Roger Grupp

Can't do it. Tina's playing a big show that night, and I want to see it.

Nuts! This would be perfect, because it's my BIG-BIG-BIG-BIG-BIG-BIG birthday! But I have a party to go to instead. Have another one on another February 11th, please!!!!!!!!!

Where'd you guys find all those #### pound signs??? Minne-Brass is definitely using music stands in 2006. We need them in front of us because Andy Classen and Kathy Burnham always forget to close their pants.

This link opened in my web page on Safari really easily. It's a drum corps Podcast featuring an interview with MBI's Brent Turner. http://media26a.libsyn.com/podcasts/boxcenter/Episode_11.mp3 But on Explorer it didn't work. Anybody have general directions on how to make these Podcasts work?

The charts will be online for members really soon. What are the songs? Here's the answer to a drum corps dream!

I never thought MBI could pull off Pat Metheny, but they did. The music looked too hard at first, but they've got the program and the players. I came to the program late in the season last year. This year, I'm there from Day 1, December 10. What's the show going to be??!?!?!?!!!?!?!?

Wish I'd gotten to say hello, Julie. But it was an awfully busy night.

Well, we finally finished our DCA journals. It takes us a long time to write 5500 words! I included many photos from the weekend, too. I hope you enjoy it all.

Thanks for mentioning the mini-corps massed hornline thing. What a thrill it is to stand there and play with some of my idols. Being trumpet players, it's always a challenge, too, to see who can play the best, so we were all playing in tune and strong. It was great. The Renegades were the only group I really got to watch closely, and there's no question they were exciting and accomplished as a mini-corps can be. Of course, I didn't think our Minne-Brass had a chance to win. Wasn't the first time I was wrong. Next year, the Renegades won't have a group brain-blow, and Minnesota won't get an overtime penalty. Then we'll have a real competition. And there's probably a mini-corps ready to beat us both. We had our day in the limelight! ---- First two Minne-Brass performances of the new season are October 22nd!

Yes, Jeff, great meeting you and the spectacular Francesca! Minne-Brass (and MBI, for that matter) are privileged and proud to be scoring neck-and-neck with the Renegades, the most entertaining drum corps on the planet.

Minne-Brass wanted to 'add' drill and other things (and to memorize the music), but we had to get the tunes learned. Next year we'll have a more fully developed mini-corps. ---------------------------------------- I enjoy seeing any kind of choreography, drill, or other entertaining effects, as long as they don't take away from the music. Sometimes drill emphasizes, punctuates, or showcases music. I think that's the purpose of drill for a mini-corps. After all, nobody in mini-corps does any marching, drilling, or formations that are impressive at all.

Nice to hear how well it was really handled, Tom. Well done, DCA.

Oops. I guess I don't know how to attach a photo.

This is what we looked like. Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:DSC_1590 (Large).JPG (JPEG/prvw) (001D2A19)

As one of the four 'pointing and gesturing' sopranos on MBI's front sideline, I want you to know it was a strange position for us four, never having done the sideline gig before, but it was what was necessary this year. The corps felt it needed more high-brass power, and after some persuasion, we all agreed to go out front as a group, and help provide that power. We all wanted to contribute, but none could march, for various reasons. We didn't know quite how to act out there, but there are no rules for this. Personally, I think it's part of a soloist's job to interact with the crowd. MBI put the players on the line, and took its chances. For my part, I will be back marching in the line in 2006 if I can, but I will certainly welcome the fine work of players like Andy, Ray, and Todd out front if the opportunity or necessity arises again. Thanks for listening.

I knew I shouldn't have used capital letters! I'm glad the correct story got out -- Thanks, DCP -- because so many of us were quick to believe the scuttlebut. I'm sure sorry that I did. Once again, congrats!

Yup, the scores were incredibly tight, 2nd through SIXTH (MBI), both in prelims and finals. I made a mistake in finals that cost our corps a point and one placement back in the early '90s, so I know how it can happen. And I wasn't 16 or 17! Congratulations, Bush, on a spectacular season!

