Many thanks to Dave Getz ’76 for providing the digital files
and cover art for this album.
Record Album – “Then And Now”
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Home→Record Albums→Record Album – “Then And Now”
I’m 75 and just got chills down my back. No, it’s not the C-virus..many of the recordings in this album are from my day (61′-64′). I especially liked the Light Calvary recording since it represents a pinnacle of my clarinet playing days… the brief clarinet interlude in the middle of the overture is me. For the first time, my family has proof that I actually played the clarinet. LOL In fact, this is the first time I’ve actually heard myself play.. from an audience point of view. The LCO was also on the itinerary when we performed the 64′ concert at the Academy of Music. I’ll never forget how good the acoustics were. The Band sounded awesome and the crowd loved us…and Eugene Ormandy absolutely made the Duke’s night by praising the Band.
We always felt that we had a good band but never dwelled on it. Everyone who had the privilege to play under the Duke surely feels this way. Many thanks for resurrecting this recording and special thanks to Dan Witter.
You sound fantastic!!!!!
Great open big sound!
Thanks Jeffrey, I had played bass clarinet with the Pottstown Band all summer and it definitely improved my embrasure. After the very first practice in 1963 the Duke mentioned my tone, and I explained the bass clarinet story. I was the youngest on the Pottstown Band by far, and only was invited because my older brother talked them into it. It was more of a Big Band type outfit and had singers, et cetera. Everyone had the music pretty much memorized and the music they gave me was usually hand written… and in the wrong key. Didn’t matter as the singers were always changing the key anyway. Big pressure on me, and they were unforgiving. ha.
I see that Dave Getz actually provided the digital files. Thanks so much Dave for bringing back to life my times at the Forge.
Norm (buddy) Arndt ’62’ and ’64
Hi Dan, it’s been more months than I care to admit since I visited the site. Thanks again for memorializing something long gone. My wife and I were discussing how our relationship grew from my invitation to her to attend the ’70 (JC) graduation ball; there were four (4) Band captains that year: Jerry Maynard was the true Band Captain, but Bob Johnson, Dan Caughey, and I (Dan Witter) ended up as Captains as well by graduation (through academic promotions by Butch): so, 4 “1970 Band Captains”–but Jerry was the real deal. Quirky story. But to my point, confusing too are some of the attributions of performance on this CD (“Then and Now”–as if anyone would care). But more precisely, at least one, “Royal Silve Wedding” fanfare was performed by the 1970 fanfares on the recording “Spring Festival.” It is attributed to the 1974 fanfares, and that’s fine, but inaccurate. Our 1970 recording, featuring Bob Miele on the E-flat trumpet, was raised a few half steps (sounds great) for the “Then and Now” CD, but was in fact recorded in 1970 and is unquestionably identified by Bob’s chip on the E-flat trumpet toward the end of the fanfare. Bob NEVER chipped, but on that Saturday morning recording, lightning struck, and he yipped a note. It’s very obvious in the “Spring Festival” record, and duplicated in the “Then and Now” recording. Hear me; Bob could stand in front of 20,000 people at Harrisburg and perform a flawless Post Horn Galup (along with Jeff Jarvis as echo). But the “Royal Silver Wedding” performance attributed to 1974 actually dates to 1970 “Spring Festival” recording; just several steps down.
It’s especially gratifying to return to the Bandsir.com after months (years?) of absence, and listen, and realize what we all shared under the Duke’s leadership. The stuff life is made of.