Best Brass Arranger of the 80's, 90's and 00's

[WestCoaster]

I can respect that, but I do feel his writing since 2002 has been a totally different animal .... and it tastes gamey.

I love Venison.

Anyway, you're entitled to your opinion AND as I said I like the old stuff best (82, 84, 85, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93 stand out, but it's all good!), BUT I would stack up 03, 06, 07, and 09 and 10 against any of those...it's different, but hardly inferior unless you simply don't care for it.

[jwillis35]

Here's a quick bio for everyone on the list:

Wayne Downey - Arranger and caption head for Blue Devils

Scott Boerma - Probably should have not put him on this list for the 80's- Arranger for Scouts from 89 - 06

Jim Prime Jr. - Arranger for Crossmen, Bridgemen, Garfield Cadets and Star of Indiana

Jim Ott - Spirit of Atlanta - died in 1980

Michael Klesch - Arranger for Cadets, Crossmen, Carolina Crown, Colts, Phantom Regiment

Gail Royer - Arranger and corps director for SCV until his passing.

Jim Wren - Music arranger for Phantom Regiment, 1968-1996.

Key Poulan - Arranger for Santa Clara Vanguard 00's

Richard Saucedo - Arranger for The Cavaliers 00's and the Troopers

J.D. Shaw - Arranger for Phantom Regiment 00's

Doug Thrower- Arranger for Blue Coats since 1997, Dutch Boy, the Kiwanis Kavaliers and the Canadian Knights

This is mostly off the top of my head ... please feel free to make corrections !!!!! Klesch is a tough one because he worked with multiple groups simultaneously ... no way I could figure out years for corps with him but I do recall his writing resulted in some of the most successful years for those corps ... Garfield/CBC especially.

I have added a few more great arrangers to the list.

Jim Ott also wrote for the Blue Devils in the 1970s, but not sure when he stopped.

Gordon Henderson wrote many of the 1980s shows for SCV - some great stuff

Robert W. Smith may best be known to fans for being at the forefront of creating original programming for drum corps in the 1980s. A brass arranger who brought the Florida-based Suncoast Sound to prominence during the corps’ finalist seasons of 1983-1989, he also wrote shows for the Velvet Knights, Spirit of Atlanta, Magic of Orlando, Glassmen and the Cadets (1989's Les Mis show).

Raymond J. Baumgardt may be most notably remembered for his work with the Madison Scouts in the 1970s, but overall he was one of the drum corps activity’s most prolific music arrangers. At the head of early “concept shows,” Baumgardt arranged “Alice in Wonderland” for the Madison Scouts as well as the Cavaliers’ groundbreaking 1971 “Circus Show.” Throughout his drum corps career, Baumgardt created some of the most memorable drum corps arrangements of all time including “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” “McArthur Park,” “The Way We Were,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Ballet in Brass” and “Brian’s Song.” Also working with the Spirit of Atlanta, Cavaliers, Troopers, 27th Lancers, Colts, Capitolaires and the Erie Thunderbirds Senior Corps, his work influenced an entirely new generation of drum corps arrangers.

I just pulled the last two off the DCI site.

Edited August 17, 2010 by jwillis35

[supersop]

I have added a few more great arrangers to the list.

Jim Ott also wrote for the Blue Devils in the 1970s, but not sure when he stopped.

Gordon Henderson wrote many of the 1980s shows for SCV - some great stuff

Robert W. Smith may best be known to fans for being at the forefront of creating original programming for drum corps in the 1980s. A brass arranger who brought the Florida-based Suncoast Sound to prominence during the corps’ finalist seasons of 1983-1989, he also wrote shows for the Velvet Knights, Spirit of Atlanta, Magic of Orlando, Glassmen and the Cadets (1989's Les Mis show).

Raymond J. Baumgardt may be most notably remembered for his work with the Madison Scouts in the 1970s, but overall he was one of the drum corps activity’s most prolific music arrangers. At the head of early “concept shows,” Baumgardt arranged “Alice in Wonderland” for the Madison Scouts as well as the Cavaliers’ groundbreaking 1971 “Circus Show.” Throughout his drum corps career, Baumgardt created some of the most memorable drum corps arrangements of all time including “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” “McArthur Park,” “The Way We Were,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Ballet in Brass” and “Brian’s Song.” Also working with the Spirit of Atlanta, Cavaliers, Troopers, 27th Lancers, Colts, Capitolaires and the Erie Thunderbirds Senior Corps, his work influenced an entirely new generation of drum corps arrangers.

I just pulled the last two off the DCI site.

Great additions ... RWSmith and Baumgardt were definitely legendary!!! I would still have to vote for Downey in the 80's over R.W. Smith ... but man did he write some tasty charts. Like I said in the beginning.... the 80's was a tough racket. So many great writers turning out Classic shows!!!!!

[SACMellos2010]

I voted Jimmer 80's and 90's as he did incredible work and also shows the ability to write different styles. No disrespect to Downey but for the most part the writing over the years has been quite similar. I voted Klesch for 00's.

And for those that are basing their vote strictly on brass trophies well 90-93 were 4 straight Jim Ott's for Star of Indiana with Walton, Respighi, The American Show, and then Barber and Bartok. Talk about 3 distinct differences that he brought to the field in an incredible manner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited August 17, 2010 by SACMellos2010

[WestCoaster]

No disrespect to Downey but for the most part the writing over the years has been quite similar.

No, that's not disrespectful at all.

[WestCoaster]

And for those that are basing their vote strictly on brass trophies well 90-93 were 4 straight Jim Ott's for Star of Indiana with Walton, Respighi, The American Show, and then Barber and Bartok. Talk about 3 distinct differences that he brought to the field in an incredible manner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wayne Downey shared two of them.

But certainly the Star hornline was awesome in those days...no doubt.

In the early 90's, there really were only two hornlines battling it out for first place, and both were amazing...legendary stuff!

[bluecoats88]

I voted for Downey in the 80's & 90's and Thrower in the 00's cause I really like the way he writes.

[bccadet09]

Bocook does deserve to be on the list and I clearly forgot to add him (but again with my personal tastes, I'm not a fan of his in the slightest)

Shame on you.

[supersop]

Shame on you.

yeah yeah, I'm done apologizing ....

[SFZFAN]

Why is Jim Prime not in the 00's choices?