Triple Forte

Hi Folks, He is a review of what I saw and heard at the Old Bridge NJ and Allentown PA shows…….and here’s the review…….. Raiders: Performing some really difficult arrangements (More about this later) of Adams in a show titled “Adams a Sound Journey” The corps had a pretty rough start with some bad timing……once they locked in the beat the opener became smoother. For a smallish sized corps they sport a good-sized pit that played pretty well along with the rest of the drumline. The color guard jumps out at you with Florissant colors in the uniform and on the guard equipment. The color guard is the best section of the corps right now. The hornline played really well in a few spots with a good overall sound.The hornline is having a really tough time with the music though. Some horn players are sticking out in spots and my suspicion is that it is due to the difficulty of the charts. Summary: The kids are really giving it they’re all and the staff needs a good talking to. This show is WAY too difficult for this corps. Full size division I corps would have trouble performing it. The members are doing a good job and deserve a lot of credit. Lehigh Valley Knights: This was the first time I have ever seen Lehigh and I must say I was pretty impressed with them. Their hornline has a pretty nice sound and experienced some minor early season phasing issues. The drumline is probably their strongest section and in the opener they play some nice parts in little pods (Along with the horns). The rifles and sabers did well on most of their tosses and the whole corps is marching well. Summary: Nice corps that is playing multi-meter segments, which clearly shows off the corps talent. The Drum Major was very sharp. Jersey Surf: First thing I noticed about this corps is that they are pretty big and confident. The drum major gives the crowd a unique salute and a way we go with some GREAT familiar music arranged in a pleasing way. The hornline was real solid in the opening statement and aside from the contras being a bit blatty in spots this line has a good overall sound. The mellos have a real nice sound. The color guard is wearing some nice flashy read outfits (They remind me of something that the Dutch Boy color guard might have worn) and pop right out at you. The corps finished the opener strong and the marching is pretty darn good for early July. The next part of Surfs show is as crowd appealing as you can get. Just about the whole corps gets behind these huge red curtains and change the top part of their uniform from blue to white. As they are revealed the guard sports huge silver and gold shiny flags and the corps plays Elvis’s famous introduction music. The crowd went nuts in both Old Bridge and Allentown. They play Jailhouse rock (Which did rock) and I could not help but notice how great the color guard was doing during this tune. Some good tosses and execution. The drumline is pretty solid and I think that the snares are a little loose and will tighten up a bit as the season goes on. Summary: A GREAT show with a lot of fun tunes arranged in a pleasing way. The Elvis material is a HIT and I hope I get the chance to see them again….great show. Carolina Crown: What a nice big punch of sound from this very nice sounding hornline right out of the gate. The color guard is rock solid and I can’t believe how well this corps is performing right now. In Old Bridge I noticed a few brass players sticking out a little bit here and there but not much. I am sure that most of you who will read this have already seen some comments regarding Crowns ballad, which includes some amplified singing. Let me just put it this way……IT IS NOT NEEDED and IT IS DISTRACTING. AND it does not ruin or add anything to the show. If you do not like the singing (Include me) it comes to an end fairly quickly. BUT, in Allentown there was a major issue regarding static……not good. For some reason the corps seemed to be more on the ball and “really” performing in Allentown……maybe it was my vantagepoint but they really seemed to kick it up a notch in J Birney Crum stadium. The show has so many nice parts and the drumline is CROWN solid. There is a pretty cool drill form the corps makes of a Crown. Try to get to see this show….I think you will like it. Summary: This corps can really go places this year. They are better than they were last season and it should be very interesting to see where they place. I like the show and look forward to another viewing…..and hopefully after the static problems the corps had with their sound system the staff will think long and hard about getting rid of it. Glassmen: This years Glassmen are bringing us a show that is typical Glassmen. Lots of unusual music played in a unique and disjointed kind of way. I like the way the corps starts the show. The corps starts the show laying on the ground and slowly little by little get up and make their way to the 50 for the first big musical impact. Keep an eye on the color guard because they do some very interesting things with their uniforms. Reminds me a little of the Crossmens guard last year during the hit in Over the Rainbow. The hornline has a nice overall strong sound but in a few spots some individual players stick out. Drumline seemed to play pretty well during their features. Marching is a bit sloppy…..but they are doing some difficult stuff. Summary: If you are a Glassmen fan this show won’t disappoint you. I personally am not a big Glassmen fan but I did enjoy the opening and final minutes of their show. The kids are great……..and the staff….well….you have probably seen stuff I have written before about their choices. Let me just say that the last minute or so of this years show is more exciting and entertaining than the previous 10 or so minutes put together. Spirit: Spirit is strong again this year and the biggest problem that I think they may be having is marching. The brass has a nice sound but don’t push your face back like I think they should. Hopefully the staff will open them up more as the season progresses. The pit plays really well in the opening moments of the show and the drumline is coming along. The guard is pretty solid and the rifles are paticualary strong. Spirit has what maybe my favorite ballad of the season from the juniors. The hornline is in a wedge off to the right a little and do a slow 360 and get louder with a nice lush chord….(Cavies 2001) At this moment the guard runs in front of the hornline with nice rainbow colored flags. Again……I really think the brass staff needs to open this lines sound up more. Spirit should peel ones skin off with their brass sound. The 3rd tune really features their 12 tubas and the drumline. The Tubas are cool. A Cavalier like chord and style ends the 3rd number. Summary: I like the show and again the ballad will probably be one of my favorites of the season. I think Spirit has made some staff changes in 2004……and you can see Cavalier like trademarks a few times during the show. Spirit needs to be Spirit….more aggressive and the show they are presenting has the opportunity for it. Staff….add a little more SPIRIT….to this show. Crossmen: Well the Crossmen are getting better little by little. The corps has been doing great with the opening impact and color guard just pops being that they are on all flags. In Allentown the drumline had some major timing issues after the first big hit that was just short of a complete breakdown. I was a bit surprised. They finally got back in the grove to finish out the opener strong. The 2nd number is by far the nicest number they play (IMHO). The hornline is getting better and better projecting a nice full sound during the 2nd number. Another item in their show I should mention is that the soloists all did a fine job and at several points during the show there are some section features. Summary: I consider myself to be a big Crossmen fan (Since 1987). This years darker Crossmen doesn’t excite me as much as the last few seasons have. The drumline is good in spots…..but believe it or not I think they are probably the weakest section of the corps right now. Boston Crusaders: Boston either performs a show that just screams out to the crowd or a show that is much more abstract and artistic. This year is one of those artistic years with an all-original show. Still Boston is pretty strong right now in all captions. I really like the dual colored flags in the beginning. One side of the flag is colored two different gray tones and the other side is gray and yellow. The flags are swung in way where you see the colors switch back and forth. There is narration throughout the show (Mostly in the beginning and the end) I like the variety of the sticks the snareline is using and they (Along with the rest of the drumline) are fairly tight. Towards the end the narrator introduces each color (About 6 of them) and they are represented by different colored tops on the color guard members. Maybe I don’t understand what this color theme is all about but I would have thought that during the introduction of each color the brasslines tone color would change. Guess not……. At the end of the show the guard surrounds the corps in a diamond shape with blue flags and then whole corps disappears behind huge cubes for a silent ending. Summary: Similar to the Crossmen…….I don’t like Bostons show this season as much as I did last seasons. The narration is unnecessary and probably overdone. I would like to see Crown beat them when its all said and done in August. Cadets: This show is coming along nicely. They have made several changes since the last time I saw them about a month ago. The beginning is still the same. I really wish they would change it a bit. Maybe a quicker tempo or more movement. This corps doesn’t really have any weaknesses that stand out and I think they have the drumline to beat again this season. The real drop-dead tune in their show is Bouree. The color guard is real strong throughout and do some neat stuff with their shirts. Summary: Really solid corps right now that can definitely compete for the 2004 title. The show has classical, jazz, rock and swing music throughout. Great variety and a great show. Sorry for any typos Cheers, Triple Forte