I'm glad you liked Minne-Brass. We had six or seven rehearsals with the group, and strongly urged memorization of the charts. We had three stands out there. Two mellophone players were added only three rehearsals ago, and really didn't have a good chance to get it all memorized. We decided it was better to go out there and risk stands blowing over and the clumsiness of having music in front of a few players, rather than do a poor job on the music. The lack of memorization may have hurt our score. One judge did mention under the Performance Effect caption that it "might help" and we would have "maybe a bit more" spirit and emotion if we would "maybe work to have charts memorized." We plan to keep our new group going, and perform without the disadvantage of music stands. We're confident we'll be able to have a better performance next time you see us.

Besides Frank Lozar, MBI had dick Maki marching the full field show when he was well into his 60s. I think he was 67 in his last year on the field. Maybe someone can narrow it down for me. Dick is still marching with the Zuhrah Shriners in Minneapolis. In MBI's 60th season, it will march a certain bald soprano player who will also be in his 60th year.

Well constructed joke, Mike!

I enjoyed the experience here in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The theater was about half full. I'd say there were 250 in the place. I didn't sit so close to the screen, so the picture wasn't all pixelated. The quality was surprisingly good, in fact. There were some small color issues, and the picture was maybe 5% wider than reality. But the audio was very good. The volume was strong, but only distorted once. The extraneous noise (cheering, applause, etc.) sounded like it was coming from the people in the theater, so obviously the separation was right. I liked being in the crowd with so many people I knew; many Minnesota Brass, ex-Rivermen, etc. So it was a better social experience than DCI. I liked the snack situation than a live show. You could easily go out between corps and buy food or go to the bathroom, and get back in time to see the next corps. You could even do this while corps were performing, but not many people did. The seats were much, much more comfortable than any DCI stadium seats I've been in. Like Cardman noted, I wondered who people were applauding for in the theater? (I'm told the performers can't really hear you on the screen!) It must have been to try to recreate the stadium experience. However, no one gave any corps any standing ovations, as they always do in the stadiums. Curious. The $18 to see the top 17 or so corps wasn't a bad price. I was very satisfied with the experience. Thank you, DCI.

Ron H. was right. None of us are ringers. Not by any means. Heck, I paid my dues this year even though I didn't plan to strap on a horn. I never was a fan of pit-only soloists (and I'm sure part of it was out of jealousy), but now that I've done it, I'm OK with it. MBI has a strong hornline this year, and it carries the music, but there just aren't enough high-note players to carry that part of the musical line AND step out front to solo. So Brent asked us four (repeatedly) to help the hornline by playing out front. I think it's working out well. For different shows it's been one, two, three, or four players. It'll be four for DCA. By the way, I'll be marching -- MARCHING -- a full show next season for our 60th anniversary season. And I'd be glad to have any of the other three in the pit.

Thanks for the kind words, Chris and Marilyn. MBI's show really is good, and I'm enjoying it more and more. I wish I could have seen corps other than Madison and the Cavies. I really wasn't planning to play last night! I wasn't wearing my own uniform, and I didn't have any socks on. The real fire power in the front line trumpets comes from Ray Vasquez, and the jazz licks are from Andy Classen. Ray is an instructor for MBI, former Blue Stars instructor, former Phantom soloist, and newly installed jazz and trumpet professor at Auburn University. Andy is the longtime jazz and trumpet prof at Drake University, as well as MBI and Rivermen alum, and MBI's show writer. I will be with these stars on the field at DeKalb, and so will Todd Tanji, MBI alum and former writer and instructor, as well as a Blue Devils soloist in 1981 and 1982. (Google him!) I hope you'll get to see MBI at DeKalb and Scranton, with all four of us out front. We all had a 'sectional' this morning at my house. It's going to be fun.

Great souvies! I'm going to have to buy me some (to go with my Patrick's shirt and mug).

I thought you were right on in just about everything you said.