Ray Priester Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Let's see what Andy and Ray P. say, they were part of it. All I know is, I wish I was there the night he thought it up.......... I've told her on Facebook and in an e-mail that the "Traffic Jam" was the brainchild of Bobby Hoffman. It was not a 'scatter drill' , it was more of semi-organized chaos! Why do you not believe me, my Queen?? OK Andy, your turn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I've told her on Facebook and in an e-mail that the "Traffic Jam" was the brainchild of Bobby Hoffman. It was not a 'scatter drill' , it was more of semi-organized chaos! Why do you not believe me, my Queen?? OK Andy, your turn! Ray, I believe some think the part of the drill after the intersection, moving into the company front was no more than scattered walking, then finding your spot. If it was, I'd be surprised. I'd ask Leo, but I haven't heard from him lately. I'd also like to hear what the comments were from the drill judge, first time it was performed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Ray, I believe some think the part of the drill after the intersection, moving into the company front was no more than scattered walking, then finding your spot. If it was, I'd be surprised. I'd ask Leo, but I haven't heard from him lately. I'd also like to hear what the comments were from the drill judge, first time it was performed. after watching it so many times you can se everybody moving to their spot in an organized way. and weather it was made that way or the individuals made it that way i don't know. but people i knew in the corp made the same " drill" maneuver every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) after watching it so many times you can se everybody moving to their spot in an organized way. and weather it was made that way or the individuals made it that way i don't know. but people i knew in the corp made the same " drill" maneuver every time. I have no doubt it was organized. If not, it would open the door to disaster. Last thing a DC needs is the "All Fall Down" technique. And yes, I know it worked in Bayonne. Edited June 20, 2014 by gsksun4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I have no doubt it was organized. If not, it would open the door to disaster. Last thing a DC needs is the "All Fall Down" technique. LOL!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 >> I've told her on Facebook and in an e-mail that the "Traffic Jam" was the brainchild of Bobby Hoffman. It was not a 'scatter drill' , it was more of semi-organized chaos! Why do you not believe me, my Queen?? OK Andy, your turn! >> Ok ... I'll do my best ... Glenn's depiction was accurate in that the move was "controlled chaos" ... the setup move was the corps lining up to form NY streets (files/columns) with he horns moving N/S and E/W to "the Sounds of The City" ... at the end and "accident" occurred at the intersection when all the contras collided with each other ... this caused the "Traffic Jam" with the horns now blaring away like car horns ... the corps may have appeared to be wandering aimlessly, but that would not be accurate ... each player had a designated spot to reach in a certain # of steps to form a "company front" for the final hit of L'il Old NY ... in fact the entire Traffic Jam was charted note-for-note by Hy ... the mellophones were key with their part signaling where the "jam" was and how close it was to the last chord ... a certain amount of embellishment was added by the players through the years ... it was definitely Bobby Hoffman's brainchild ... he first introduced the concept to the corps in the Salderini Post ... he originally wanted a wedge as the final picture but, the company front made more sense ... ... and that's what I remember ... :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 >> I've told her on Facebook and in an e-mail that the "Traffic Jam" was the brainchild of Bobby Hoffman. It was not a 'scatter drill' , it was more of semi-organized chaos! Why do you not believe me, my Queen?? OK Andy, your turn! >> Ok ... I'll do my best ... Glenn's depiction was accurate in that the move was "controlled chaos" ... the setup move was the corps lining up to form NY streets (files/columns) with he horns moving N/S and E/W to "the Sounds of The City" ... at the end and "accident" occurred at the intersection when all the contras collided with each other ... this caused the "Traffic Jam" with the horns now blaring away like car horns ... the corps may have appeared to be wandering aimlessly, but that would not be accurate ... each player had a designated spot to reach in a certain # of steps to form a "company front" for the final hit of L'il Old NY ... in fact the entire Traffic Jam was charted note-for-note by Hy ... the mellophones were key with their part signaling where the "jam" was and how close it was to the last chord ... a certain amount of embellishment was added by the players through the years ... it was definitely Bobby Hoffman's brainchild ... he first introduced the concept to the corps in the Salderini Post ... he originally wanted a wedge as the final picture but, the company front made more sense ... ... and that's what I remember ... :-) that's what i thought. and it's how it looked after seeing it time after time. BRILLIANT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Will have to watch it again guys as wondering if the number of steps was different for the marchers. IOW some had to be at their point in the front before others. In the mess I posted about the entire MB was to hit their mark in the rocket form on the last count. And heaven help anyone standing still (at their mark) before then as Casavant wanted MOVEMENT!!!. Edited June 21, 2014 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) >>Will have to watch it again guys as wondering if the number of steps was different for the marchers. IOW some had to be at their point in the front before others.<< Jim ... don't think in # of steps ... the guys definitely meandered into their slots for the company front ... similar to horses being led into their starting gates ... musically, the mellos set up the "meter" of the phrases ... I just took a look at it and saw that Bobby used a certain number of horns to set the distance for the final hit ... The main point I'm trying to make here is that it was very cleverly thought out and each player wound up in the same spot every time ... well ... almost ... LOL ... it looks so simple now ... but ... in 1972 (as evidenced by the video) the crowd went nuts ... :-) Edited June 21, 2014 by ajlisko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Traffic jam? Brilliant, although I missed 1972 as I've said too many times. Got to see Sky reprise it later, plus got to be on board when Bayonne integrated it brilliantly in their NYC montage. Scatter drill? Now you're hitting me in my worst drum corps sore spot. I wish I had $1 for every time someone on a drum corps staff came to a meeting or a rehearsal with the idea of a "scatter drill" with "pick any note 'chord'" (double yuch) climaxing into a company front and a very loud major chord. In essentially every case the result of not knowing how to solve some specific show problem, usually a result of editing down a too long production, and not being willing to invest the time to get it right, either before the piece got too long, or when it was apparent it didn't work. You may each be able to give me ten recollections of this as a successful ploy, but for me it's like choking on a chicken bone. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Traffic jam? Brilliant. Bobby? A master. Scatter drill? Blech, especially after 1972. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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