Was at the Wildwood NJ DCA show the other night and heres a review of what I saw and heard. Let me first say that the venue (Wildwood convention center) was actually better than what I was expecting. If they padded the walls and ceiling and put in cloth covered instead of plastic….it might cut down the echo a bit. Buccaneers: Well the Bucs really got the show going with their show. They have a pretty balanced corps and the build into the first big hit in the opener was fabulous and put the crowd right in the palm of their hands. Marching looked a little better from them tonight than they usually look in the early season. The color guard did very well and the whole corps finished the opener with a great amount of intensity. There were some minor timing issues from the brass and percussion in the very start of the 2nd tune but locked in within 16 or so counts. The drunline is pretty big and when featured are right up front. Some of the marching transitions were a bit sloppy but that is the norm for this time of the season. Summary: The crowd REALLY Loved the Bucs in Wildwood and I think the key factor was the fact that the corps maintained a good intensity thoughout the entire show. Drumline is going to be great and expect good things from the folks from Reading PA. Hurricanes: The Hurricanes had a real tough challenge following the Bucs but did pretty well with there 50th anniversary show titled “The Magnificent 50” Some very familiar favorites (Praise his glorious, mag 7). The guard did a fine job and the whole corps did pretty well with field coverage. A couple of great soprano soloists keep you on your toes with a great part leading in to the 2nd song. They were a few phasing issues and the drumline had a nice drum feature that seem to end abruptly. The drill leading in to Mag 7 is pretty cool with squares of horn players who converge to make a large form. Summary: The corps is doing pretty well and seem to be on pace with prior seasons. The show ended kind of abruptly but I am guessing that they have a little more to add yet. Crowd liked them. Skyliners: The Skyliners performed the music of George Gershwin. The brass had a good opening statement, as did the guard. The marching seemed to be ok and I think they probably cover the field less than the Hurcs. The end of the opener was strong. The opener was the corps best number….things kind of simmered down until the drumline came front and center for a drum feature. It is actually more of a pit feature and keeps your eyes and ears out for the mallet players in the pit….they did real well. The end of the show builds nicely with the guard featured on dual white, black and red flags. Real nice affect. Summary: The corps opener was their best number and I am sure that they will be starting to intensify the rest of the show. The guard is probably the best guard they have had in a couple of years…..crowd liked them. Brigadiers: The Brigs brought us a show titled Caravan and even though they are sporting fewer members on the field; they are performing really well. Maybe a little to well for this time of the season. The brassline is really strong and hit you with a wall of sound. I couldn’t help but notice how big and good their guard was. They really added to the impact moments of the show with big rifle and flag tosses. Actually in the opener it took no time at all to see the guard working 3 things at once…. Sabers rifles and flags. The sop soloists are amazing and really wail at certain times of the show. Drumline performed fairly strong and had some great stick work during the drum feature. I really like the corps ballad again this season and the sop and bari soloists are back. The guard (And the whole corps for that matter) has a great moment in the ballad with dual see—through purple flags…..Nice affect. Ending was strong but it looks as if they have a few additional pages of drill to complete yet. Summary: The corps is performing really well as I said for this time of the year and it kind of concerns me. They are pretty clean and I am not too sure how far they can take this show. I do like the show and the ballad will probably be one of my favorites this season. Super crowd reaction….and definitely a contender for the 2004 DCA crown. Caballeros: The Caballeros are bringing us an all-original show again this year. The show opens with the pit making the opening statement and the hornline and drumline in the middle of the field. The mellophones had a bit of a ruff start but clicked right in shortly after. The corps was very strong at the first big hit and gave the crowd the biggest sound of the night. The guard is really good again this year and the drumline is playing very well overall as well. The drill is really spread out this year putting some members as far away as the 10 yardline or so. The mellophones had another shaky starting note (Must have been an off night) in the 2nd song (Ballad). I really like the Cabs ballad this year……I actually like it more than last seasons (The Prayer). The hornline shows off a lot of musicality and are doing a pretty good job with a very demanding book. I noticed quite a few individual marching errors but nothing unusual for this time of the season. Ending of show was AMAZING and really brought the house down. Summary: Definitely a corps that means business and looks to have another tough, exciting show. It will probably take most of the season for all the I’s to be dotted and T’s crossed. The crowd went CRAZY and I for one can’t wait to see it again. Crossmen: Performed their show called Unity and were a little more on the ball then on Sunday night in Allentown. I still don’t like the opener too much and think that my preseason concerns about their show are coming true. The show really reminds me of 1999…abstract opener and great ballad and final number. The drumline seemed to be driving a bit more tonight and they added a 7th snare. Seeing a top senior corps and junior corps made for a great opportunity to compare. The biggest difference that stood out to me was marching…..the Crossmen just seem to be moving really fast and smooth…and all of their tempos were brighter. Summary: Corps is getting better and the crowd enjoyed them. I love their ballad….really nice. Cabs Alumni: The Cabs alumni did a really fine job for their first field performance of the season. The hornline is as strong as ever and they are actually doing a fantastic job with a lot of new music. The drumline is a little bigger and the folks on the flags did a fine job. I like the show and am always amazed at how exciting they are to watch and listen to. Sorry for any typos Triple Forte

