vferrera

Question: was this show perhaps inspired by a certain RAMD "personality"? Just asking.

We only beat BD a few times, but it was quite satisfying when we did. I distinctly remember Whitewater 81. You guys made quite a scene playing yourselves off the field. If only we'd been able to sustain our momentum through to Nationals. :(

Jim Elvord taught the Cavaliers hornline in 77. The arrangements were done by Cliff Colnot. As I recall, we tied BD in brass execution. Cliff was a bassoonist, which may account for the obscurity you mentioned. 77 was the first year for 2-valve horns, but only the sopranos had them, I believe.

What about DA BEARS!!! Can we get a Super Bowl Shuffle over here?

I marched in the Scouts in 1980. After we finished our prelims show, I remember going into the stands and watching 27th. That was a great show and marched to near perfection. But the horns. Oy! If they had just tuned them better, they would have gone up a point. That was the year each of the top 4 had a major weakness: BD drums, 27th horns, Bridgemen and Spirit marching. Of course, they've fixed that with the judging. Now if you win visual, you win everything.

Hunter Moss, Shaun Owens... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Jeff Kievet from Muchachos Great Madison soloists from the 70s-80s: The quartet in Malaguena 78 (Scott Barella, CJ Johnson, Rob Dunham, Scott Beckman). Also Fred Bell (79), Mike Nuccio (malaguena duet), Mike Mosgrove (malaguena duet), Greg Jarosz (They're playing our song), Paul Rowan, Ira Aronson (Strawberry Soup), Rich LaBrizzi (Cats) and of course Shaun Owens. Beckman and Jarosz won individual sop in 78 and 80, resp. And not to mention Perry Smith and Dave Ramthun on bari (Malaguena), and Ray Peery and Kent Eversmeyer on FH (Ice Castles). Sorry if I left anyone out.

Frankly, I don't think that was a very balanced comparison. You gush over BD and then nitpick SCV. I only saw them once each, but I got a totally different vibe. First, let me say that I think they are both great corps that are performing difficult programs at a very high level. However, I find BD musically to be rather loud, aggressive, and about as nuanced as... well. something that isn't very nuanced. To me, their drill seemed static and their guard was not well-integrated (seemed to be doing their own show). But they do execute better than anyone else. SCV on the other hand seemed to have a better "total show" design, with all elements - music, drill, guard - working toward the same effect most of the time. Their drill has more movement and more impact points than BD, or at least it seemed that way to me. SCV's execution in both music and marching was just perceptably not quite to the level of BD. In terms of emotional connection, there was no comparison (for me). Scheherezade was simply magical. BD was just too cerebral. Also, their attitude really turns me off. I'm from Chicago so I have a certain idea of "blues". BD didn't really approximate that too well, but, hey, that's just me. I have a different description of BD's style of music, but it isn't real complementary, so I'll just keep it to myself. I've been catching up on my summer reading, so if I had to compare BD and SCV to American authors, I'd say BD is like Hemingway - clear, succinct, well-structured, masculine, and letter perfect. SCV reminds me more of F. Scott Fitzgerald - a little more loosely structured, but also a more lyrical style, more romantic, and, ultimately, more satisfying. My own opinion, of course.

I have two tickets for Music in Motion at Giants Stadium, thurs. July 22. $25/ea. Good seats. send email to vpf3@columbia.edu