Jeff Ream Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Bolich entertains the hell out of me on facebook. but really Jim....you're what....one light and 4 stop signs away? Show up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hey! Yeah, when band season hit and I ended up in West-by-God-Virgina all fall driving 250 miles one way- I kinda have to leave the Drum Corps Planet. Luckily I did get Aaron Lichtenwalner to do one run with me which was a godsend. Doing that alone, especially at night, even when you're a night person can be tough. Deer, foxes, twisty roads, trying to figure out how much gas you got and how far it will get yah- all crazy. I know like every goofy place to fuel up out there. Little Sandy's Truck stop makes a good buckwheat pancake. Some groups are learning, working hard, getting better. Some.... it will take time. It's like a time capsule out there once in awhile. Stuff you haven't heard in literally decades like Larry Kerchner's "My Favorite Things" get heard- albeit the fire hose got taken to it, which irked me. Boom played that I think one year at LHS and THEY could play the 4 against three for God's sake as well as the 10-8/mixed meter stuff. Anyhow, I hope Chris is starting to feel better, Jeff, and again, congratulations. Jim, come and say Hi! I almost had to beg an Ultratone off you or someone, I ended up getting my left middle finger slammed by a nasty box on the sort slide. Very slight fracture on the very tip, bad cut, if it was the right one for second valve- I'd have needed a piston-rotor horn. As for Alumni Corps, It felt GREAT. When I play, I feel alive. So, so alive. I missed a couple notes and scared Dave, but I hit more than I missed. The charts are coming together, and I have to say the 4 guys on Bass Drum with Ream for all being different from last year and the past few were pretty good for just getting together. Anyhow, back to 1982, where a lot of good things happened to us. I've been thinking a lot about it. I have to wonder whether DCA/ the Drum Corps community figured that we'd be happy being at the bottom of the top in DCA. It's not a bad place to be. But we wanted more as a group. We were hungry. We'd beaten Reading in 1978 at some shows- beaten the Hurcs at some shows, really competed hard with Sun in 1980 and managed to come out on top- and even been close to the Cabs at finals in 1981. It was obvious we were close-- and that inside, we knew we could do it, but how? There were staff changes and a fresh approach. I discussed this before. Horn-wise, Frank Dorritte gave us a distinctive voice that we loved and bought into. Dave "Who!?!?!?" pushed quality and attention to detail, and we all stood there and nodded, and worked hard. Eric Kitchenmen took the time to show us EXACTLY how to march, and worked us hard to make it internalized. Everything was about quality, and caring greatly about quality. The once-just young guys in Percussion were now experienced young guys that moved into more demanding spots and pushed themselves with Robb Muller. A lot of us 'kids' were experienced kids with 4 or more seasons under our belt, and we got more young guys like Frank Magel on board, who we worked into the crew. We wanted to be GOOD. We wanted to be in that top group in DCA and compete! We had the people who understood how to get us there of we just, as Gary told us to do, listen to them. It wasn't easy. I see mroe and more over the last couple of years with some bands how some kids wilt under any mention of a problem. You who know me know after what I went through the last thing I'd do is get all over a kid who screws up, but it seems in this era with a lot of HS programs, the kids wilt and curl up in a ball if anything's remotely said about anything being remotely wrong. And, well, you know where those programs end up- at the bottom, of the barrel, and then, what kills me even more they sit there wondering why they get clobbered by 15 points! We were pushed, and at times pushed hard. Dave never yelled, but the horn sectionals were INTENSE, EXACT, and could be a real mental grind. It had to be right. Everyone had to be right, and on the same page. Every detail was gone over carefully with every note. Fran mentioned awhile ago that because there was no internet and no really fast communication, people really didn't know what was going on with us that winter. We didn't have a fella like Tom Moore dropping a friendly press release telling people we'd went to a west-coast-style of jazz, and that things were better than ever, and that we were excited about the upcoming season and performing for everyone. We knew we were better. We knew the music was a lot better, we knew we were marching a lot better, but where we were at- we didn't know. We just kept working hard, harder then we had been, and we knew we were getting more done at rehearsals, and knew more of the show, and knew it to a higher degree than we had known it over the winter. But what would that add up to? We didn't know what anyone else was doing, either, other than that they had to be working hard and learning as well! Looking back, we began to get some hints about ourselves from Frank, speaking of Bruce and Terry and the Milton guys. I've been at it for 21 minutes now, and my fingers are a bit rough. I'll talk about what Frank told us ASAP, which got us thinking...