THANKS FOR THE GREAT REVIEW :) Triple Forte

Hi folks........as promised here is a tibit of what I saw and heard out of the Crossmen and the Cadets in Allentown, PA on Sunday night (6/13). Just briefly both corps held clinics before the presentation of their full 2004 productions. Each section came out one at a time and demonstrated to the fans how each section practices and how they get so good. The Color guard came out first, then the hornline and finally the drumline. The clinics were a real treat and everyone enjoyed them. Crossmen: Unity is the name of the presentation and the new look (Uniforms) lets you know that this is a different kind of Crossmen show. The opener starts with the corps playing backfield and they turnaround and play a nice strong introduction to get things started. The color guard really helps sell the opening impact with everyone on flags. The opener is a bit strange musically and will take some getting used to. One of the coolest parts of the opener is when the high brass takes stage right and the low brass takes stage left and trade off musical ideas. All of the horns (Minus tubas........I think) use plungers to create kind of a funky sound.... It was pretty cool (And different) and will get better an better as time goes on. The 2nd tune is ofcoarse the ballad and it is going to be awesome. The closer is Puma and it has been updated and given the drill demands, the corps did pretty well with it at this early date. Summary: The Crossmen are way ahead at this time than they usually are and the staff have rewrites in the works. The corps got through the show with out any major issues (Tempo, timing) but they were presenting the show carefully just to get through.....no real performing yet. They will be fielding 135 members but a number of members were on the sidelines tonight. (The drumline had 6 snares but plan to field 8) Cadets: The Cadets came out with a solid corps and right away you can tell the difference between them and the Crossmen. Many folks who have read my show reviews the last couple of seasons will know that I absolutely love the Cadets drumline....and this year it is no different. It is actually "SCARY" how clean they are already. They are sporting 10 snares this year and they are playing great. The start of the show starts real layed back and the corps stands still most of the time during the intro (They will probably either beef up the tempo in the beginning or move a bit....). The first tune had more of a classical edge to it and the color guard was also very good for this early viewing. The real AWESOME tune right now is the 2nd number...Bouree. The styles of classical and jazz/swing trade back and forth and the drumline has a pretty meaty solo as well. Whats kind of interesting is that the hornline leans back and starts to play some jazzy licks....starts marching a little....stops and leans back again and gets a little more jazzy...and moves one final time before leaning back and really letting it SWING.....CROWD PLEASING already....and if they keep this the same.....crowds are going to go NUTS. the final tune is nice and the drill for this tune has not been completed yet. Summary: The Cadets are off to a great start and their brass caption head stated that this hornline is the best line he has worked with in 15 years. I like the show and I think one of the main reasons is that musically it is pleasing and interesting to listen to. The cords are pleasant and pretty (A real change from the stark...dissonent stuff most corps have been playing for a while now) Finally........the....AMPS........ I was right down in front and noticed that the mallet parts can be heard more....a couple times when the pit and the snares played together it was a little hard to hear the snares. I don't see the benifts of using them.....and if they continue to use them in the same capacity I heard last night.....it is really no big deal. A great night......and I look to forward to seeing both corps again at the end of the month. Cheers......sorry or any typos Triple Forte

