NYSkyliner Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Thanks, Jim- Pound for Pound, the Brassmen put on a FINE show. It really took me by suprise, and I'm a pretty jaded guy. The Baritone soloist is a guy by the name of Steve Wright. He's an original Brassmen. Following St. Rita's last season in 1973 he went to the New York Skyliners for a few years. We bumped into each other before the show. For some reason he was very surprised to see that I remembered him from back in our days in the New York Skyliners together. Meanwhile I was just as surprised that he remembered me. EXCELLENT horn. He took over the Baritone solos for the Brassmen since Ruben Ariola moved to soprano due to a lack of personnel in that section. Ruben happens to be one of the all time great Baritone soloists playing today. Rates right up there with Bobby Gaff. And now it seems that Stevie Wright is joining them. At the after show party I was telling Ruben the same thing you were about them going to DCA for Mini Corps. As a matter of fact I've been telling Ruben that for the past couple of years. Hey, maybe if we keep telling him, we'll hypnotize him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 The Baritone soloist is a guy by the name of Steve Wright. He's an original Brassmen. Following St. Rita's last season in 1973 he went to the New York Skyliners for a few years. We bumped into each other before the show. For some reason he was very surprised to see that I remembered him from back in our days in the New York Skyliners together. Meanwhile I was just as surprised that he remembered me. EXCELLENT horn. He took over the Baritone solos for the Brassmen since Ruben Ariola moved to soprano due to a lack of personnel in that section. Ruben happens to be one of the all time great Baritone soloists playing today. Rates right up there with Bobby Gaff. And now it seems that Stevie Wright is joining them. At the after show party I was telling Ruben the same thing you were about them going to DCA for Mini Corps. As a matter of fact I've been telling Ruben that for the past couple of years. Hey, maybe if we keep telling him, we'll hypnotize him. Heh- Like I said, they should just go for the fun of it, and let the chips fall where they may, and I think they'd fall quite nicely for them. And I think the crowd would definitely dig what they do. Thanks for telling me about Steve- Not that I can't play Bari- I can, I didn't play Lead for Westshore for 6 seasons stinkin' out the place (Big Ogre would've had me assassinated, shoved in front of a bus or something similar)-- but like I said, there's always somehting I can learn from a great player like Steve is. When I stop learning, as Pepe put it when DCI interviewed him, it'll be when the first shovel of dirt hits my face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjtomatoe@aol.com Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 That line of snares doing that Grey Ghost had my head spinning . . . and I hope to believe it is farewell for now YR, until we meet again . . . This was one fabulous Shamrock . . . and let's do a shout out to our fabulous Reilly Raider Director Frank Neill, we all sure put him through his paces on this evening . . . and as always he ROCKED THE SHOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 That line of snares doing that Grey Ghost had my head spinning . . . and I hope to believe it is farewell for now YR, until we meet again . . . This was one fabulous Shamrock . . . and let's do a shout out to our fabulous Reilly Raider Director Frank Neill, we all sure put him through his paces on this evening . . . and as always he ROCKED THE SHOW! Frank strikes me as a very relaxed and gentle guy- reading between the lines he must have been doing some lion-taming and traffic cop work back-stage to get everything ready and the show moving along? Wish I could have talked a bit to him at the party, but I figure he needed to decompress after the work he did onstage as the emcee and performing and didn't want to yank his chain out of courtesy. He did do a rather top-notch job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYSkyliner Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Frank strikes me as a very relaxed and gentle guy- reading between the lines he must have been doing some lion-taming and traffic cop work back-stage to get everything ready and the show moving along? Not really. The man feels absolutely no pressure whatsoever. If the show is running behind schedule? So what. He isn't a type A personality. And I'm sure you noticed his excellent skills at ad-libbing. Wish I could have talked a bit to him at the party, but I figure he needed to decompress after the work he did onstage as the emcee and performing and didn't want to yank his chain out of courtesy. He did do a rather top-notch job. Frank (who happens to be a relative of mine somewhere on my maternal side, 52nd cousin twice removed or something ) is (or was at one time) a radio announcer. At last year's Pennsylvania Drum Corps Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast Frank served as one of our emcees. Gary Matczak from the Erie Thunderbirds served as the other emcee. Two of the best and they worked VERY well together. Gary has the same temperment as Frank. They both have a very calming affect on me, and believe me that ain't easy to do. You really could have approached him. The man is as warm as the sun that shines upon your face, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 I'm sure you noticed his excellent skills at ad-libbing.Frank (who happens to be a relative of mine somewhere on my maternal side, 52nd cousin twice removed or something ) is (or was at one time) a radio announcer. I figured if he wasn't in radio, he could have been- and I did like the stories. hey-- running out of beer on a long trip less than halfway there on a train with a Senior Corps on Board? Could that ever happen!? Naaaah... not at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the mello guy Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Heh- Like I said, they should just go for the fun of it, and let the chips fall where they may, and I think they'd fall quite nicely for them. And I think the crowd would definitely dig what they do.Thanks for telling me about Steve- Not that I can't play Bari- I can, I didn't play Lead for Westshore for 6 seasons stinkin' out the place (Big Ogre would've had me assassinated, shoved in front of a bus or something similar)-- but like I said, there's always somehting I can learn from a great player like Steve is. When I stop learning, as Pepe put it when DCI interviewed him, it'll be when the first shovel of dirt hits my face. Thanks big W for your kind review of the Brassmen.They are a great bunch of drum corps people to be playing with.I have been with them now for about 5 years ,and enjoying it alot. Billy Di Paolo St.Joseph Patron Cadets feeder corps-1964-65 St Joseph Patron Sea Cadets -1966-72 Long Island Sunrisers-1972,73,74,75,76,77,78,80 -2007 Sun HOF 2005 St Ritas Brassmen Alumni 2005--------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 Thanks big W for your kind review of the Brassmen.They are a great bunch of drum corps people to be playing with.I have been with them now for about 5 years ,and enjoying it alot.Billy Di Paolo St.Joseph Patron Cadets feeder corps-1964-65 St Joseph Patron Sea Cadets -1966-72 Long Island Sunrisers-1972,73,74,75,76,77,78,80 -2007 Sun HOF 2005 St Ritas Brassmen Alumni 2005--------- Tony told me a fair proportion of you are ex-Sun, and it's no suprise- everyone had their heads totally into performing that program the way it was meant to be performed- something Sun was always very, very good at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Hey watch that blame or you'll be the next one having their picture taken with a rubber chicken More on THAT in a little while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Oh, a pic was taken, Jim.... hehe..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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