Statesville Greyhound Grenadier Marching Band

07/17/2024

Originally composed in the 1930s by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol, "Caravan" has become a jazz standard, celebrated for its exotic melodies and rhythmic intensity. In 2002, John Wasson arranged the piece, showcasing his skillful blend of traditional big band jazz with contemporary elements of fusion and world music influences.

This arrangement, initially recorded by the Jim Widner Big Band on the Chase Music Group release "Body and Soul", played a significant role in the 2014 film titled Whiplash. Throughout the movie, John Wasson's composition is more than just a musical backdrop - it is a narrative device that propels the story forward, illuminates character motivations, and intensifies the emotional and thematic depth of the film. Through its powerful performance and thematic resonance, "Caravan" underscores the film's exploration of ambition, sacrifice, and the pursuit of artistic excellence in the competitive world of jazz music.

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

“Recently featured in the motion picture "Whiplash," this barnburner by outstanding arranger John Wasson is pure Latin fire from start to finish!"

07/17/2024

"Vehicle" was performed by American rock band, The Ides of March, and is featured as the lead single from their debut album. Written by Jim Peterik, vocalist and frontman of the band, the song was written about a girl that often used him for her mode of transportation, leading Peterik to surmise that he was little more than her "vehicle". Arranged by Ralph Ford for jazz ensemble, this piece is a travel staple!

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

“Vehicle quickly became The Ides of March's most famous and recognizable track, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song's energetic blend of rock, soul, and brass instrumentation, along with its catchy chorus and distinctive horn section, contributed to its enduring popularity."

05/03/2024

https://forms.gle/9F7DoQfJM33UAUZ76

Congratulations on taking the first step towards becoming a member of the Statesville Greyhound Grenadiers! Whether you are a returning member or brand new to the program, please answer all questions on this Google Form to the best of your ability as it indicates your commitment for the Fall 2024 Ma...

05/02/2024

Statesville Bands will be presenting their 2024 Spring Concert tonight, May 2, at 7:00 PM in Mac Gray Auditorium! The concert will feature the Statesville Steel Drum Ensemble, the Groovin' Greyhound Jazz Ensemble, & the Statesville Symphonic Band. Admission is free!

05/01/2024

"Gold on the Ceiling" was written and performed by American rock band, The Black Keys, and is featured as the third track from El Camino, their seventh studio album. Arranged by Paul Murtha for jazz ensemble, the piece is a hit!

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

“Recorded by The Black Keys, this popular rock anthem has been used for sporting events, video games, and television shows.”

04/30/2024

Feeling Lucky? Lachlan Davidson must have when he composed “Lucky Lockie” for jazz ensemble. In reality, the piece was written in dedication to Lockie Bouyer who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

“As often happens, “Lucky Lockie” lept off the piano and demanded to become a tune when the composer was teaching saxophone to another Lockie. The bass line became the key ingredient. Both Lockies were lucky to be in the right place at the right time. I guess that makes two Lucky Lockies.”

04/29/2024

The "Londonderry Air" is an Irish air (folk tune) that originated in County Londonderry, first recorded in the nineteenth century. The tune is played as the victory sporting anthem of Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. The song "Danny Boy" written by English lawyer Fred Weatherly uses the tune, with a set of lyrics written in the early 20th century.

"Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,
It's I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow,—
Oh, Danny boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so!

But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying,
If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Avé there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!"

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

"This ever-popular Irish folk song is always warmly received. Mike Lewis' arrangement starts off nice and easy as a ballad, with plenty of unisons, then moves into a relaxed, ballad-swing feel. Easy brass ranges, no solos, a nice sax soli and sweet, mellow ensemble writing make this a solid choice for any concert, and it will still sound full even with reduced instrumentation."

04/28/2024

When worlds collide! Our percussion section had a blast learning and performing Samuel R. Hazo's "A Zillion Nickels" as the piece called for them to utilize marching battery instruments within a concert setting.

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

"When you look out at the ocean, what does it resemble? This unique, driving composition paints that picture. The upper Atlantic beaches hold many stories, from beautifully scenic sunrises to the wrath of Hurricane Sandy. Three high schools in Toms River, New Jersey commissioned the musical depiction of their celebrated shore, from joy to turbulence. The heavy emphasis on percussion only adds to the exciting build and powerful ending."