I am bit concerned about Spirit and the Crossmen this year. There are a lot of former Cavalier folks on both those staffs now and I just PRAY that they dont write/arrange (Especially music) a Cavalier like show. These two corps had something that the Cavaliers lacked....EXCITEMENT. Spirit and Crossmen 2003 corps were awesome and presented a show that everyone could enjoy. I liked their show (Musically) very much last season. A Little Nervous , Triple Forte

Just For Clarification, Our Design Staff this year is Key Poulan (Brass) Gary Gill (Battery) David Pasquarella (Pit) (and One #### of a Conductor Saturday Night... Thanks Dave) Michael Gaines (not Mitch Rodgers) Greg King A Special Thank you also to Sean Glennon for the Warm-up and Cliff Bielken for Taking over this weekend.. And another Big Thanks to the Great Gordini.. For Stepping up and Hvaing the Cajones to Cover Curts Solo's! (and Feel Better Curt.. Godito's Body is big enough.. don't need his head getting that way too!) Sorry for any of the confusion I may have caused with some of the errors b**bs in my review (1st review of the season....got time to improve and I did not want to max out my performance...haha) I apologize to "All" of the groups that I wrote incorrect :( information about. Beleive me "I mean no harm". I should of just wrote "THE SHOW WAS GREAT !!" Triple Forte :)

Here's the review, 1st Corps Hitmen: The 2003 DCA Mini-Corps defending champions. The story this year is that the Hitmen are telling is quite interesting….and entertaining. They are prisoners meeting before the parole board and were given an opportunity to play to the crowd for their freedom. The parole board had an applause meter to aid them in deciding if the corps deserved to be placed on parole. Well this corps presented an exciting and funny show (They are very creative). This corps only consists of 8 horns and 1 drummer...very impressive....there is no hiding here. All players play well and especially the soprano player (Actually he plays a trumpet). A mix of music that everyone can enjoy got things rolling……and yes….they made parole….congrats Hitmen….the crowd loved ya. The next corps to perform was the Westshoremen Alumni. Very few people would probably guess that this corps only got together 3 times as a full ensemble to run through the music before tonight’s performance. 40 plus horns and full drumline and pretty good-sized pit made for an exciting presentation. The corps played 3 selections, America the Beautiful, Explosion and ofcoarse Blues in the Night. Some really nice solo work and some incredible drumming (Including all kinds of stick tricks). The Buccaneers Alumni were the next to perform. The Bucs alumni brought us a nice show of classic tunes…a lot of them patriotic. This corps is not as big as some of the other of alumni corps but the quality is great ! They take a real controlled approach and gave the crowd a nice show…..good job. Introduced as the oldest Drum and Bulge corps in existence (Started in 1914) the US Naval Academy drum and bugle corps took the stage with a commanding presence. They stand at attention and bring their horns up with incredible accuracy….I love that stuff. The corps played American Salute and Malaguena and few other patriotic tunes. Considering that these members participate in corps as an extracurricular activity I am always impressed with what they present. Great Job ! The next corps to take the stage was the Mass Brass DCA Mini-Corps. 18 horns and 2 drummers brought the house of close to 3,000 people to their feet a couple of times. This corps is amazing…..if you get the chance…definitely check them out. A couple of tunes they played were Niner 2 and Malaguena. This corps soprano players are INSANE. Incredible. Yankee Rebels from Baltimore Maryland……we all know what kind of show were are going to get from this fine drum corps. Their drumline seemed to be a bit bigger and better than previous viewings. Soloists did a fine job and I really enjoyed their show. I always look forward to them playing Battle Hymn….GREAT job ! The next group to perform did not need any introduction at all……because it was the Hip Pickles. Here is another great group that you can always count on to present something fun and creative. The speed and accuracy in which these 3 percussionists play with is nothing short of amazing. The Caballeros Alumni corps was the next to perform and man did they rock the house. A nice slow classic RUMP intro got things off to a great start. This corps really performed well and the strong soloists that we come to expect did great. The corps is playing a couple of new songs this year and they brought back Enchano. Great job ! Introduced as the corps from the snowy north….the St. Joe’s Alumni corps from Batavia NY took the stage. This corps makes me jealous…..they will be traveling down to Florida to perform in a parade in the coming days. Tonight….they did an awesome job and really brought the crowd to its feet. A couple of the tunes they played were Bully, Legend of the One Eye Sailor and Santana Medley/Everybody's Everything. Outstanding job. The defending DCA World Champion Hawthorne Caballeros were the final corps to take the stage and presented their 2004 field show Titled “Pamplona: - Fiesta de San Fermin” – “The Running of the Bulls” The corps is presenting a totally original book (Music, Visual, Guard) written by Key Paulan, Gary Gill, Mitch Rogers and Greg King. This show really cooks and I love their ballad titled “San Fermin” I feel that the corps is stronger now then they were last year at this point. In my humble opinion they are going to be the corps to beat coming “out of the gates” in June. Great job Cabs….keep working. The finale of the show bought use the Caballeros and Caballeros Alumni corps massing together playing the classic “Flamenco Cha Cha” Approx. 108 horns…….what a sound. I really enjoyed this years show……thank you 5 Star Brass for a great show. :) :) :) Triple Forte

