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Sounds
from the Hudson Volume 8, Issue 2 LTC David Deitrick - Commander Summer
Is Here New
Leadership for Jazz Knights Jazz
Squires? Band
Offers Convention-al Wisdom Summer Is
Here The long-awaited summer concert season in the Hudson Valley is at hand. Lt. Col. David Deitrick and the band’s three performing groups plan an ambitious outdoor schedule. Among the interesting themes this year is the one for the July 30th Trophy Point performance, aptly dubbed the "G" Men. Led By Maj. William "G"arlette, the night will spotlight composers whose names begin with the letter "G". Grainger, Gould and Gershwin are among those slated. Lt. Col. Deitrick will call upon the many soloists from within the ranks for Virtuosity on August 20th. The sounds of solo harp, horn, voice and flutes will float out into the summer evening in a performance showcasing the band’s talent. Additionally, guest trumpet soloist Mr. David Baldwin will make a return appearance that night. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra to Perform at Trophy Point Amphitheatre
Village Vanguard. The band continued to perform Jones’ timeless music, but kept its library fresh with new and challenging arrangements from Bob Brookmeyer and others. When Mel Lewis died of cancer in 1990, the band, which over the years had become a close-knit family, chose to continue to perform, but with a new name - the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, VJO for short. The Jazz Knights are elated about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the stage with this legendary ensemble. (compiled by SFC Gary McCourry) Have Saxes; Will Travel
New
Leadership for Jazz Knights
Mr. Laird joined the staff of the United States Military Academy Band in May of 1997 as associate bandmaster and director of the Jazz Knights. Under his leadership, the Knights have enjoyed performing with such guest artists as pianist James Williams, vocalist Joe Francis, trumpeter Byron Stripling, and vibraphonist Emil Richards. During the spring of 1999, the band was featured at the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival. In April of 2000, the group had the opportunity to perform at the Disney Magic Music Days Jazz Festival. Recently, Chief Laird has been collaborating with leaders of the famous Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra) for a future joint concert with the Jazz Knights at Trophy Point Amphitheatre. Chief Laird feels fortunate to have been a part of the Jazz Knights and the United States Military Academy Band. He recently reflected on his association with the group: "My three years at West Point will always stand out as the highlight of my Army career. The incredible level of musicianship in the Jazz Knights has been a constant inspiration, and the close-knit community of band members and alumni has afforded Carole and me some wonderful friendships. We both feel very lucky to have been part of the USMA Band family." Mr. Laird will be missed, yet his legacy will remain, as the Knights continue to perform his many excellent big-band arrangements at public concerts and cadet dances.
In June 1998, Mr. Hester completed the Warrant Officer Basic Course and the Bandmaster Certification Course at the School of Music. On July 3rd, 1998, he assumed command of the 113th Army Band, Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Prior to entering the Army, Mr. Hester’s extensive professional career began in 1983, as a bassist / saxophonist with the Raleigh Pops Orchestra in North Carolina, under the direction of Jan Adams. In April 1984, he became the musical director for a jazz, fusion, and top-40 touring group, T.C. Trixx, which performed on the Atlantic City casino circuit. During this period, he performed with such artists as Johnny Mathis, Tony Orlando, and Stevie Wonder. After working in Atlantic City for two years, Chief Hester joined the Warner Brothers recording group Z Sharp as bassist and vocalist. This group opened for recording artists such as Patti LaBelle, Kool and the Gang, Stevie Wonder, Cameo, Atlantic Starr, and Run DMC. Mr. Hester’s military decorations include: the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal. He also earned the Parachutist Badge. Chief Hester says that he feels honored to have been selected to direct such an outstanding musical organization. "To stand before a group with such stellar musical capabilities sends chills up one’s spine. I know that taking on the Jazz Knights is an awesome responsibility, but I plan to uphold the premier status of this organization while venturing into new musical idioms." Jazz
Squires? That’s what you could call the local high school students who left their books in their lockers March 21 and loaded up in buses to come to the U.S. Military Academy. Their purpose was to participate in the second West Point Jazz Workshop, hosted by the USMA Band’s Jazz Knights. Members of the Jazz Knights worked with students from Cornwall Central, Nanuet, Clarkstown North and Clarkstown South high schools to improve the students’ individual and ensemble skills. The Jazz Knights presented clinics on various performance-related topics, including instrumental technique and areas of interest to all developing jazz musicians, said Sgt. 1st Class Gary McCourry, a saxophonist in the Jazz Knights and one of the organizers of the event. Having the workshop at the band’s rehearsal facility gave the students "an opportunity to learn about the day-to-day work environment of a military musician," according to McCourry. From the start of the day, the young musicians were making music. "To pick up an instrument and produce a great melody -- that’s what it’s all about," said Clarkstown North trumpet player Amin Venjara. The students began by performing in a noncompetitive event in front of their peers from the other high schools. Coaches from the Jazz Knights provided feedback to each ensemble, and also worked with the budding jazz musicians in small-group settings on aspects of their performances.
