped my shoulder, rather forcefully. "Step into my office", commanded one of the vets, "and let me explain the facts of life." "You say they suck. OK, suppose you are right, and we beat them. So what? They suck, anyway. And if they beat us, which they are going to do today, then we must REALLY suck. Now, don't ever let me hear you say that about another corps again. You got that, rookie?" I got it. Still do. Can we get back to identifying the big dude in the blue shirt now?

Ray and Nancy, They weren't perfect days, but "Happy Days". When Ted Sasso and I were both teaching Long Island Circuit corps in the mid-'60's, we would designate our "favorite kids". I wanted Ray Fallon, but since I was not an official instructor of the Oceanside Legionnaires (just an adjunct helper), Teddy got him. I then chose Tom (later "Bunyon") Mc Carthy of the Seaford Golden Hawks. Both of them made us look good.