I realize that I am posting this review on the junior corps forum and no junior corps were in attendance at the Serenade and Brass Indoor show this year. I just thought that some of you folks who follow senior and alumni may not check the senior and alumni forum.......and here's the review, 1st Corps Hitmen: The 2003 DCA Mini-Corps defending champions. The story this year is that the Hitmen are telling is quite interesting….and entertaining. They are prisoners meeting before the parole board and were given an opportunity to play to the crowd for their freedom. The parole board had an applause meter to aid them in deciding if the corps deserved to be placed on parole. Well this corps presented an exciting and funny show (They are very creative). This corps only consists of 8 horns and 1 drummer...very impressive....there is no hiding here. All players play well and especially the soprano player (Actually he plays a trumpet). A mix of music that everyone can enjoy got things rolling……and yes….they made parole….congrats Hitmen….the crowd loved ya. The next corps to perform was the Westshoremen Alumni. Very few people would probably guess that this corps only got together 3 times as a full ensemble to run through the music before tonight’s performance. 40 plus horns and full drumline and pretty good-sized pit made for an exciting presentation. The corps played 3 selections, America the Beautiful, Explosion and ofcoarse Blues in the Night. Some really nice solo work and some incredible drumming (Including all kinds of stick tricks). The Buccaneers Alumni were the next to perform. The Bucs alumni brought us a nice show of classic tunes…a lot of them patriotic. This corps is not as big as some of the other of alumni corps but the quality is great ! They take a real controlled approach and gave the crowd a nice show…..good job. Introduced as the oldest Drum and Bulge corps in existence (Started in 1914) the US Naval Academy drum and bugle corps took the stage with a commanding presence. They stand at attention and bring their horns up with incredible accuracy….I love that stuff. The corps played American Salute and Malaguena and few other patriotic tunes. Considering that these members participate in corps as an extracurricular activity I am always impressed with what they present. Great Job ! The next corps to take the stage was the Mass Brass DCA Mini-Corps. 18 horns and 2 drummers brought the house of close to 3,000 people to their feet a couple of times. This corps is amazing…..if you get the chance…definitely check them out. A couple of tunes they played were Niner 2 and Malaguena. This corps soprano players are INSANE. Incredible. Yankee Rebels from Baltimore Maryland……we all know what kind of show were are going to get from this fine drum corps. Their drumline seemed to be a bit bigger and better than previous viewings. Soloists did a fine job and I really enjoyed their show. I always look forward to them playing Battle Hymn….GREAT job ! The next group to perform did not need any introduction at all……because it was the Hip Pickles. Here is another great group that you can always count on to present something fun and creative. The speed and accuracy in which these 3 percussionists play with is nothing short of amazing. The Caballeros Alumni corps was the next to perform and man did they rock the house. A nice slow classic RUMP intro got things off to a great start. This corps really performed well and the strong soloists that we come to expect did great. The corps is playing a couple of new songs this year and they brought back Enchano. Great job ! Introduced as the corps from the snowy north….the St. Joe’s Alumni corps from Batavia NY took the stage. This corps makes me jealous…..they will be traveling down to Florida to perform in a parade in the coming days. Tonight….they did an awesome job and really brought the crowd to its feet. A couple of the tunes they played were Bully, Legend of the One Eye Sailor and Santana Medley/Everybody's Everything. Outstanding job. The defending DCA World Champion Hawthorne Caballeros were the final corps to take the stage and presented their 2004 field show Titled “Pamplona: - Fiesta de San Fermin” – “The Running of the Bulls” The corps is presenting a totally original book (Music, Visual, Guard) written by Key Paulan, Gary Gill, Mitch Rogers and Greg King. This show really cooks and I love their ballad titled “San Fermin” I feel that the corps is stronger now then they were last year at this point. In my humble opinion they are going to be the corps to beat coming “out of the gates” in June. Great job Cabs….keep working. The finale of the show bought use the Caballeros and Caballeros Alumni corps massing together playing the classic “Flamenco Cha Cha” Approx. 108 horns…….what a sound. I really enjoyed this years show……thank you 5 Star Brass for a great show. :) :) :) Triple Forte

Hi All I was watching some older tapes that other day and was wondering which Sky Ryder show people liked the most back in the mid to late 80's ? I like 1986 (Wizard of Oz) the best followed by 1987 (West Side Story) and a very close 3rd 1988 (Sound of Music) Sorry Folks....I messed up setting up the poll (It was the first time I tried it) Triple Forte

I really do miss Star because they were very unique in the fact that they played so many different styles of music. 1986 A lot of folks listed this show way down on their lists. I had the pleasure of seeing this show live and it was amazing. I must confess my bias though....Starwars is my favorite movie and I love the music of John Williams. This hornline was incredible and they had a real demanding drill. 1989 1990 1991 1985 1987 1992 1988 1993 Triple Forte

BD's tuba bassline from their 2003's ballad is real (But slow) cool. Crossmen have also played some nice ones through the years. Triple Forte

WOW....thats funny. I must have watched the 1986 Blue Devils a billion times...and I never get tired of it (Or the video shot at the end that you mentioned). In my opinion that guy represents REAL drum corps....not pictures of people crying. Triple Forte

We played space chords (Actually we called them CRUNCH chords) as part of warmup. Actually the instructor assigned every horn player a note to play during the crunch chord and then resolve on the C MAJ chord. We used the crunch chord for balancing. It was wierd because the 3 or so players to your right and left were playing different notes. Loved doing it. Triple Forte

