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Favorite Dreitzer Tunes


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By the way, Tommy Swan was a soloist with St. Jos's and I think Gus Winke was too. Does anyone know who else was a part of the corps?

Hey Nick ... I don't think Gussie was part of St. Joe's ... but, Swan, Tommy Martin, Harry Hazelwood, Jimmy D'Amico, Carman Cluna and Genero were all part of their corps ... Carman and Joe went there after Mount Carmel and then to Sky when St. Joe's folded along with Swan and Martin ... Harry went to St. Pat's and D'Amico wento to Garfield ... there are some other great names associatied with St. Joe's ... just can't think of them right now ...

:-)

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When Grass took over Directorship in '77 he fired Hy and replaced him with Bob Pearson. Then following the '80 Season Bob Holton became Director and rehired Hy. All those number, "Slaughter", "Big Noise From Winetka", Rainmaker", they were all Hy's arrangements. Larry Kerchner didn't come along til after Hy past away.

Dreitzer was with the corps through the 77 season ... that was the year of All That Jazz, Rocky, Night On Bald Mountain (replaced later by WSS), and Fascinatin' Rhythm ... I came back to the corps in early 78 and Hy had just finished Ritual Fire Dance and was working on Rhapsody in Blue ... at some point during teaching Rhapsody, Hy was released and Bob Pearson was brought in to arrange for the rest of the year ... he stayed for the 79 season as well, writing Something's Coming and Puttin' On The Ritz ... Kershner was brought in the winter of 1980 and wrote his version of Slaughter, Carnival and Copacabana ... Holton became full Director at the 81 elections ... he brought back Hy for the 81 season ... and Hy responded with a blockbuster Big Noise From Winetka ... he also revamped the NY NY exit to a "Sinatra" mode vs. "Minnelli" version ... Hy stayed with NY until he passed away in 84 ... Bucky took over the hornline for the rest of the year ... Kershner came back for the 85 season and then Danny Lutz came on board in 86, teaching Downey charts (Stanko has verified this) ... so ... although it got a bit complicated in the mid-80's, we've been able to document the who wrote what and taught what when ... I'm so looking forward to Jimmy's final list when it's available ...

:-)

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Hey Nick ... I don't think Gussie was part of St. Joe's ... but, Swan, Tommy Martin, Harry Hazelwood, Jimmy D'Amico, Carman Cluna and Genero were all part of their corps ... Carman and Joe went there after Mount Carmel and then to Sky when St. Joe's folded along with Swan and Martin ... Harry went to St. Pat's and D'Amico wento to Garfield ... there are some other great names associatied with St. Joe's ... just can't think of them right now ...

:-)

I am led to believe that "Fats" Basik and Joe Todaro were also members of that lead line for the Original Mighty St Joe's!

I think that Gus was with Our Lady of Grace at that time before coming to NY in the late 50s.

I could be wrong though.

Ray

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Hi Larry ... that particular number was written for the PAL by John Sasso in 67 ... Hy came along the next year and penned The Exodus, Our Boys Will Shine Tonight, Carribe, Hall Of The Mountain King and Love is Blue for us ... it was a real pleasure working with, and learning from, him ...

:-)

Thanks for the correction, Andy.

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I came back to the corps in early 78 and Hy had just finished Ritual Fire Dance and was working on Rhapsody in Blue ... at some point during teaching Rhapsody, Hy was released and Bob Pearson was brought in to arrange for the rest of the year

Not trying to open the proverbial can of worms here.... but there's a story unto itself, right there.

Honest to God... and I don't know the "back story" to this, so maybe I'm speaking out of turn here... but who would ever think of letting Hy Dreitzer go?

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Not trying to open the proverbial can of worms here.... but there's a story unto itself, right there.

Honest to God... and I don't know the "back story" to this, so maybe I'm speaking out of turn here... but who would ever think of letting Hy Dreitzer go?

That most certainly IS a can of worms. Billy Siddon still sarcastically laughs about it. And I ain't goin' there.

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The only other similarity between Dreitzer horn charts played by different corps that I would offer is the SJPatron/St. Rita's Brassmen "Minnie the Moocher." Every time I hear the Brassmen Alumni play this song, I would swear I was listening to the Skyliners.

Maybe it's more a result of the personnel who are playing it now more than the arrangement? I know I heard SJP play it back in the 60's, but the current version is the one I am more familiar with.

Hey John, here's Brassmen Alumni doing "Minnie the Moocher". Listen to Stevie Wright's baritone solo. WOW!!!! :tongue::lol::huh:

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