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No Love for JAZZ ?


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The problem with corps trying to do jazz now is - in no particular order:

...

- The kind of kid who can do a junior corps season... these kids aren't exactly the same kind of cats who were signing up for BD, or Bayonne, or Madison, or Garfield in the 70's. ( Yes kids, Garfield was bad a## back in the day).

...

Could you elaborate? I'm not sure what you mean by this point.

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I too am concerned with the type of musician all corps are getting these days. Contrary to popular belief on this board, the quality level of the individual musician is declining. I think the true musicians, (Jeff Kivet, Harpo Blum, Chris Metzger, Dave Coolidge, Sean Owens, Edwin Bogart, Albert Dijikshroom, Chezirino, Morgan Larson, Scotty from Devils fame 93' Schipper)true players want nothing to do with the "music" most corps do these days. I only put up soprano musicians but the same holds true for all sections. If I were of age now adays, I would opt to go to Brevard, Blue Lake or just practice on my scales at home.etc...

You just don't hear the near virutuosic stuff coming from brass lines anymore. Think back to 83. Madison. Listen to the cadenza in Strawberry Soup. Listen to the line Rich Labrizzi plays before Sean wails on the most orgasmic riff I've ever heard.

Again most people on this board always rant about how hard stuff is now. I say bullcrap. The stuff most corps did in those days had more independent lines. That's more responsibility on the individual corps member then the block scoring you here now.

Discuss.

Very good points made, I agree for the most part.

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I stopped reading somewhere around page 6.

"One " of the reasons the switch to multi key from G horns was because the instruments were better " musically" giving corps a wider range of musicical choices for performance.

So why are we not hearing more difficult music ?

The intonation is great and the music is SOMETIMES entertaining, but I guess you can't RUN and play jazz ?

( sarcasm OFF )

Next question,

Even as a music educator, I don't think many people know what jazz is. It's become such a wise range of style that almost anything not classical or a march seems to fit into someones idea of what jazz may be.

There was a reason that Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman's music fit drum corps so well for a long time and, it WAS entertaining. I'd rather see drills slowed down a tad and bring some big band standards back into the shows. I have no problem with an occassional march being played ( Arrogone Rebels anyone )

There was a reason it was called an "opener, color pres, concert, drum solo, production number and closer". Not only could different styles be covered, differnt paced drills were written to fit the music, not music written to fit the drill.

Oh what's the use......

I'll shut up now

< stepping off soapbox >

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Could you elaborate? I'm not sure what you mean by this point.

Man, I've written and re-written this repsonse a few times, and this is the best way I can put it: The kids now seem nicer and much more affluent.

Does that matter? I don't know, it's just my opinion.

I don't mean to offend anyone. I'm just picturing Bayonne 77 vs Blue Knights 07 ... these are different kids, don't you agree?

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"One " of the reasons the switch to multi key from G horns was because the instruments were better " musically" giving corps a wider range of musicical choices for performance.

So why are we not hearing more difficult music ?

I still don't understand the switch to a *Bb* multi key horn from a G horn, outside of band-ifying drum corps and making it easy on the manufacturers. Or perhaps it was going to make it cheaper to obtain instruments. It wouldn't have been difficult to add a third valve to a G horn. Honestly, I don't think a Bb horn sounds good at all outdoors. The G key is a better sounding fundamental for me. The decay, and loss of resulting bass response, make Bb instruments sound sorta tinny to me. Could you score your Bb instruments in keys closer to what you'd have found with a G horn? Sure, but the intrinsic "home key" of the instrument makes a profound difference for me musically - in an outdoor setting.

Once drum corps took the "G" out of bugle, the groups have just become brass marching bands (no offense to bands, but what is really the difference anymore?). I guess that's what the whole genesis of the horn change was - merging/"legitimizing"/mainstreaming drum corps. It sure has had a positive effect on the growth of the activity now, hasn't it??? [no sarcasm here - lol]

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In my opinion the reason why no one is playing straight jazz is because they are doing the shows for the judges not the fans. The judges wanna have a different feel every 3 seconds and jazz shows dont do that. Can someone say Musical ADD? :wall:

I will say that staffs/arrangers consider the fans.....they are just dead last on the list (Most of the time)

1. judges/themselves

2. members

3. fans

To me........judges seem to have a one track mind. Do you want more chocolate with your chocolate ???

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Wow, you have some sad radio where ever you live.

Just tune into KUVO.org on your computer (out of Denver) for real jazz 24-7.

No Kenny G crap - the real thing.

You're lucky... Unless it's on a college station or public radio, all we get here is commercialized "95.7 The Wave" smooth jazz... I don't like.

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I too am concerned with the type of musician all corps are getting these days. Contrary to popular belief on this board, the quality level of the individual musician is declining. I think the true musicians, (Jeff Kivet, Harpo Blum, Chris Metzger, Dave Coolidge, Sean Owens, Edwin Bogart, Albert Dijikshroom, Chezirino, Morgan Larson, Scotty from Devils fame 93' Schipper)true players want nothing to do with the "music" most corps do these days. I only put up soprano musicians but the same holds true for all sections. If I were of age now adays, I would opt to go to Brevard, Blue Lake or just practice on my scales at home.etc...

You just don't hear the near virutuosic stuff coming from brass lines anymore. Think back to 83. Madison. Listen to the cadenza in Strawberry Soup. Listen to the line Rich Labrizzi plays before Sean wails on the most orgasmic riff I've ever heard.

Again most people on this board always rant about how hard stuff is now. I say bullcrap. The stuff most corps did in those days had more independent lines. That's more responsibility on the individual corps member then the block scoring you here now.

Discuss.

Or maybe a lot of those kids just cant afford to march anymore.

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