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) Well Gee guess I can stop in and say hi to Wally anyway... BigW I just got the Duratone P/R undented up at Marysville and new corks. Rotor clanks a bit and HornsUp sez he doesn't have the replacement parts I need. So I have to move the rotor gently so you don't hear clunk-clunk on the second valve notes. Oh Jeff... about 6 stop signs. they added some on 19th street..... Oh yeah.... Kris turns 50 this Sunday.... Edit: "age of no Internet" sparked a 6 week corps memory. After Prelims the buses went somewhere (dinner?) and ran into a couple with a kid about 8. Kid says "Hey I like the Westshoremen" and the parents say they are looking forward to seeing us tonight at Finals.... Hoooo boy! Had to tell 'em, they wouldn't be seeing us and too long of a story to explain. Edited January 31, 2012 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well Gee guess I can stop in and say hi to Wally anyway... BigW I just got the Duratone P/R undented up at Marysville and new corks. Rotor clanks a bit and HornsUp sez he doesn't have the replacement parts I need. So I have to move the rotor gently so you don't hear clunk-clunk on the second valve notes. Oh Jeff... about 6 stop signs. they added some on 19th street..... Oh yeah.... Kris turns 50 this Sunday.... Edit: "age of no Internet" sparked a 6 week corps memory. After Prelims the buses went somewhere (dinner?) and ran into a couple with a kid about 8. Kid says "Hey I like the Westshoremen" and the parents say they are looking forward to seeing us tonight at Finals.... Hoooo boy! Had to tell 'em, they wouldn't be seeing us and too long of a story to explain. take 21st street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 My GAWD! It's... A-LIVE!!!!! Welcome back! I needs to hit the gym, but after my workout, and some other things I'll be back to continue the elaboration...including the drumline's getting rid of "RC Cola" and switching to "Coke".... Hey! Yeah, when band season hit and I ended up in West-by-God-Virgina all fall driving 250 miles one way- I kinda have to leave the Drum Corps Planet. Luckily I did get Aaron Lichtenwalner to do one run with me which was a godsend. Doing that alone, especially at night, even when you're a night person can be tough. Deer, foxes, twisty roads, trying to figure out how much gas you got and how far it will get yah- all crazy. I know like every goofy place to fuel up out there. Little Sandy's Truck stop makes a good buckwheat pancake. Some groups are learning, working hard, getting better. Some.... it will take time. It's like a time capsule out there once in awhile. Stuff you haven't heard in literally decades like Larry Kerchner's "My Favorite Things" get heard- albeit the fire hose got taken to it, which irked me. Boom played that I think one year at LHS and THEY could play the 4 against three for God's sake as well as the 10-8/mixed meter stuff. Anyhow, I hope Chris is starting to feel better, Jeff, and again, congratulations. Jim, come and say Hi! I almost had to beg an Ultratone off you or someone, I ended up getting my left middle finger slammed by a nasty box on the sort slide. Very slight fracture on the very tip, bad cut, if it was the right one for second valve- I'd have needed a piston-rotor horn. As for Alumni Corps, It felt GREAT. When I play, I feel alive. So, so alive. I missed a couple notes and scared Dave, but I hit more than I missed. The charts are coming together, and I have to say the 4 guys on Bass Drum with Ream for all being different from last year and the past few were pretty good for just getting together. Anyhow, back to 1982, where a lot of good things happened to us. I've been thinking a lot about it. I have to wonder whether DCA/ the Drum Corps community figured that we'd be happy being at the bottom of the top in DCA. It's not a bad place to be. But we wanted more as a group. We were hungry. We'd beaten Reading in 1978 at some shows- beaten the Hurcs at some shows, really competed hard with Sun in 1980 and managed to come out on top- and even been close to the Cabs at finals in 1981. It was obvious we were close-- and that inside, we knew we could do it, but how? There were staff changes and a fresh approach. I discussed this before. Horn-wise, Frank Dorritte gave us a distinctive voice