Jay Kennedy Steps Down

[emc2]

a true loss for the dci community, then.

Jay has done a great job with Boston over the years. He is the second person from Berklee school of Music that Boston has had over the years (GG 75-76). Great show this year enjoyed by all, and I agree with BRASSO comments above very different approach musically and drill wise than the others. (Thanks Jay for all that you have done for Boston see you around).

Edited September 10, 2011 by emc2

[FHdork]

Totally agree with the hire. I didn't know who was behind what I considered to be a top 5 musical book from Academy this year. If he can continue to be that (or more) creative, Boston is well served!

[jjeffeory]

For perspective, in my opinion, there has been few or any recreations of music played in earlier decades that matches up well later with the earlier incantation. This is because Corps tend to do much choppier renditions in these arrangements to accomodate the full field visuals, and higher visual demands. For example, I enjoyed The Cadets 84 musical arrangements and presentation of " West Side Story " more than the later versions of WSS the Cadets did in the following decades. Additionally, I've enjoyed earlier versions of Blue Devils songs from the 70's and 80's than when they brought them back in later years. But thats understandable, as the visual demand was different. Also, I liked the '88 Boston arrangements version of Les Mis by BAC as much, if not more so, than Boston's 2011 " Les Mis. version this season. But that was a different time as music carried the day more on the score sheets back then. This also needs to be seen in the context that Boston did not do a show theme this year on " Les Mis." per se ( as 88 Boston did, followed up by '89 Cadets did ). The show theme was not " Les Mis. ". It was a theme revolving around " Revolution ", in which " Les Mis " was blended with " War of 1812 Overture" for the theme. Plus, as mentioned, Corps in the 80's had drill and visuals that made music arranging easier than here in 2011. Its a different animal altogether. That '89 Cadets show may not have beaten Boston Crusaders 2011 show under the current scoring sheets of today. ( and that 89 Cadets Corps was chock full of experienced and older talent than Boston's comparatively younger talent of this year marching World Class Division, many of them for 1st time) Kennedy did not arrange the music this year for a 1988 or 1989 visual show, nor a 1989 Cadets Corps. Had he been asked to do so, perhaps he would have done so, and probably with a different written arrangement altogether. Instead, he arranged the music score instead for a 2011 Boston Crusaders show. Their brass and GE Music scores this year matched the design, and talent level, and the visual requests of the Corps he had, imo. Thats how I see comparisons between music from the 70's 80's and reincarnations with today, anyway. Its hard to make comparisons, as the music arrangements need to match a thoroughly different score sheet and thoroughly different visual demand and drill than the Drum Corps musical compositions that were written for Corps from over 20 years ago.

Heh Brasso,

You write some things I can and DO agree with, then you go and write a bunch of things that I don't agree with I saw both shows live. I'm not sure which show would win today and that's not the point for me. I just don't care. For me, the arrangements for the older shows are much more effective and quite a bit more enjoyable. My biggest point was that Mr. Kennedy's version of that music didn't measure up for me. Really, I don't like the chop-n-bop arrangements that are popular today. Adequate drill could be written to accommodate full musical phrases. It just doesn't happen as much as it should anymore. Anyway, that's OT on this thread. Kennedy's arrangements aren't normally written that way, so he's go that over the field today.

Edited September 11, 2011 by jjeffeory

[BRASSO]

Totally agree with the hire. I didn't know who was behind what I considered to be a top 5 musical book from Academy this year. If he can continue to be that (or more) creative, Boston is well served!

Agree. As I said earlier on this thread, and on a show review earlier during the season, The Academy was a pleasant surprise musically for me this year. I liked the music of The Academy this year... a lot. I thought they had one of the best well written musical books this year in DCI as well. It was new, fresh, and most importantly.... entertaining and pleasing to this poster's ears. Boston potentially snagged a very good hire here for themselves in Ryan George,... just as you and others here on this thread have said.

Edited September 10, 2011 by BRASSO

[craiga]

Heh Brasso,

You write some things I can and DO agree with, then you go and write a bunch of things that I don't agree with I saw both shows live. I'm not sure which show would win today and that's not the point for me. I just don't care. For me, the arrangements for the older shows are much more effective and quite a bit more enjoyable. My biggest point was that Mr. Kennedy's version of that music didn't measure up for me. Really, I don't like chop-n-bop. Adequate drill could be written to accommodate full musical phrases. It just doesn't happen as much as it should anymore. Anyway, that's OT on this thread.