To round out the day, there was a Jazz Knights performance during which two musicians from each school sat in and played. The students and the mentors who had brought them to the workshop said the day with the Jazz Knights had provided them with valuable experience. "It was fabulous," said Clarkstown North band director Pat Magliano. He said his students had left with a better appreciation for music in general and for how much time it takes to develop talent. They also left with an appreciation of the soldiers who make up the Jazz Knights. "I’ve never been in the presence of so many great instrumentalists at the same time," said Clarkstown North saxophonist Steve Rossman. "It’s amazing to see how much talent and knowledge these players have," agreed Venjara. "It’s amazing -- and sometimes scary -- to see what we have to learn."Providing the students with an opportunity to learn could have long-term rewards for the Army. "Maybe they’ll walk away with a good opinion of music in the military," McCourry said. And maybe, just maybe, today’s Jazz Squires will become tomorrow’s Jazz Knights. Band
Offers Convention-al Wisdom Educational outreach is a vital part of the Academy Band’s duties. Many concerts away from West Point are in public school auditoriums, and the chamber ensembles from the band also regularly perform in schools. Whenever the band is featured at a conference, however, the impact is far-reaching, as the audience includes many more teachers and students than an average concert. They have the opportunity to experience something that our audiences at West Point regularly hear – a professional band! These appearances also bring a focus on Army music and serve as a great recruiting tool. During March, the Concert Band performed for both the New York State Band Directors Association and the College Band Directors National Association. On March 3 the Grand Ballroom of the Radisson in downtown Syracuse, New York, was packed with teachers and middle and high school honor band students, as the Academy Concert Band performed at the NYSBDA’s annual convention. The concert began with The Official West Point March, by Philip Egner. With the bicentennial of the academy approaching, this march has been republished, and audiences, performers, and educators are rediscovering this well-crafted work. Morton Gould’s Ballad for Band followed. Lieutenant Colonel David Deitrick chose this work as a reminder to band directors to perform those deserving works that unfortunately may have been neglected for a while. Any clarinetists in the audience were given an unparalleled lesson in virtuosity on their instrument as Sergeant First Class John Parrette presented Introduction, Theme and Variations, by Rossini and arranged by Parrette. The band’s deputy commander, Major William Garlette, took the stage next for a lesser-known march, The Footlifter, by Henry Fillmore, and a relatively new piece, Awayday, by British composer Adam Gorb. Lieutenant Colonel Deitrick returned for three Percy Grainger works: Country Gardens, Ye Banks and Braes o’ Bonnie Doon and Shepherd’s Hey. Grainger’s numerous band arrangements and original compositions have become a staple of band repertoire. Drummers from the Hellcats joined the Concert Band percussionists for Field Ayres, an arrangement by Staff Sergeant Douglas Richard of three traditional drum tunes: "Three Camps," "Hell on the Wabash," and "Downfall of Paris." Although the ballroom reverberated with seven field drums and a bass drum, the audience was impressed by their highly accurate rudimental drumming. The concert closed with Ira Hearshen’s Fantasia on the Army Blue. The fantasia is one of many new works commissioned for the academy’s bicentennial. The audience, brought to their feet for a standing ovation, was treated to Sousa’s The Gallant Seventh as an encore, and this writer heard many folks whistling the last strain of the march as they exited the concert. The College Band Directors National Association-East (CBDNA) convention was at Yale this year, and the Academy Concert Band was the headlining attraction. On March 31 the band performed in historic Woolsey Hall. The evening was replete with historical significance, as even the flag displayed behind the stage was the one used by Glenn Miller for his wartime concerts! The theme of this program, chosen by Lieutenant Colonel Deitrick, was "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue." A traditional English wedding rhyme is not what comes to mind when one thinks of a military band concert, but it was appropriate for this one. Several featured pieces were new works commissioned to commemorate the academy’s bicentennial. The "old" was a past CBDNA commission along with two marches that represented band heritage. Four songs were "borrowed" from an early-twentieth-century French composer’s orchestrations, and the "something blue" was another stirring performance of Hearshen’s Fantasia on the Army Blue. The concert opened with one of the bicentennial commissions, Legacies of Honor, by Bert Truax. The work is for five trumpets, field drum, timpani and organ, and pays tribute to three individuals: a heroic musician, Calvin P. Titus; a beloved