Ahh...my favorite part about drum corps is the intense and lush sound of a strong hornline playing chords. I have been watching my videos from the early ninties lately so I will list some of my farvorite chords from back then (Listed by year)...... 1993: Blue Devils: The first 2 big hits first one is 44 seconds from the start the other at 53 seconds Cadets: A beautiful deep sound (Thanx Contras) at 2 minutes 37 seconds. There are so many other great chords as well. Madison Scouts: Nothing unique......just raw in your face drum corps power......the last chord of the show b**bs Crossmen: I love the chord changes (Simple) in the ballad Koto Song. Cavaliers: The second number has some really nice chords...starting at 4 minutes 23 seconds then a really nice :) chord at 4 minutes 31 seconds. A couple of more until about 4 minutes 51 seconds. 1994: Madison Souts: End of the opener there are some awesome chords... 3 minutes 11 seconds, 3 minutes 14 seconds and most importantly the last chord of the song. Triple Forte

Went to the Jersey Surf’s show in New Brunswick, NJ…..and here is the review. Sorry for any typos.... Weather: A tad warm and humid at start time but became comfortable with a light breeze as the night progressed. National Anthem: The colors were presented by the NJ State Troopers and one of the troopers sang the national anthem….well done. Phoenix Cadets: A very small young corps that I give all the credit in the world to for coming out and performing in front of a big crowd at such an early age. One baritone player started their show with a pretty nice long solo. Drums were a little over powering. Guard was pretty good to. Congrats to all….Nice job. Heat wave: The show starts with a pretty decent length drum feature staged around the pit at the 50. They really kick in to a funky groove that gets your toe tapping. The hornline had a bit of trouble right out the gate with some timing issue leading in to the first hit. The hornline parks a couple of times during the show and play much better at these times. It also looked like there were a couple of blanks. The hornline had only 2 mellophone players but they are both very good players. Overall the guard did a good job and had some nice colored flags. I feel that the music itself is a little to complicated for the size corps they have. The last number the corps played though was performed a lot better with more confidence. It was a real audience participation tune…complete with clapping. A fun time had by all. Once the corps becomes a little more comfortable with the show overall they should do real well. Summary: Again I am a little concerned with the difficulty of the music for the corps they have. It took them only 22 hours to travel to the show tonight (Which the DM mentioned is better time than previous attempts) and the crowd applauded their efforts. I will see them at DCA’s and look forward to seeing them. Hawthorne Caballeros: Being the 2nd corps to compete tonight while the sun was still up I knew (As a past member) that the corps may not perform as well as they did last week. The corps did a better job than last week with keeping the music together leading in to the first big impact but overall I felt they were not as good as last week. The guard really makes some nice big rifle tosses right at the start which really adds excitement. I watched the guard a little more tonight and they are really good throughout the whole show. The hornline plays real strong and with a lot of dynamics throughout. I felt that the drums, pit and hornline just didn’t gel very well for most of the show. It almost seemed as if the corps was behind the beat and not driving through the beat causing some timing issues. The tempos are really fast at some points which makes things exciting. There are also some really nice suspenseful moments that have you pull up out of your seat with anticipation. The ballad was really nice but a bad release by the hornline at the end reminded me that the corps definitely performed better last week. I had a better vantage point to watch the drum solo and man are they cranking. The crowd just eats up the water effects with the bass drums. . Summary: Being an alumni (1992-1996) of the corps I am real critical of there performance. I definitely think they performed better last week and feel that corps probably feels the same way. I love the show and feel that they definitely have a shot at the big prize. Looking forward to seeing them again. Note for the corps: Corps….keep working….you can do it. Buccaneers: Good show tonight and felt they may get closer (Score wise) to the Cabs. The hornline seemed to perform better tonight than last week and the guard did an outstanding job. The guard did especially well during the drum solo. The Russians Sailor dance tune is a lot of fun to watch and you can tell the whole corps is really having fun with the role playing. Something I didn’t notice last week is a real nice build in to the hit in the ballad. Really well done. At some of the lower volumes you can hear the feet through the horns. Drumline is real strong and play some nice licks. Summary: I felt they did a real good job overall. I still think that the bottom horns overpower the top a bit. I love the show and the corps should do real well when it is all said and done at DCA’s. Bushwackers: No watered down versions of the corps opener (“12 Seconds to The Moon”) here. The hornline does a real good job with some tough articulations