that we loved and bought into. Dave "Who!?!?!?" pushed quality and attention to detail, and we all stood there and nodded, and worked hard. Eric Kitchenmen took the time to show us EXACTLY how to march, and worked us hard to make it internalized. Everything was about quality, and caring greatly about quality. The once-just young guys in Percussion were now experienced young guys that moved into more demanding spots and pushed themselves with Robb Muller. A lot of us 'kids' were experienced kids with 4 or more seasons under our belt, and we got more young guys like Frank Magel on board, who we worked into the crew. We wanted to be GOOD. We wanted to be in that top group in DCA and compete! We had the people who understood how to get us there of we just, as Gary told us to do, listen to them. It wasn't easy. I see mroe and more over the last couple of years with some bands how some kids wilt under any mention of a problem. You who know me know after what I went through the last thing I'd do is get all over a kid who screws up, but it seems in this era with a lot of HS programs, the kids wilt and curl up in a ball if anything's remotely said about anything being remotely wrong. And, well, you know where those programs end up- at the bottom, of the barrel, and then, what kills me even more they sit there wondering why they get clobbered by 15 points! We were pushed, and at times pushed hard. Dave never yelled, but the horn sectionals were INTENSE, EXACT, and could be a real mental grind. It had to be right. Everyone had to be right, and on the same page. Every detail was gone over carefully with every note. Fran mentioned awhile ago that because there was no internet and no really fast communication, people really didn't know what was going on with us that winter. We didn't have a fella like Tom Moore dropping a friendly press release telling people we'd went to a west-coast-style of jazz, and that things were better than ever, and that we were excited about the upcoming season and performing for everyone. We knew we were better. We knew the music was a lot better, we knew we were marching a lot better, but where we were at- we didn't know. We just kept working hard, harder then we had been, and we knew we were getting more done at rehearsals, and knew more of the show, and knew it to a higher degree than we had known it over the winter. But what would that add up to? We didn't know what anyone else was doing, either, other than that they had to be working hard and learning as well! Looking back, we began to get some hints about ourselves from Frank, speaking of Bruce and Terry and the Milton guys. I've been at it for 21 minutes now, and my fingers are a bit rough. I'll talk about what Frank told us ASAP, which got us thinking...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Jim, I figured you had one- but I'm good. My left middle finger kinda lies there right now instead of curling around the valve casings. Thankfully not to the point that anyone thinks I'm flipping them off while I play. Here's the story about Frank Dorrite when he was working the horn line at CV one winter. In the middle of the practice, he looks up, stops, and saus, "Hey- you guys can all read music, can't yah?" I nod my head, most people are bobbleheading yes, and Terry and Bruce Bolich are kinda like, "Ummmm!?!?!?", and Mike looks over at Terry, the other contras smack Bruce, "Yeah, you can read music, you goofs!" Terry says, "Well, not like, right away...." Frank laughs and then said, "No I don't mean, can you sight-read well. That's something different. You know about notes, pitches, fingerings, rhythms and that kind of thing, right?" They answer,"Well, yeah!" And of course, everyone goes Three Stooges on Bolich and Terry while Frank laughs. Frank then says, "You guys are the first horn line I've taught where everyone can read music." We look around, very confused. I look over at Frank, and say very seriously and innocently, "Doesn't everyone!?" Frank smiles, shakes his head, and says, "No. No, they don't." I think it dawned on not only me, but all of us that we actually had a weapon we could use to take on the big names! I know that I took it for granted that everyone in a horn line, especially at the DCA high-end could all read music! I know younger people would be aghast, but that was the way it was in many instances, even in the early 80's. Maybe we had a lot of kids, but most of us had been at least trained in what was effectively a minor-league system in Central PA and been competing in ToB and Cavalcade- or both- and had half an idea of competing before we got to Westshore. We also came from good school music programs and were fairly well educated about the basics. Bands like Middletown- Lewistown, CV, East Pennsboro, Carlisle, Camp Hill, Shikellamy, Lebanon, Northern