bugler, Louis Bentz; and an illustrious officer, Major General Dan Butterfield. All three had a connection to the United States Military Academy, and General Butterfield is notably the composer of "Taps." The Truax was a breathtaking way to open a concert, much like Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. Legacies of Honor also gave the opportunity to employ the enormous pipe organ in Woolsey Hall. Composer and Juilliard professor Eric Ewazen is in the process of writing a three-movement symphonic work, called Legacy, for the bicentennial. …of a Fortress over a River Valley is the first movement from this piece, and its premiere was at this concert. Dr. Ewazen said the overall composition is inspired by his father’s service to the country in World War II. Ewazen described his father’s memories of the war. "The stories he would tell - of gallantry, loss, determination and harrowing experiences - always resonated with pride. It is the spirit of his stories that I am trying to capture in this piece." …of a Fortress over a River Valley depicts West Point. Ewazen states, "It (the Military Academy) commands a grand view of this spectacular valley, and it is a most imposing sight as one sees it from the river. A true fortress, it seems as if it is carved into the massive, rocky cliffs. "Staff Sergeant MaryKay Messenger joined the band for four songs by Joseph Canteloube from his Chants d’Auvergne. Canteloube collected and arranged folksongs from his native Auvergne, an area of central, rural France. The Auvergne is noted for its pastoral fields where shepherds and maidens have traditionally looked over the flocks. These four songs, transcribed by Staff Sergeant Michael Brown, were "Bailero," "L’aio de rotso," "Ound’onoren gorda?" and "Obal dins lou limouzi." They translate respectively to the "Song of the Bayle" (a bayle is a community shepherd), " Spring Water," "Where Shall We Go and Graze?" and "Down There in Limousin." SSG Messenger’s beautiful interpretation conveyed the serene beauty of the Auvergne. Major Garlette conducted the band next, for Victor Herbert’s 22nd Regiment March and Aaron Copland’s Emblems. Better known for his operettas, such as Babes in Toyland, Victor Herbert was conductor of the 22nd Regiment band at the turn of the twentieth century, and he became an important part of band history along with Sousa and E.F. Goldman. Emblems was Copland’s first band composition, commissioned by the CBDNA in 1963 and premiered at the convention in 1964. The Academy Band filled Woolsey Hall with the large intervals and distinctive harmonies for which Copland’s music is known, and which have caused it to be thought of as uniquely American. Following the intermission, Lieutenant Colonel Deitrick returned with a treat for the audience. As he explained to the crowd, Edwin Franko Goldman’s On the Mall was a march he remembered from band concerts of his youth. The memorable "la-la" melody is a favorite among audiences, and Deitrick conducted the audience through the performance, as they got to sing and even whistle the melody (with the help of singing and whistling band members!). Regular Trophy Point attendees have also had the delightful experience of singing along with the band during this popular and historic march. The great American composer Morton Gould has long been associated with the Academy Band, and it was fitting to include one of his compositions on a program of this nature. Memorials was originally one of six settings of familiar tunes from Gould’s American Ballads that he later adapted for band. It is based on "Taps," and the tune is exquisitely woven throughout the piece. The silence of the band and audience was held as the final trumpet notes echoed hauntingly through the hall. The host for the CBDNA convention and the Academy Band was Dr. Thomas Duffy, the Associate Dean of the School of Music and Director of Bands at Yale University. Dr. Duffy conducted the Concert Band for his own work Corpus Callosum. This piece was written on the occasion of Colonel Jack Grogan’s retirement from the U.S. Army Field Band. It features strains representative of Colonel Grogan’s military music career, such as Sousa’s The Gallant Seventh and "Hail to the Chief"; as well as songs of a more personal nature, such as "Maryland, My Maryland," and "The Yellow Rose of Texas." What was unique about this work was that most of these tunes were performed at the same time, superimposed upon one another. As Duffy explained, "The corpus callosum is the nerve system that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. Imagine, in this case, a conductor whose corpus callosum has been severed, which creates a bilaterally independent conductor. Frequently, the hands are in different meters; for without the communication network between the brain’s hemispheres, each half of the conductor proceeds without respect to the other." Dr. Duffy amazed and enchanted the audience as he entered the stage wearing a suit that was white on the left side of his body and black on the right, and with matching face paint. He masterfully conducted the ensemble in different meters simultaneously, and it was almost mesmerizing to watch his hands