[Dixielandjazz] Re: Drum Corps from hell

Tue, 7 Jan 2003 16:37:29 EST

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I am taking the liberty of posting this email from Paul Edgerton to me in 
response to me on to some things I have posted on 'Drum Corps and high school 
stage bands."  His message is right on and beautifully articulated.  My 
comments on this subject have been a bit over the top.  I do like to stir 
things up now and then and sometimes go overboard on it.

paul.edgerton@eds.com writes:

> Jim,
> 
> I agree with most of the things you said about the excesses and abuses in
> the typical drum corps or stage band. Don't be too hasty to count me as a
> big drum corps fan--remember, I was talking my "first and only" DCI show.
> But my brother is a DCI instructor up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Based on his
> experiences, I will have to disagree with your assessment that  "This
> competitive desperation to me almost overrides anything positive gained 
> from
> these groups by young people." I can assure you that the lessons they learn
> about responsibility and life override any damage they may have done to 
> your
> beloved memories of "real" military music.
> 
> If you can accept that a drum corps is not a military field band and that a
> school "jazz ensemble" is not trying to emulate the Tommy Dorsey big band,
> then perhaps you will be better able to see the value in what they actually
> do. Is this the best that we can do for kids? Hell no, but is much better
> than nothing at all--and for a lot of these kids, that's the alternative.
> 
> They're never going to sound like The President's Own and they'll never do
> Sousa to your satisfaction. But what they do has merit, and judged as an
> athletic competition (trust me, it IS athletic) that happens include a
> pretty solid grounding in real music, it yields startling results.
> 
> Sure, it's bombastic. These are teenagers, after all. I seem to remember a
> big band or two that thrived on bombast. (Kenton, anyone?) If you don't 
> like
> the music, that's probably not going to bother many of them. And no, seeing
> them on TV doesn't count.
> 
> Anyway thanks for the personal acknowledgement. You're one of the guys I
> respect, and somehow you manage to get me off ass and posting.
> 
> Paul

   I accept what Paul says completely and I withdraw 'some' comments I made 
on this subject.

  Jim Beebe

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<HTML>I am taking the liberty of posting this email from Paul Edgerton to me in response to me on to some things I have posted on 'Drum Corps and high school stage bands."&nbsp; His message is right on and beautifully articulated.&nbsp; My comments on this subject have been a bit over the top.&nbsp; I do like to stir things up now and then and sometimes go overboard on it. 
 
paul.edgerton@eds.com writes: 
 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Jim, 
 
I agree with most of the things you said about the excesses and abuses in 
the typical drum corps or stage band. Don't be too hasty to count me as a 
big drum corps fan--remember, I was talking my "first and only" DCI show. 
But my brother is a DCI instructor up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Based on his 
experiences, I will have to disagree with your assessment that&nbsp; "This 
competitive desperation to me almost overrides anything positive gained from 
these groups by young people." I can assure you that the lessons they learn 
about responsibility and life override any damage they may have done to your 
beloved memories of "real" military music. 
 
If you can accept that a drum corps is not a military field band and that a 
school "jazz ensemble" is not trying to emulate the Tommy Dorsey big band, 
then perhaps you will be better able to see the value in what they actually 
do. Is this the best that we can do for kids? Hell no, but is much better 
than nothing at all--and for a lot of these kids, that's the alternative. 
 
They're never going to sound like The President's Own and they'll never do 
Sousa to your satisfaction. But what they do has merit, and judged as an 
athletic competition (trust me, it IS athletic) that happens include a 
pretty solid grounding in real music, it yields startling results. 
 
Sure, it's bombastic. These are teenagers, after all. I seem to remember a 
big band or two that thrived on bombast. (Kenton, anyone?) If you don't like 
the music, that's probably not going to bother many of them. And no, seeing 
them on TV doesn't count. 
 
Anyway thanks for the personal acknowledgement. You're one of the guys I 
respect, and somehow you manage to get me off ass and posting. 
 
Paul</BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
&nbsp;&nbsp; I accept what Paul says completely and I withdraw 'some' comments I made on this subject. 
 
&nbsp; Jim Beebe</HTML>

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