right at the start. I realize I said the same thing about them last week but it is worth mentioning again. There is a pretty cool part in the opener where the corps plays backfield with some strange space-like chords. Hard to explain but the combination of the notes and being played backfield causes a neat effect (Should be real cool in Scranton (AKA Echo box)). The flugle horn duet was played real well and I think they are getting a poor crowd response for their efforts. It’s nice to see the drumline doing well and feel that at this point they are cleaner than last year’s lines final performance. I watched the guard a little more this time and take back my comment about them being weaker than the last couple of years. I really like the big flags they use and the Nasa jump suits are cool. Summary: Corps is performing pretty darn well right now and all they have to do is clean and get better. The last number is definitely their hardest and I am sure they will be spending some quality time on it. Nice show. I like this show better than the last couple years offerings. Rochester Crusaders: With new uniforms the corps took the field tonight with a commanding and confident presence. The corps is really moving out there and the drill is really well written and presents the corps well. The hornline plays pretty well even when the corps is spread out. The baritone and mellophone soloists did a real nice job tonight. The drumline is stronger and they play a pretty nice solo with some interesting visuals. The pit does a reaaallly nice job all throughout the show. The guard is pretty strong and did a good job tonight with the big tosses. The very end of the show was a little shaky timing wise. Summary: The corps is better than last season and the classical music they play is nice. Looking forward to seeing it again at DCA’s,. Thanks for making the long trek to NJ. I enjoyed it. The Juniors: Esperanza: Well….they were not listed in the program but the crowd was sure glad they were there. Right from the moment they took the field you could tell that they meant business. Strong hornline with a good sound and fast paced opener kicked things off nicely after the intermission. Guard was strong and hit the crowd with some nice silver shimmering silks at the first impact. They seemed to be balanced across all areas (Brass, marching, guard and percussion) all the way through. The ballad was real nice with a lot of changes in dynamics. Soloists did a nice job and the mellophones were very good. I really enjoyed there intensity and I really think they have a bright future (Maybe div 1 in a couple of years ??) Summary: Crowd liked them a lot even though some the music was a bit abstract. Sharp group with a bight future. Phoenix: Phoenix had a real chore ahead of them following Esperanza but hung in there. The last time I saw the corps they were much bigger and had older members. Not sure what has happened but the corps did pretty good. The drumline seems to be one of the strongest parts of the corps and played well during their solo. But staff…please adjust the snare tuning…..like I said about the Raiders….snare tuning is way too tight. The guard was also quite strong and the rifles in particular. Summary: Did a pretty good job and the drumline and guard were particularly good. Spartans: This was another corps that I have heard a lot about but never had the chance to see. I always heard that their drumline is really good and that overall the corps is pretty solid. Well on Saturday the corps was real solid and I think score wise they should have been closer to Esperanza. The hornline plays with a lot of control and the balance and tone is real pleasing to the ear. Drumline was real tight and have some demanding drill in spots. Guard was solid as well. I real solid corps and the folks around really enjoyed the show. Summary: Real solid corps and I feel they are like a mini Star of Indiana (Helmets and all). Real smooth and controlled corps. East Coast Jazz: Haven’t seen this corps in a couple of years but there about as big as they have ever been and as good. The hornline is pretty small but have a really nice sound. They are using Bb horns. The drumline was pretty tight and played really well during their feature. The pit was strong and the guard had some pretty impressive tosses. Marching was pretty consistent as well. Summary: The hornline plays with some nice tone and the color guard was strong. Corps is pretty balanced across all areas. Crowd liked them. Jersey Surf: Well it was quite evident that this was Jersey Surf’s home show and I got the feeling that the corps had been looking forward to this show all week. The brass opens up right at the start with a big sound. This show is just plain fun…..what is the concept.??? Having a blast. They kept reminding me of the Velvet Knights but with a Jersey twist. The arrangements are really well done. I saw them about a month ago in Allentown and they have improved greatly since then. The pit was really good during Wipeout. A real breath of fresh air. Summary: A lot of fun. Plain and simple. Good wholesome drum corps. Marines: I wrote 2 words on my notepad regarding the Marines performance “Simply Awesome.” They had a really strong drumline and hornline. 44 horns that sounded like 64 +. A show will all kinds of musical styles. My kind of show. Sorry if some of my comments are bit on the general side but I found myself sitting back and enjoying the show more than in the past.

