On behalf of Block Band Music & Publishing we congratulate Thomas Jefferson High School from Richmond, VA on their first place finish in music and overall band in Class AAA.
We at Block Band are happy to support your efforts and are excited to see your program continue to reach the heights of excellence.
Sincerely,
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
We at Block Band are happy to support your efforts and are excited to see your program continue to reach the heights of excellence.
Sincerely,
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
Replies
Before I talk about any band in particular I just wanted to mention that this was a great event. I am proud to see something like this take place, and I look forward to the event continuing to grow.
Lithonia, HS - Lithonia GA
This band has a great low brass section. Both trombones and baritones added great power while keeping good tone quality.
Excellent trombone solo. I wish that we could have heard more of this young man.
Slow song - "Prototype" by Outkast's Andre' 3000. Definitely one of the best arrangement of the day!
The Prunester...Telling it like it is.
Sincerely,
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
More to come...
Please forgive me if I left anyone out. I was afterall conducting business.
North Atlanta High School
Gospel Show
This band exhibited a very warm and well-balanced sound, with great intensity throughout. Good arrangements across the board. The show was very well received.
I loved the assymetrical formations.
Highlight of the show, the band making a man getting back up after falling down. This included all of the wind players in the band marching at regular tempo (very slow to the song "We Fall Down"), while the percussion marched at cut-time. Nice Effect.
First Coast HS - Florida
I wasn't able to take a lot of notes about this band at the time, but it was great to see that the band is doing so well under the direction of Aubrey Simmons.
I loved the uniforms. They are based of the original prototype that was designed for Hampton University. Interestingly enough the band sitting next to you in the stands. Hillside HS, used to wear almost exactly that same uniform.
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
This band really opened up with a lot of power. From the first note, there was no doubt that this band was in the house.
The show was very exciting, entertaining and highly audible.
What a great surprise for me to find out that the band is directed by the capable hands of former Hampton Bandmember, Slide-Force brother and Sinfonian, Immanuel Johnson.
SLIBFS!
Whitehaven High School - Memphis, TN
I will start the discussion on them, by saying one line.
The most incredible band in attendance!
Whitehaven's band provided a fantastic performance featuring incredible things like lots of woodwind melody during the drill. This very powerful band, constantly kept you on the edge of your seat with incredible highs and lows in their dynamics.
The high point of the show though was the masterfully arranged "Lately" by Tyrese. The arranger used every instrument in the band to create a magical tapestry of music. No instrument was spared a moment to shine. Excellent dynamics, ensemble playing, and individual instrumentalism.
One question though. Where was the rest of the auxiliaries? I only counted 7 during the performance. Very unusual for a band of its size, or even much smaller bands.
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
I am very proud to be able to say that Hillside HS out of Durham, NC (my hometown, baby!) continues to be one of the best high school bands in the Nation.
The song they drilled to, the corpstyle selection known as "Throwdown" was actually the first song that I played in high school.
For those not familiar with it I have included a clip of the song. (I couldn't find a clip of Hillside playing it).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7qsDJKTGYQ
Another first place award for Hillside's awesome drumline. Keep up the great work!
Hoke County HS - Raeford HS
You will have to give a recruiting seminar. I don't think that any other band there has 16 trumpets!
Hoke County's band continue to give a great show while created a very balanced sound.
I always enjoy hearing your sound control warm-ups outside of the stadium.
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!
More to come...
To be honest I slept on this band quite a bit...
and I tell you what I got a rude awakening!
Livingstone is one of NC's most underestimated bands!
With great tonal bass drums, screaming trumpets, a powerful low brass section, and ear-splitting tutti's, Livingstone will surely pick up some recruits from yesterday's performance!
Livingstone...My hat is off to you.
D. Rashad Watters
CEO/Co-Founder
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing...Your Assistant Band Director!
As strong as Livingstone sounded, there is just almost no competing with the Aggie sound.
The band seemed rather tame initially as they marched across the field. This all changed when they opened with the "Army Strong" fanfare. It took me a second to recognize it, but as soon as I did I was very pleased by its originality.
This rather lengthy fanafere was impressive, powerful and intricate. I loved the noodling going on in the trombone section. Way to not just give trombones the pad all the time.
A&T's sound encompassed the whole stadium. But it wasn't just out of control, their show, including "Off The Wall" as the drill section was very well balanced and filled with periods of musical nuance instead of just constant blowin'.
Equally as impressive as A&T's wind section sound was their percussion section. Cold Steel does a great job of mixing theatrics with technique. The multi-toms playing upside-down, and the "tower of tenors" was attention-getting, while the snare feature was some of the best playing I have ever heard A&T play.
When you combine the winds, percussion section and of course (wowsers!)
I can say without hesitation that A&T "is" the best band in North Carolina.
Why is this band not going to Honda?
The Prunester...Telling it like it is.
More to come...
I hardly wanted to be in JCSU's shoes.
Following the incredible Whitehaven HS, and then an impressive performance by Livingstone and an over the top performance by A&T was going to be tough for the relatively small band.
Still as the band came marching out the first thing that I noticed was their percussion section. Wow. These guys were all over the place (in a good way).
Despite their size, JSCU put on a good show. I was very happy for them. They should have come away from their performance with their heads up high. The somersalt that the band did was not nearly as impressive as in the days of Duncan Gray though.
The true stars of the performance was JSCU's percussion section. Wow! Those guys can play. I mean they can really play, and the playing didn't stop, even during the dance routine. These guys played licks during their dance routine that other bands play during their percussion feature. I liked the fact that although the noodling was constant it never got out of character, and it never overshadowed the band. The band may want to purchase sound projectors for their snares in order to help their sound cut through more.
Much props to owner of sister company The Block Percussion for drilling this section into shape!
Ok, that wraps it up guys. Hope you enjoyed the notes!
Please think about attending this event next year. We need more bands and fans from across the country!
Sincerely,
D. Rashad Watters
Co-Founder, CEO
Block Band Music & Publishing
(919)-698-2560
f_light2@hotmail.com
Block Band Music & Publishing … Your Assistant Band Director!