High school band director chartered a bus from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Atlanta to hear this brass line in 1976 or 1977. Introduced us to Mr. Ott. I think I was 16 years old. Will turn 58 in December and I think I’ve only missed five or six finals. All because of Jim Ott and that brass line that day in Atlanta. Thoroughly unbelievable. Transfixed all of us that were there. Every year around the end of July I search out where the Blue Devils and John Meehan will be practicing, as well as The bluecoats and crown. Just can’t get it out of my being. The most amazing joy musically for this former baritone player.
I knew Lloyd and Jim. And one of my closest friends was marching sop with SOA in 1978. It was his favorite corps year, as the corps was really enjoying themselves - before the politics of 1979. It was all about the music and performing the heck out of it for the crowd. Thanks, Roy, for posting this - I knew just seeing Lloyd's name it would be great... "tasty" lolol....
Listen to the joy in his voice, and the other people in the booth. They're weeping. They can't contain their emotion. That's what it was like to hear Spirit for the first time. The purity of sound took your breath away. The insouciant drawl and lilt and crash of that tidal wave of sound. I'll just never forget it.
same. it was so uplifting and enthralling the memory of the first time i heard them in greeley is still indelibly etched in my mind like it's happening now. there are no words to describe it, but yours come closer than anyone's.
In 1978 I saw them perform in Whitewater Wisconsin at DCI Midwest. I remember watching the crowd reaction when the Spirit of Atlanta first hit that major chord full on in the openning number. The crowd physically reared back from the force of the wall of sound from the hornline. It wasn't ear shattering, it was just a full-on wave of sound energy filling your senses. Truely awsome. I will never forget it. It was righteous, truly RIGHTEOUS. .
One of the great things about Jim Ott was that he realized that high leg lift was killing the breath support of the hornline, and it needed to be replaced with low leg lift. Another thing that Jim Ott brought to the activity was the style of arranging that allowed sections of horns to overlap, allowing them to take breaths as needed in a phrase. Ridiculously long whole notes in unison without any change in cord are impossible to sustain and make the arrangement sound like it's full of holes as horn players gasp for breath. His arranging overlapped sections and phrases, allowing for the horn players to take proper breaths at will.
Wow! This is truly great. A treasure. So cool - thank you so much for sharing this. Love the pure enthusiasm. I've listened to the recording of this show for the past 36 years . . . this is like hearing it new again. (OT: I would also love to hear the tapes for the perfect tens he gave to Devils and Regiment, and the 9.9 to Madison.) Shirley Whitcomb judging GE M&M in the background lol.
Laid back Southern brass power. That's how I describe hearing the 1978 Spirit hornline. There was an anticipation prior to every show just to here that phenomenal hornline's wall of sound
Thank you so, so much for sharing this. What a blast listening to these judges get carried away with the performance and become absolutely giddy at times!. "Ive had tears since the front!"
A sad sidenote on this video. Lloyd Pesceola, the voice you are hearing in this video, was injured just two years later in a traffic accident that also killed Jim Ott, the brass instructor of this hornline. They were good friends.
@@jameskearney4100 - I am here to say this was not a myth. June 27, 1979 Indianapolis, Indiana. I was a soprano player in Spirit and we did shatter the glass in the pressbox - it broke and I remember seeing many people getting up and brushing their arms and face... several audience members were cut and scraped and I remember being in the corps circle after the performance and the ambulance pulling up. There were no serious injuries.
Have to agree with you here. I was looking at the score recap, and I do not see how this guy had this brass line 5th. Without a doubt in my mind this brass line should have won at finals.
jdavis57 The Only Corps Ahead of our hornline, (Spirit - 1978), & won High Horns in finals by 1/2 of a tenth was Phantom Regiment !!!!!!!! The Hornline that Year was simply - put --- "AWESOME & POWERFUL AS HECK "
Spirit came into finals placing 8th, so with 7 corps taking the field after them he simply could not spot them a 10.0. Had to be room for other corps to possibly out do them. Just the way it was back then. I for one am kicking myself a bit still to this day. I had auditioned for and won a spot on the mello line for this great line, but having been a long time Madison fan, a month later I was offered an opportunity to march with the Scouts and took it. Thoroughly enjoyed my time there but man I had regrets not staying put to be a part of this great brass line
I had a cassette with this show, Bridgemen, BD and Phantom...I wore it out...but this show just took my breath away....
Lloyd Pesceola was a gem. What a delight listening to him. And I love how we gives a shout out to Tom Float!
High school band director chartered a bus from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Atlanta to hear this brass line in 1976 or 1977. Introduced us to Mr. Ott. I think I was 16 years old. Will turn 58 in December and I think I’ve only missed five or six finals. All because of Jim Ott and that brass line that day in Atlanta. Thoroughly unbelievable. Transfixed all of us that were there.
Every year around the end of July I search out where the Blue Devils and John Meehan will be practicing, as well as The bluecoats and crown. Just can’t get it out of my being. The most amazing joy musically for this former baritone player.