Lebanon, Williamsport, I can go on here- maybe not all the greatest or legendary like a couple on that list, but we were well educated in music and the fundamentals of musicianship before we came to Westshore, and it dawned on us we might have an advantage against some of these guys were were up against, and in some ways, we could hold our own with them. I'm certain Dave already knew this, and I think it dawned on Frank what he had in front of him, screwy, young, but not stupid/musically ignorant, and how he could take advantage of what we were good at and use it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 back then it would have been really cavalcade heavy. TOB didnt really explode around here until the mid 80s. Heck until I think it was 88, most of MD was part of the local TOB Chapter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 back then it would have been really cavalcade heavy. TOB didnt really explode around here until the mid 80s. Heck until I think it was 88, most of MD was part of the local TOB Chapter yeah, it was ALL Cavalcades! Maryland was primarily TOB country from what I knew at that time. (although my wife claims that her band, Wyoming Area, did TOB shows BITD) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 yeah, it was ALL Cavalcades! Maryland was primarily TOB country from what I knew at that time. (although my wife claims that her band, Wyoming Area, did TOB shows BITD) To Jeff and Ben, YES. That being said, there was some serious ToB activity BITD/late 70's in Chapter 4, mainly because that area was a bit remote from the CoB shows. Williamsport, Shamokin, Shik, Lock Haven, Bald Eagle-Nittany (Perhaps THE best small band in the US in the late 70's), Crestwood (I think Chapter 4 at that time still included NEPA), and Lewistown were all pretty active in ToB and all of them were at worst reasonably successful. Lewistown got more involved with ToB as time went on in the late 70's, I think because we had more success, the shows were closer, and we were seeing Jim Prime, Sr. a lot on panels, which was a big help to us as kids and also trying to figure out how to get better. Ralph Fair was also very helpful to the Lewistown program in terms of trying to get the visual program competitive and out of the visual scoring gutter. Musically, we were quite respectable, no embarassment there. You'd see the Harrisburg bands mainly in CoB at that time, with some occassional crossovers. Heck, we even went to some PennFed (what is now PIMBA) BITD as did even CV when a show was somewhat close, and they were back them in the Johsntown area- not too horrible a trip from Central PA. The main point is- a goodly number of the Westshore kids were competing a lot (5-7 contests) in the fall, and learning from good judges who then were also judging DCA as well. We weren't 100% ignorant when we came to the corps, which was a real advantage for us, I think. I don't think every corps in the NE quite had that going for them in that time frame (Reading excepted- they had WCU as a feeder more or less), BUT-- the other corps had long term vets and older, hopefully more mature people who learned from the school of hard knocks how to win. Wyoming Area was ToB in the mid-80's. This I know, I did drill design for them hmm, around.... 1984/5!?!?!? And THAT, is another rather interesting story.... By the Mid-80's, things were getting wierd with Cavalcade. I won't publicly name names- but when one of the NEPA powerhouses staff members who was a friend and classmate of mine comes to me at WCU and tells me they scored a 9.2 out of 8 in a subcaption at a big Cavalcade contest in the Philly area -- no typo there, yeah, a 9.2 out of 8. I won't name publically who goofed, we got along with him well at Westshore in period (I think he partied after shows with us at least once and was a GREAT partier) and I like the guy very much personally. Ben and crew- I'll name names when we finally can get together some time over dinner.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) yeah, it was ALL Cavalcades! Maryland was primarily TOB country from what I knew at that time. (although my wife claims that her band, Wyoming Area, did TOB shows BITD) They did up that way. Harrisburg/York/Lebanon/Lancaster took a while to grow, but we had a mix. I'm actually working on a list of all bands to attend ACC's with scores ( if you have 1988 group 3 please let me know) for TOB's 40th. I hope to have thatdone in the next month or so....go up to 1985 I think. Someone else has, to the best of our knowledge a list of every unit to ever attend Wildwood, tho scores is another issue there. it looks like 87 and 88 was the big explosion around here. www.tob-info.net Edited January 31, 2012 by Jeff Ream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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