I respectfully disagree with your "chop-n-bop" characterization of Boston's 2011 program. Yes, "REVOLUTION" was comprised of Les Mis and the 1812, but I don't feel most folks would label the score "choppy". The structure of "Plummet Attack" as a matter of fact, was very similar to Cadets '89 (which they did as a percussion feature). And, when is the last time ANYONE in DCI dared to play a 2+ minute ballad featuring a (non-amped) solo? To me, choppy is the last word which comes to mind.

I agree with BRASSO that the 2011 program was clearly designed with the contemporary sheets in mind.....why wouldn't they be? I should also note that while I revere the 1980 27th Lancers program, had the Blue Knights presented that show instead of the fresh, contemporary package they did, they would have wound up in 18th. I am a legacy fan, but I also acknowledge that times(and judging criteria)change.

As for Jay Kennedy, he has a very long and successful relationship with BAC, and certainly is to be credited with playing an important role in the corps recent success....."The Core of Temptation", anyone?

Berklee School of Music is fortunate to have him in their administration. As for Ryan George, I can't say that I know him, however, I was very surprised by how much I liked the Academy this year....and I think the future bodes well.

[emc2]

I respectfully disagree with your "chop-n-bop" characterization of Boston's 2011 program. Yes, "REVOLUTION" was comprised of Les Mis and the 1812, but I don't feel most folks would label the score "choppy". The structure of "Plummet Attack" as a matter of fact, was very similar to Cadets '89 (which they did as a percussion feature). And, when is the last time ANYONE in DCI dared to play a 2+ minute ballad featuring a (non-amped) solo? To me, choppy is the last word which comes to mind.

I agree with BRASSO that the 2011 program was clearly designed with the contemporary sheets in mind.....why wouldn't they be? I should also note that while I revere the 1980 27th Lancers program, had the Blue Knights presented that show instead of the fresh, contemporary package they did, they would have wound up in 18th. I am a legacy fan, but I also acknowledge that times(and judging criteria)change.

As for Jay Kennedy, he has a very long and successful relationship with BAC, and certainly is to be credited with playing an important role in the corps recent success....."The Core of Temptation", anyone?

Berklee School of Music is fortunate to have him in their administration. As for Ryan George, I can't say that I know him, however, I was very surprised by how much I liked the Academy this year....and I think the future bodes well.

Boston overall 2011 show was outstanding and underscored IMO.

[jjeffeory]

I respectfully disagree with your "chop-n-bop" characterization of Boston's 2011 program. Yes, "REVOLUTION" was comprised of Les Mis and the 1812, but I don't feel most folks would label the score "choppy". The structure of "Plummet Attack" as a matter of fact, was very similar to Cadets '89 (which they did as a percussion feature). And, when is the last time ANYONE in DCI dared to play a 2+ minute ballad featuring a (non-amped) solo? To me, choppy is the last word which comes to mind.

I agree with BRASSO that the 2011 program was clearly designed with the contemporary sheets in mind.....why wouldn't they be? I should also note that while I revere the 1980 27th Lancers program, had the Blue Knights presented that show instead of the fresh, contemporary package they did, they would have wound up in 18th. I am a legacy fan, but I also acknowledge that times(and judging criteria)change.

As for Jay Kennedy, he has a very long and successful relationship with BAC, and certainly is to be credited with playing an important role in the corps recent success....."The Core of Temptation", anyone?

Berklee School of Music is fortunate to have him in their administration. As for Ryan George, I can't say that I know him, however, I was very surprised by how much I liked the Academy this year....and I think the future bodes well.

Oh NO. Sorry, I didn't mean that Kennedy's arrangement was chop-n-bop. Sorry, if I mis-characterized it. I was thinking more along the lines of the arrangements now versus then. I actually said that Boston's version was more like the score, I think....

Sorry, I'll have to go back and see exactly what I wrote and clarify. As I said, there was a lot I agree with BRASSO on, it's just that NOW versus THEN things that threw me.... Too many football games on now to clarify immediately.