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Jimbalaya

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Posts posted by Jimbalaya

    Archer- Epler 1990

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    Thanks for the kind words Ray......a lot of good people made THAT corps ('89 - '95) a performance animal....how many DCA exhibitions??? the chorus won 3 out of 4 DCA championships...setting a performance standard that lives on to this day (remember we inttegrated the vocals into the show, using the brass as support....I think we just happened to have the right people at the right time

    Guido

    'ah 'twas beauty killed the beast'

    The 1969 Dream was one of the very few shows that at the end I truly had no idea who should win, and actually didn't care. The Yankee Rebels were magnificent at that show, and as you pointed out the Hurcs were electrifying - Genero became my idol as a drum corps conductor that day. Not a drum major, but as a conductor. That was one of my favorite afternoons of drum corps of all times, which was good as the next time I saw a show was 1974 after the military.

    Good memories, and you're right - the 1990 Archie show was fun. During the fall of 1989 Archie rehearsed fairly regularly with 14 - 20 horns. We kept plugging and by the end of 1990 we had 60+. You can put most of that at the feet of young Mr Cossetti who goes by Jimbalaya around these parts. 90 - 93 were some fun times to be around Archie, and Alumni Corps (which were were trying to brand as "Classic Drum Corps" during those years) in general.

    Archer Epler Musketeers

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing my friend......many good individuals in those corps, but IMHO, it hadn't quite jelled.....(it was Donna Borelli, I think)....a lot of the horn players were excellent and most had a very good work ethic....percussion was 'smokin'.....don't know if the psychology of 9th place had an effect, I can speak to that because of 1964 after the Miami debacle at '63 nationals.....a whole lot of tears shed and broken hearts...coming back as an alumni corps in '75 we had that 'mentality' that 'OK, we need to get the 'essence' or 'charisma' back. In 3 years with a lot of help from a lot of people, Archie was back on the field in exhibition at the 'Dream' the only alumni corps to do so.....from '78 forward many strides were made and a few more competitions at 'clap' shows, but still as an 'alumni' corps.....'81 was a pivotal year with the decision to return to DCA (Archie being one of the founding corps).....you've touched on what happened going forward.......many tales to tell, many opinions, many decisions

    Jim

    There are more than a dozen reasons for what you're describing. I'll offer one perspective - there are many more that are at least equally true.

    By the time Archie hit the field in 1981 for DCA competition, the corps was essentially an Alumni Corps trying to compete. We had players in their late 50s and early 60s on the field, but were starting to introduce much younger people to the corps as well. Missing finals in 1981 was a little tough, but not daunting, and going into 1982 was a rush. The corps was finding a sound and an identity that looked backwards to who it had been and forward to what it could become. 9th place in 1982 was pretty much a rush. The guard was young and the drum line was talented - both sections were very well taught and very well written. The brass line was still in transition from the Alumni Corps to a straight up DCA corps, but making strides. The show was pretty accessible and the whole package was a labor of love.

    Here's the part that's tough for me - I think that in a lot of ways the reason the corps didn't move up in the ranks in 1983 is that I completely blew it as a combination Show Coordinator, Brass Arranger, Brass Caption head. The show wasn't well put together and some really bad decisions on my part upset a lot of the staff chemistry. By mid-season I was out and by 1984 Red Winsor had taken over steering the brass line. The corps was (by then) a little smaller, and it seemed to me from the outside looking in that a number of the former Alumni Corps members saw 3 years in 9th place as being stuck, trapped, or perhaps slotted and lost some of the energy that had put the corps out there to begin with.

    Can't say enough about the early drum staff of Billy Kaufman and Eric Landis which transitioned in Dale Adair. These guys knew how to put together a DCA percussion program and would have, could have, should have been successful for years. The guard was great, and Donna ?Borreno? (forgive me - it's 20 years ago) inspired them to become even better - I think that the guard would have sustained beyond 1984. We had forced an uncomfortable partnership in the visual caption that stifled some of what was happening there, but I'm sure over time that would have worked through.

    The brass show for 1983 was not well put together, with Walk Him Up the Stairs, Spain, and maybe the worst piece of music ever programmed, Sparkle by Earth Wind and Fire. Awful.

    All in all those years were pretty neat as we accomplished something thought pretty unlikely. I'm not sure but have any other Alumni Corps cracked the top 10 in DCA since? In all the years I worked after 1983 I never even thought about Coordinating a show again. It was a bad way to learn that I had been promoted to something I lacked the talent to excel at, or even be adequate at.

    OK - that's my take on the early '80s Archer - Epler. One of my fondest proudest memories, and one of my saddest feelings of failure, all within a couple of years of each other.

    • Like 1

    Archer- Epler 1990

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    yeah, yeah, it's easy for you to say, but have you seen my testosterone???? I've lost mine

    Guido

    I think you're right about the venue - there was a summer show at Montclair State...

    My memory isn't what it used to be...

    by the way who are you and what have you done with my chops? I can't find them anywhere...

    Oh, yeah... that's right - you're Jim, and I never had any...

    I get so confused now...

    Archer- Epler 1990

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    oh, wasn't the show at Wm. Patterson College that year?????

    an accurate assessment Ray.....it truly was alabor of love, but also of great respect for those great corps.....still get the goosebumps over watching it, even with those missed centers....yeah, we were 'raw' but man how we could play and it only got better....and how could it go wrong with Georgie Hayek as my dresser behind the curtains

    Guido

    Archer- Epler 1990

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    an accurate assessment Ray.....it truly was alabor of love, but also of great respect for those great corps.....still get the goosebumps over watching it, even with those missed centers....yeah, we were 'raw' but man how we could play and it only got better....and how could it go wrong with Georgie Hayek as my dresser behind the curtains

    Guido

    That was at the Cabs' annual show at Montclair State. Neither Jimmy, nor Butch, nor Dave had any idea of what we were doing - just asked them that night and they were good enough to come out. How about Jimmy Cossetti, that gay Caballero, on Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White? We got to the conducted part of that and Jimmy looked at me with this big smile like "wish we had rehearsed this even once" but being one of the greatest ever, he just nailed it. Butch seemed to genuinely enjoy what he knew was a tribute Sky's rendition of Elk's Parade, which remains historically one for the ages. The only thing that could have made that night more fun would have been George Parks for Reading.