moving independently and with total rhythmic discipline. After having played nearly an entire concert, Sergeant Major Joel Evans, the band’s principal oboist, gave a masterful rendition of James Kessler’s Hudson River Rhapsody, for solo oboe and band. Kessler served for over twenty years on the arranging staff of the U.S. Army Band in Washington. His rhapsody was one of the first pieces composed for the academy’s bicentennial. It is ballads like Hudson River Rhapsody that capture the beauty and majesty of the Hudson River Valley, which has been inspirational to artists such as Thomas Cole, and even to audiences that gather at its banks for the Academy Band’s summer concert series at Trophy Point.The concert at Yale came to a close with the performance of Ira Hearshen’s Fantasia on the Army Blue. "Army Blue" took its melody from the song "Aura Lea," which was popular with both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War. The academy class of 1865 adopted it as its graduation song, and new lyrics transformed it into "Army Blue." It has long since been a favorite of academy graduates, and is a symbol of Army pride. The fantasia is a series of variations on this tune, from ballad and waltz to a heroic style similar to that of Shostakovich or Richard Strauss. As the Academy Band departed the hallowed halls of Yale, we were confident that our performances at NYSBDA and CBDNA had been a success. The teachers and students in attendance had heard many new works and some new interpretations of standard repertoire. The band had once again demonstrated the highest professionalism and excellence, qualities for which it is known. Concert Band Plans Trip to Chicago Topping off a busy year, the Academy Concert Band and the band’s field music group, the Hellcats, will perform at the 54th annual Midwest Clinic. This will be the first appearance of the Academy Band at this important event. Held annually in Chicago, the clinic is an international band and orchestra conference. Top players and educators from around the world gather to perform, listen and learn. The Academy Band will perform on Friday, December 22nd, 4:30 p.m. at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.
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A
rare event will occur at Trophy Point Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 27th.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, one of the world’s most celebrated
contemporary big bands, will join the Jazz Knights for what promises to be
an unforgettable experience for all. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s roots
can be traced to 1966, when cornetist-composer-arranger Thad Jones and
drummer Mel Lewis formed the ensemble that bore their names. The group
dazzled the music world and set new standards for big-band jazz. After
Jones left the organization in 1979, Lewis maintained the band’s
unmatched tradition of Monday-night performances at New York’s
The
West Point Saxophone Quartet and the USMA Concert Band will travel north
of the border this July to perform at the 12th World Saxophone Congress.
Held in Montreal, Quebec, this event attracts saxophone students and
virtuosos the world over. The Academy Band will perform at the University
of Montreal on July 7th, 3 p.m. in the main concert hall, the Salle
Pierre-Mercure. In addition to a feature number by the band’s own
saxophone section, acclaimed guest soloist Lynn Klock will join the band.
Mr. Klock, who soloed with the band at West Point several years ago, will
interpret David Jex’s Sweet Sorrows, for band and solo alto saxophone.
In
a few short months, the Jazz Knights will bid farewell to Chief Warrant
Officer Kevin Laird and wish him continued success as he departs West
Point for Washington, D.C. Mr. Laird will be assuming leadership of the
Jazz Ambassadors, the official touring jazz ensemble of the U.S. Army.
With Fort Meade, Maryland, as their home base, the group performs for
audiences throughout the world.
As
Chief Laird departs, the Jazz Knights look forward to working with their
new leader, Chief Warrant Officer Otha W. Hester, a native of
Hillsborough, North Carolina. Mr. Hester earned a bachelor’s degree in
music history from Regents College, New York. He entered active federal
service September 12th, 1986. After completing Advanced Individual
Training at the U.S. Army Element, School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia,
he attended the Army Airborne School, Ft. Benning, Georgia. After
graduation, Chief Hester was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division Band,
Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where he served two tours, 1987-1989 and
1995-1997. Following his first tour of duty at the 82nd, he was assigned
to the 1st U.S. Army Band, Ft. Meade, Maryland, from 1989 to 1992; and the
296th Army Band, Camp Zama, Japan, from 1992 to 1995.
Afternoon
clinics included sessions on rhythm for members of the high school
ensembles’ rhythm sections; and sessions on saxophone, trombone and
trumpet with Jazz Knights who play those instruments. The students also
had the opportunity to start developing their own jazz style in an
improvisation/play-along clinic.