I knew Lloyd and Jim. And one of my closest friends was marching sop with SOA in 1978. It was his favorite corps year, as the corps was really enjoying themselves - before the politics of 1979. It was all about the music and performing the heck out of it for the crowd. Thanks, Roy, for posting this - I knew just seeing Lloyd's name it would be great... "tasty" lolol....
Listen to the joy in his voice, and the other people in the booth. They're weeping. They can't contain their emotion. That's what it was like to hear Spirit for the first time. The purity of sound took your breath away. The insouciant drawl and lilt and crash of that tidal wave of sound. I'll just never forget it.
same. it was so uplifting and enthralling the memory of the first time i heard them in greeley is still indelibly etched in my mind like it's happening now. there are no words to describe it, but yours come closer than anyone's.
In 1978 I saw them perform in Whitewater Wisconsin at DCI Midwest. I remember watching the crowd reaction when the Spirit of Atlanta first hit that major chord full on in the openning number. The crowd physically reared back from the force of the wall of sound from the hornline. It wasn't ear shattering, it was just a full-on wave of sound energy filling your senses. Truely awsome. I will never forget it. It was righteous, truly RIGHTEOUS.
.
Excellent. Thank you for posting this and allowing us into the unique history of Jim Ott, master arranger.
One of the great things about Jim Ott was that he realized that high leg lift was killing the breath support of the hornline, and it needed to be replaced with low leg lift. Another thing that Jim Ott brought to the activity was the style of arranging that allowed sections of horns to overlap, allowing them to take breaths as needed in a phrase. Ridiculously long whole notes in unison without any change in cord are impossible to sustain and make the arrangement sound like it's full of holes as horn players gasp for breath. His arranging overlapped sections and phrases, allowing for the horn players to take proper breaths at will.
Wow! This is truly great. A treasure. So cool - thank you so much for sharing this. Love the pure enthusiasm. I've listened to the recording of this show for the past 36 years . . . this is like hearing it new again.
(OT: I would also love to hear the tapes for the perfect tens he gave to Devils and Regiment, and the 9.9 to Madison.)
Shirley Whitcomb judging GE M&M in the background lol.
Laid back Southern brass power. That's how I describe hearing the 1978 Spirit hornline. There was an anticipation prior to every show just to here that phenomenal hornline's wall of sound
Thank you so, so much for sharing this. What a blast listening to these judges get carried away with the performance and become absolutely giddy at times!. "Ive had tears since the front!"
Remember, this was a second year crops!
2:22 coolest Mello lick I've ever heard. Proud to march Contra with them this year.
Lol.
my brass caption head marched this show.
A sad sidenote on this video. Lloyd Pesceola, the voice you are hearing in this video, was injured just two years later in a traffic accident that also killed Jim Ott, the brass instructor of this hornline. They were good friends.
What could have been. We'll never know.
I heard they broke glass in the upper levels of the stadium from how much sound they generated. What power!
I heard the tape where that happened. Could have been 78 or 79
@@drbcrb That is a myth. But it sounds good. And believable.
@@jameskearney4100 - I am here to say this was not a myth. June 27, 1979 Indianapolis, Indiana. I was a soprano player in Spirit and we did shatter the glass in the pressbox - it broke and I remember seeing many people getting up and brushing their arms and face... several audience members were cut and scraped and I remember being in the corps circle after the performance and the ambulance pulling up. There were no serious injuries.
@@bc82sop42 I was a contra player in 1979 Spirit. Never saw it happen.
@@bc82sop42 What was your name?
Have to agree with you here. I was looking at the score recap, and I do not see how this guy had this brass line 5th. Without a doubt in my mind this brass line should have won at finals.
Agree 100%.
Jim ott
and Freddy martin knew how to do it
9.7 in GE Brass with these comments? Sure would like to hear the tapes of the corps that finished ahead of them!
jdavis57 The Only Corps Ahead of our hornline, (Spirit - 1978), & won High Horns in finals by 1/2 of a tenth was Phantom Regiment !!!!!!!! The Hornline that Year was simply - put --- "AWESOME & POWERFUL AS HECK "
Hey we really loved the big sound!!!!!!!!
@@timothybyrd3197 That is why Phantom hated us so much.
Spirit came into finals placing 8th, so with 7 corps taking the field after them he simply could not spot them a 10.0. Had to be room for other corps to possibly out do them. Just the way it was back then.
I for one am kicking myself a bit still to this day. I had auditioned for and won a spot on the mello line for this great line, but having been a long time Madison fan, a month later I was offered an opportunity to march with the Scouts and took it. Thoroughly enjoyed my time there but man I had regrets not staying put to be a part of this great brass line
Punky likes!!!
They finished 5th in this caption from this judge.
Most maximal brass effect of any show of 70s or early 80s. Slotting at its worst.
This guy kinda sounds like Phil Silvers!