04/27/2024

In true Grenadier fashion, Claude T. Smith's "March on a Scottish Air" features our trumpet section emulating the drone of bagpipes throughout this selection using open 4ths and 5ths. The students did an excellent job of performing this interesting feature!

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

"'Auld Lang Syne' is set in three different styles throughout this march. The first statement is very smooth and legato, accompanied by long chords and traditional percussion writing for a march. The second style is slower and in the style of a Scottish Pipe Band. The accompaniment of open 4ths and 5ths emulate the drone of the bagpipes, while the melody is performed by the trumpets using a 'Scottish Snap' rhythm in places to further represent a traditional performance practice by a piper. The last is a very traditional and accented style that retains the occasional 'Scottish Snap' rhythm and obligatos often found in marches."

03/17/2024

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The origins of St. Patrick's Day date back to the early 17th century in Ireland, when it was established as a religious holiday to honor the life and legacy of St. Patrick, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. March 17th marks the anniversary of St. Patrick's death, and was traditionally observed as a day of solemn religious observance.

It wasn't until Irish immigrants began arriving in America in large numbers in the 19th century that St. Patrick's Day took on its current form as a boisterous celebration of Irish heritage and culture. During this time, Irish immigrants faced significant discrimination and hardship in America. They were often seen as a threat to American society, and were subjected to discrimination in employment, housing, and education. The annual St. Patrick's Day parade became a way for the Irish community to assert their presence and celebrate their heritage in the face of this adversity.

The popularity of St. Patrick's Day continued to grow in America throughout the 20th century, fueled by a growing Irish-American community and the commercialization of the holiday. In the 1950s, the Irish government began promoting St. Patrick's Day as a way to boost tourism, and the holiday soon became an international phenomenon.

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

“An Irish Legend is made up of original melodies written to evoke the sounds of Ireland. The introduction is written for a boran (Irish hand drum, but may be performed on toms instead.) The middle section is lush with harmony, and again a pretty Irish melody that builds to a climax and recedes before the final section. This composition is written in traditional ABA form with the exception of combining the B and A melodies in the return of the A-section.”

03/16/2024

Beware "The Ides of March"!

March 15 is a date that has been associated with misfortune and doom, as derived from the ancient Roman calendar. It became renowned as the day on which Roman dictator, Julius Caesar, was assassinated in 44 BCE and was further immortalized in the tragedy "Julius Caesar" by English dramatist William Shakespeare. In the play, a soothsayer warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March.”

Julius Caesar was in the midst of a series of political and social reforms when he was assassinated by a group of nobles on the Ides of March. Led by senators Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, a group of approximately 60 conspirators fatally stabbed Caesar in the Roman Senate in a plot to preserve the Roman Republic and halt Caesar’s increasingly monarchical regime. His death triggered a civil war that ultimately led to the rise to power of his great-nephew and adopted son, Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, in 27 BCE. According to Roman biographer Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars, Octavian avenged Julius Caesar’s death in a number of ways, including sacrificing 300 prisoners of the Perusine War at an altar raised to Caesar on the Ides of March.

*Listen with headphones for best quality*

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Program Notes:

"Pulse pounding and haunting are two very distinct characteristics of “The Ides of March”. This dramatic composition for band celebrates [Sean O'Loughlin's] love of modern film music and is an exercise in economy of musical material. This economy is often referred to as minimalism, although [he] would not go so far as to include this composition in that world. The Ides of March is a phrase that first appeared in the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and represented the time when a coup d’etat happened in the Roman government. “Et tu, Brute?” is the famous line recited by Julius Caesar at the climactic scene. The music reflects the heart pounding pace of the events leading to the coup d’etat or overthrow of the government in power."

03/14/2024

Congratulations to our Groovin' Greyhound Jazz Ensemble, Statesville Symphonic Band, and Statesville Indoor Percussion Ensemble for their successful thematic St. Patrick's Day concert cycle performances on Tuesday, March 12!
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There is an additional opportunity to hear the Statesville Symphonic Band today at 4:45 PM as we travel to Lenoir-Rhyne University for our Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) event!
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The students have worked relentlessly on their Grade III/IV repertoire selections, having made significant improvements in all aspects of their musicianship abilities since last year's MPA.
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Wish us "luck"!
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