oldbandguy Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Metheny himself is VERY hip with people arranging his music in drastically different ways (and with different instrumentation) than originally recorded, so I think this show is in the spirit of his wishes. Yes, but when he wants to listen to some of his music done "drum corps style" I'm betting he would pull out the 90's versions...not 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerseyboy Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Yes, but when he wants to listen to some of his music done "drum corps style" I'm betting he would pull out the 90's versions...not 2010. Or 1975 Madison over the 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 (edited) Or 1975 Madison over the 2010 Wow, that chip on your shoulder just won't go away, huh? I thought the Crossmen did pretty well last night. Edited July 18, 2010 by SFZFAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCFan Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 As a long-time Crossmen fan, previous "Jazz Club" member, etc, etc, I have to say I must step back, and look at Crossmen with great disappointment. I was patient while they did the move to TX, got acclimated, etc, etc. But this year I expected a turning point, and got one, in the other direction. They have played all this music before. I loved how they performed the Pat Metheny stuff before. But it was always so BRIGHT, BREEZY & UPBEAT, with a driving energy and optimism that is sorely lacking in this arrangement. I simply can't believe how flat, brooding, and downright dull this whole music book sounds. Incredible! The only section, IMHO, that is even holding on is the percussion. The rest is the same mediocrity that has plagued Crossmen for years: Woeful marching, so-so guard, lack of brass technique, etc, etc. And don't flame me, 'cause I love Crossmen, as I said! I'm just being blunt here! How they could look at corps like Crown & Boston, both of which they sparred with neck & neck for years, and not see that something is wrong, that Crossmen are on the wrong track, is simply beyond me. My 2 cents? They MUST take one area of the corps, and elevate it. Be it brass, perc, marching or guard, they need ONE area to improve dramatically, or they will not get out of this mess. When Crown was in the bottom of the top 12, they at least had a guard that was top-6. This held hope, which they eventually realized, that the entire corps could make similar strides. DO IT, Crossmen! If it takes hiring new staff, DO IT! The time is running out on you, and you will be relegated to years & years of complete mediocrity, or worse yet, disappear from the activity, as your recruitment dwindles. DO IT!!! AJMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 As a long-time Crossmen fan, previous "Jazz Club" member, etc, etc, I have to say I must step back, and look at Crossmen with great disappointment.I was patient while they did the move to TX, got acclimated, etc, etc. But this year I expected a turning point, and got one, in the other direction. They have played all this music before. I loved how they performed the Pat Metheny stuff before. But it was always so BRIGHT, BREEZY & UPBEAT, with a driving energy and optimism that is sorely lacking in this arrangement. I simply can't believe how flat, brooding, and downright dull this whole music book sounds. Incredible! The only section, IMHO, that is even holding on is the percussion. The rest is the same mediocrity that has plagued Crossmen for years: Woeful marching, so-so guard, lack of brass technique, etc, etc. And don't flame me, 'cause I love Crossmen, as I said! I'm just being blunt here! How they could look at corps like Crown & Boston, both of which they sparred with neck & neck for years, and not see that something is wrong, that Crossmen are on the wrong track, is simply beyond me. My 2 cents? They MUST take one area of the corps, and elevate it. Be it brass, perc, marching or guard, they need ONE area to improve dramatically, or they will not get out of this mess. When Crown was in the bottom of the top 12, they at least had a guard that was top-6. This held hope, which they eventually realized, that the entire corps could make similar strides. DO IT, Crossmen! If it takes hiring new staff, DO IT! The time is running out on you, and you will be relegated to years & years of complete mediocrity, or worse yet, disappear from the activity, as your recruitment dwindles. DO IT!!! AJMHO I hate to say it but they need to start with a new arranger. The current guy, although talented, is not getting it done for the Crossmen. I know the director and arranger have history but enough is enough. My 2cents. I stick with the Crossmen, I donate to the Crossmen, but I don't like the direction they are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibexpercussion Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 They need to move back to the East Coast, and get back to their roots starting with their location and membership. Right now they just seem to be a really good H.S. Marching band minus the woodwinds. As a former member of the Crossmen it pains me at times to see the direction they are going now (down in case anybody didn't know what direction that was). I hope they can figure things out, and start trying to make shows that can be successful at the DCI World Class Level, as opposed to the BOA level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyushujet Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Who is the arranger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seinphan Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Correct me if I'm wrong, please, but aren't their dues/fees the most expensive in all of DCI? One of my students marched there said the "Spring Training/All Days" fee combined with the dues was in the mid-high $3,000 range. If I'm on tour paying that much $$$, I'm looking at every other corps that pays significantly less and scoring significantly higher, and I'm gone the next year. My student is marching somewhere else this year. I wonder how many Crossmen alumni have jumped ship and marching somewhere else (somewhere else=another corps or Saturday night ) and paying less $$$? 1990's X-Men were great fun, they need to get it together. Drum wise, Bones used to be a "destination" corps that kids left their "starter" corps for. Now it's clearly the other way around. I think Guidry's arrangements could work if the staff wasn't having to teach it to primarily naive rookies that jump ship. My 2 cents...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liebot Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 The turning point was last year, when there was a ton of momentum building off of 2008, probably one of the highest vet retention rates in many, many years, and tons of talented members. Unfortunately a lot of talent jumped ship after last year because they were disappointed by the show and the staff. 2010's a rebuilding year, and if they can give the members a satisfying season, take a step in the right direction, and get it so there's a good return for 2011, I think things may start looking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corps8294 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 (edited) NYCFan makes some very good points and I'd like to continue on... The Crossmen first started to lose thier way before they headed down to cowpoke country. When they came out with Radar Love and Paradise By The Dashboard Light, that was big ol' "Oh! Oh!" right there. The 2005 corps still had the firepower and talent; but the product just wasn't there. In 2006, it got worse with the AM/FM radio show. Just flat out bad design all across the board. Again, in 2007, the corps made an attempt to tie in its roots with its new location; but the music choices and show design were very weak. And from there, that's when the Crossmen started to really lose thier way and thier punch. Sometimes the only way foreward is to look backwards; but backwards in a way to see what worked, was effective, was identifying, and didn't intimidate the membership in light of "certain music being sacred territory to the corps past." Everyone is well aware that the Crossmen had excellent success with Pat Methany music in the past; perhaps the best in the activity. However, there is more to the Crossmen than just Methany. Sure they dabled with the likes of Russian Christmas Music (which was also done quite well, by them); but I'm reminded of a slogan on thier 1989 tour shirt "High Velocity Jazz." To many, that's what the Crossmen were known for: high velocity jazz with sweet driving percussion, kickin' horn charts, and a dazzling metro feeling from the guard. What the Crossmen need is to perform a "best of show." Sure, they are attempting it with Methany; but go back prior to '91. How about coming out with another fierce arrangement of Summertime or Wind Machine? From there segway into a ripping arrangement of Caravan. To this day, nobody has been able to top the Crossmen's 1990 version of that classic. And as a closer, to show that they are progressing and looking ahead, while sticking to what worked and what the fans enjoy; find a new or newer piece of driving jazz. There are many great points made by many; hopefully, those on the Crossmen hierarchy will read some of these and take notice. And to add, my favorite Crossmen year of all time is 1987; they didn't even make top 12 that year! Edited July 18, 2010 by shortn'sour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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