SaraNYC Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 (edited) Hey, I put the disclaimer in that it may be just the recording quality, and I even put the smiley in for jest. :)I never did get to see those lines live, heck I wasn't even born yet, but when I listen to those shows, I have a hard time thinking that that's a sound anyone would want to emulate. Well, from a fellow hoosier, trust me kid - ya don't know what you were missing. ;) I started watching drum corps in 1978 and the sound you are talking about was what drew me to drum corps. I've got two music degrees from IU also, plus marched Star in 1985, so I know my music too. The horn lines of today for the most part don't give me none of those chills like the old G horn lines did. Cadets sound hot sometimes, and Carolina Crown has it going on, but for the most part I find Bb lines to be missing an important something, not sure what, but it's just not there. Oh, and I've liked Phantom in recent years too - but back in the day, they could push the edge a little too much for my personal tastes. Still, they were the first t-shirt I bought - 1979 or 1980 I think. But I do really appreciate what the kids are doing these days, all in all they are working hard all summer long, staying out of trouble (for the most part :P ) and participating in one of the greatest youth activities there is, so I'm not trying to slight them. Edited June 12, 2006 by SaraNYC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suncontra89 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Sara, I agree with you in saying that "something" is just missing. ?? You could be outside of Giant stadium,you would tell who was on , and if they were tearing the place apart. Same with Clifton, Allentown, etc. Hey Jim how's things? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dckid80 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 '78 is probably my favorite Bridgemen horn line. I love to illustrate how the activity has changed by having people listen to Harlem Nocture as played by... '78 Bridgemen '87 BD '01 Crossmen You tell me which version you prefer and I'll know right away what era you're from. To my ears it's not even close. The whole interpretation of and arrangement from '78 should have retired the song from the activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumlinetchr Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I got chills just watching the videos from a few weeks ago. For me, that is the sound of drum corps that I miss. You guys look GREAT!!!! Keep it up! Oh, and I had the opertunity to see the Bridgmen many times in the late 70's and early 80's, I marched in a small corps in NY, and always looked forward to seeing the Bridgmen. I'm in Japan now, so keep the vidios comming!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigal bari Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 '78 is probably my favorite Bridgemen horn line.I love to illustrate how the activity has changed by having people listen to Harlem Nocture as played by... '78 Bridgemen '87 BD '01 Crossmen You tell me which version you prefer and I'll know right away what era you're from. To my ears it's not even close. The whole interpretation of and arrangement from '78 should have retired the song from the activity. I think the era thing is the difference. The judging expectations have changed (i.e.; what is an accepted brass sound); and the corps have adapted to this. I, for one, like to hear the strong, edgy brass sound of the 80's lines as much as the blended sounds of the present era. Unfortunately, too many judges (and therefore, instructors) have discounted the inherent 'brassy' sound as being distorted. (It can be done.... ) THAT is the driving reason for the lack of volume of today's corps, not necessairly the tonal center. Having said that; I hear '80 Bridgemen live on several occasions that summer...that was one HE!! of a hornline. And the recordings are distorted....so I would not use those as a judge of quality in many cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbasaurusRex Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 when I listen to those shows, I have a hard time thinking that that's a sound anyone would want to emulate. Open your mind, grasshopper, and try to ###### the pebble from my hand. Good musicianship is good musicianship. There's more than one sound that comes out of a horn. Just because it isn't your own wonderbread poofy homogenized sound doesn't make it bad. Quite a few of those guys went on to be professional players and teachers. Example: Listen to a Garfield horn line from the 70's that produced the likes of Al Chez. Bridgemen used to beat those guys with a stick every night. From the same tradition comes Jeff Kievit and a host of others with that east coast Jersey sound who have become some of the DEFINITIVE brass players of our time. Worth emulating? Duh, seems like a no-brainer. While we're talking about brass sound, how about Maynard or Louis Armstrong or Miles Davis, etc. etc. How would their sounds score in DCI? Maybe the staff guys at Vanguard or Crown could fix their problems. (LOL) Bridgemen had something special. Call it musicianship or spirit or humanity or just plain balls, but those guys could play most of us under the table any day. Just my Jurassic two cents. Rarr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Rott Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 '78 is probably my favorite Bridgemen horn line.I love to illustrate how the activity has changed by having people listen to Harlem Nocture as played by... '78 Bridgemen '87 BD '01 Crossmen You tell me which version you prefer and I'll know right away what era you're from. To my ears it's not even close. The whole interpretation of and arrangement from '78 should have retired the song from the activity. Agree Russ....100%....and 1978 is my favorite musical Bridgemen year as well..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark1 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I can’t believe that no one has mentioned the extended left hand tap section that the snares play in the drum feature. Man! What an old-school, in your face, throw down that is! And so squeaky clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumlaw80 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 ... back in the days when drum solos were an art form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrangerx Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 '78 is probably my favorite Bridgemen horn line.I love to illustrate how the activity has changed by having people listen to Harlem Nocture as played by... '78 Bridgemen '87 BD '01 Crossmen You tell me which version you prefer and I'll know right away what era you're from. To my ears it's not even close. The whole interpretation of and arrangement from '78 should have retired the song from the activity. I offer these insights. . . 1) I like 1977 Bridgemen better than 1978. . . because I am a soprano player. . . and Jim Brady was featured more often and better that year. 2) I like the sound of the whole Bridgemen line better in'78. 3) I was sorely disappointed with '87 BD in general, and with "Harlem Nocturne" specifically. 4) As the 2001 Crossmen brass arranger, I can tell you the version we chose was by "Esquivel", a Mexican arranger/composer who had some pretty wacky ideas. Check out the original if you ever can, and you'll see where the Crossmen version came from. BTW, Crossmen were still playing G bugles in '01. It was also chosen because: a) I didn't want to even try to duplicate the 1978 Bridgemen B) We used the piece as an opener -- needing velocity for the feet c) Lee Beddis and Dennis Delucia are from two different planets as percussion writers, and as a result, you play to your strengths stylistically. Out of the 3 versions, Bridgemen had the best soloist. Blue Devils had the best ensemble sound. Crossmen went the most "outside". Different needs for different creative design -- and, as someone mentioned, definitely different requirements for the judging system. By 2001, if you were to stand still and play for longer than a phrase, you would be killed competitively, and the impatience of today's MTV Short Attention Span Theater generation would be screaming about "park 'n' bark" not being entertaining. Different strokes. . . FAR different folks. I don't go back and listen to my old work. . . but I still listen to Bridgemen as a fan. B) B) Chuck Naffier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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