    The late great Mike Snow doing his best Dirty Eddie imitation, Nick Rizzi reprising his original Striptease on Yankee Rebels' "Stripper" of the early '60s. Danny Fitz doing a little Dixie riff on french horn, Carol Fallon (no coincidence) wearing the same uni she wore in Hurricanes playing Doug Oravez' solo in Magnificent 7.

    Thanks for posting that - I forgot how much fun that was, or that I ever had that much hair. That show was truly a labor of love.

    • Like 1

    Wildwood scores

    in DCA - All-Age Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Yo!!!! Frank!!!! Whatju say about my sista-in-law????????????

    Just my 2 bits.....I liked the show...didn't grasp it all, yet, had to talk to guard staff about some confusion, but cannot wait to see this season develop....oh, you dun good too.......

    Guido

    Thanks Jeff...I got this....

    Ummm....umm...you *#$*)#(*&%*E #&(*@!)(@$*&) %*#(*$...

    And another thing....

    &*)$ @&% ^@!* ^#%&!#@^!!!! :laughing:/>

    Cabs At The Beach

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Show & Event Reviews

    Posted

    hey buddy, I believe the soprano you're forgetting is Carol.....

    Guido

    For Historical purposes, the original Joe Schultz Cadets were folks from the Oceanside Legionnaires who took pieces of the East Rockaway FD Band uniforms, altered them, and went into I&E shows as "The Joe Schultz Cadets from the Lower East Side" back in the 60s.

    We revived the name back in 1990 and were the original mini-corps champ. We had some pretty serious players with Joe Guido, Bob Gaff, Dan Fitz, Scott Friend, Rich Chiappetta on set, Bob Kogut on vibes, Mary and Rob Hardy on percussion and mello respectively... oh man I'm slipping on the name of a good friend on soprano - just blanking - Jerry Ware and Chumly on baritone - Steve Anderman at some shows. I'm doing an injustice by forgetting folks.

    It was fun though - started out as something for the GAS reunion. If you can follow that geography we had people from Baltimore to Boston playing...

    And yes, we talk about a sort of reunion from time to time...

    Skyliners Field Corps Announces American Legion Post #411 in Jessup, P

    in DCA - All-Age Corps Discussions

    Posted

    All of my good wishes for complete success to the Skyliners......'sock it in'

    Guido

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    June 19, 2013. The Administration of the Skyliners Drum & Bugle Corps field corps announced today that they will be sponsored by the Michael Steiner American Legion Post #411 in Jessup, Pennsylvania. The corps plans to rehearse in the Jessup/ Scranton, Pennsylvania area.

    The Skyliners were drawn to the area for a number of reasons. First, it is centrally located for potential members to travel comfortably from the tri-state area, including central New Jersey, Pennsylvania and upstate New York. The historical connection with the area and the Post was also of interest. The Drum Corps Associates organization grew out of a meeting held in the Fall of 1963 at Hotel Jermyn in Scranton, which was organized by Doctor Almo “Doc” Sebastianelli, a member and past commander of American Legion Post #411. The New York Skyliners was one of the founding members of Drum Corps Associates, and Lefty Mayer, then Director of the corps, was instrumental to this important development in drum corps history. In previous years, the Skyliners rehearsed at the field in Jessup for the Scranton shows.

    The amount of interest shown in the Skyliner field corps returning to the competitive arena has been exciting, and we appreciate the support, inquiries, and offers of assistance. More details and information about staff, show, open house and rehearsal schedule will be published in the future.

    For more information, to join or to donate, please contact Larry Carbonell at larry@skylinersdbc.org. The New York Skyliners Drum & Bugle Corps is a 501©3 non-profit, performance-based organization that provides quality educational opportunities for its members.

    Posted by: Doreen Sandor, Assistant Director

    Cabs At The Beach

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Show & Event Reviews

    Posted

    It only takes a little mud for Jimmy to end up looking like a mushroom if he's wearing the wrong hat...

    You can hear his horn from space, but you might not be able to see him from the 20 yard line...

    yeah, yeah, yeah......even my grandsons think I'm a garden gnome.....I needed to blow extra hard to get any movement in the paddy.......I swear I heard something like "hey GI, love you long time"

    Guido

    hey, completed what you asked, talked with Frank and we're good to go.....Joe Schultz Cadets

    Guess Who?

    in DCA All-Age Corps and Alumni Corps Historical Forum

    Posted

    and, he is an inductee of the BHOF this year.....also played with Zorro Raiders (among others).......proud to call him a friend

    Guido

    I marched next to this GW for most of those Archie years, couldn't know a better person

    His latest solo with Rebels and Swing House of "Sleepy Time Down South was amazing

    Sweetest ever

    Downingtown Classic

    in DCA - All-Age Corps Discussions

    Posted

    good news Amy.....now if I can only avoid Jeff....but wait!!!!! I can sit on his shoulders

    Guido the Vertically Challenged :thumbup:

    Sunrisers have just been added to the Downingtown Classic. They will join the Reading Buccaneers, Minnesota Brass, Cadets 2, Bushwackers, White Sabers, and Shenandoah Sound in competition. Come check out some of the best of Open Class and Class A competition.

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