Went to the Clifton DCA show last night for my first viewing of senior corps. And here’s the review………. Weather: About 80 degrees with very low humidity and a light breeze…….perfect!!! National Anthem: Song by a girl from the Hawthorne Caballeros competing corps color guard nice voice…. Great Job! In Exhibition the Raiders: This was my second viewing of the corps and I think they are on the right track. I saw them back in June at the Giant Stadium show. Since then they have really improved the areas of the show that needed some attention (AKA 2nd number) The brass line started with a nice balanced opening impact to get things rolling. The mellophone and trumpet soloist did another fine job. Towards the end of the show the corps seemed a bit tired. I am sure it is just a matter of stamina. This will improve with time. I really like the drill that has been written for this corps. They cover the field nicely without exposing the corps too much. The percussion seems to be a bit better since Giant Stadium and I think I figured out why the snare line is little bit sloppy. It is the SNARE TUNING. WAY too tight in my opinion. But they are definitely improving. The pit did a really fine job and played some nice accompanying parts. Guard was also very good overall. In the ballad the guard pulls out 2 beautiful blue and silver flags (Per member) during a musical impact. Nice job Raiders……keep working…..your practice is paying off. Summary: Raiders are definitely getting better and the crowd supported their efforts with a polite response. Sunrisers: Great to see this corps back on the field. They may be smallish but the quality of the performers is at its typical Sunriser self. The show starts with a nice mellophone and soprano solo. The overall sound of the hornline (13 horns) was very controlled for the most part. Sometimes the corps sounded like they had more horns then they actually do and I noticed this when I looked down to jot down a few notes. The color guard uses nice flags throughout the show and do a good job. The drill is smartly written for the size of the corps and the members actually seem very comfortable with their drill assignments. The drumline consisted of 4 bass 2 snare and I think maybe 1 quint player. It would be nice to see 1 less bass and 1 addition snare but they did a fine job with what they had. Summary: SO Glad to see this corps back on the field and I feel they have a good foundation of talent and members to bring about a bigger and better corps in the coming years. The fans politely applauded their efforts. The crowd gave a deserved standing O when they trooped the stands. Skyliners: Nice to see this corps with a fielded drumline this year. The hornline played with some good overall drive and the soloists did a fine job to add excitement. The hornline finished every tune strong, which was a real treat. I think they just need to work on establishing a better sense of flow and continuity at this point. The drumline plays pretty good and the pit was especially nice to listen to. The pit was also pretty large in numbers. The color guard did a nice job and used nicely colored flags throughout. Members seemed fairly comfortable with the drill. Summary: I think the show just needs some overall cleaning. A little work on the transitions and cleaning will put this corps in real good shape. Crowd loved them (As always). Corpvets: HELLO Corpvets and welcome to NJ. I was really looking forward to seeing the Corpsvets tonight and they didn’t disappoint. Solid overall corps and really nice brass soloists. The hornline did a fine job and I really like the new uniforms. There is one part towards the end of the show where a small ensemble of horns play (Mostly sopranos) and hit some crunch chords. Well the rest of the hornline slowly gathers around them through some interesting drill and build the crunch chord. A little hard to explain but a really nice effect. The drumline did a good job and it appears that the snares need some cleaning. Good overall marching and the drill design is nice. The color guard was pretty big and they performed really well. Summary: This corps is getting better each year and they have a very serious approach. Really nice overall performance and the crowd liked them. I really look forward to seeing them in Scranton come Labor Day. Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have a really fun time with there presentation of the Sea’s which is the theme of this years show. The hornline played with a lot of drive and the opener was full of energy. At some of the loud impacts the sound is a bit bottom heavy. I really think it has a lot more to do with drill staging because at some points the upper brass cuts through well. The drumline was really solid and they played a pretty decent length solo about mid-show. The corps also marched pretty well overall. Some of the more difficult areas need some cleaning but nothing that can’t be done. The color guard did a real fine job and I loved their choice of big white sail-like flags in the opening impact. They also do a fine role-playing job in the more comical portion of the show. They also did a good job on the big tosses tonight. Summary: Overall a really nice show. The corps is balanced overall but I do have some concerns with the balance of the hornline. The lower brass seems to be more noticeable sound-wise then the upper. Some minor staging changes and balancing should clear this up. Nice jobs Bucs…..I love the show and look forward to seeing it again. Hurricanes: Hurcs do Vegas is a fun show. An absolutely amazing soprano soloist does a fine job throughout the show. The horniline plays pretty well overall and gives a short rendition of Mag 7 in the opener. There was some minor phasing issues but nothing that can not be cleaned up. The hornline seemed a little weak In some isolated spots but I think that this is being caused by some endurance issues. The young drumline did a pretty good job and I think that the snares probably need a little more cleaning. The drum solo was good but seemed to end to abruptly. The marching was pretty consistent throughout and just needs some cleaning. There are a couple of areas in the drill that require individual members to perform some Insane move that is probably not needed. The guard is its usual good self and I really like the playing card props in the beginning (Maybe this has something to do with my love of playing blackjack and gambling…don’t know). Summary: Overall this is a fun show that just needs some cleaning. The corps followed the Bucs tonight (Which was no easy task) so the crowd was a little short on applause. Most everyone around me (And including myself) really enjoyed the show and look really forward to seeing it again. Should be real nice by DCA Finals. Bushwackers: The hornline started the show with some really challenging articulations that were performed pretty darn well. There is a part in the show that features a really nice flugal horn duet. The hornline did a fine job in the ballad and pariculary well at the impact. The mellophones horns sounded really nice at the hit in the ballad. The drumline is pretty big and much improved from last year. The new uniforms are nice and the corps marched really well for this time of year. The guard seemed a little weaker than previous years but they did a fine job. I really like the Nasa jump suits and the flags that they used. Summary: Really good overall job and they may surprise a few corps come finals. The crowd gave the usual Bushwacker/Clifton show response. The corps is very talented and their fine marching surprised me a bit. Pretty clean for mid-July. Caballeros: Biggest most balanced hornline of the night that performed with a lot of dynamics. There was a little phasing played backfield building to the first be impact but the corps noticed and fixed it quick. The hornline did a nice job and are a bit muddy in the more difficult sections of the show. The pace is really fast throughout the whole show. The drumline did a real fine job and their drum solo is a blast with the extra bass drums…water effects and all. The rest of the drumline comes in and sprays a bit of smoke (AKA Powder) which is real nice as well. The drill is really fast pace and it may get a little to interesting if the field is wet. One brass player almost took a spill and 3 or other players would have went with him/her. The guard was really fun to watch and I feel that they are really doing a good job. Great job by the brass soloists as well. Summary: Being the Cabs home show they made the place go bananas. Actually this was one of the best performances I have seen from them at this show in a real long time. I am little concerned with difficulty of the music in some isolated spots as well as the drill. They leave no room for error. This corps can definitely challenge for the title. Should be interesting to see them face off with the folks (Brigs) from NY. Skyliner Alumni: Drum majors arrived in first class style (White stretch limousine) which the crowd ate up. Actually the crowd ate up everything the corps dished out. They are playing a couple of different numbers this year which is a real treat. The 12 snare do a really fine job as do the brass soloists. Nice Job SKY Alum….as always’ Caballero Alumni: I have seen the corps many times since its inception and felt like the corps played the best show they have played in a couple of years. The hornline did a fine job and all of the little new intros/interludes work real nice. The RUMPS to start the show was really nice to hear. The soloists did a great job and the drumline was solid. Marching was confident with room for some minor cleaning. Great job…..the hard work is paying off. Triple Forte (AKA Mangry)