Who are my boys you ask? Mark Reilly & Brendan Mason. No, I did not teach them how to play, so they are not my boys in that sense. Instead I refer to them this way because we are like minded in our desire to promote "traditional" rudimental drumming and the "fife & drum" activity to people around the globe. These are two of my best friends and a couple of the most talented people in the activity. They are my boys!!!!!!!!!!
At PASIC they were involved in two separate clinics.
(Thanks to Innovative Percussion for the youtube links below!)
First up was Mark Reilly, performing with Peter Vulperhorst as The Cross Fade Duo. They presented a beautiful historically based session that incorporated rudiments from around the world. There were references to legendary American figures including Nick Attanasio, Les Parks & Eric Perilloux, the Swiss master, Dr. Berger, and some of the Dutch masters including Sjoerd Westra whom many of us in the audience were not familiar with until now. The duo also invited an all-star ensemble of drummers to the stage to join in with an incredible performance. The guest musicians included Bill Bachmann, Scott Jamison, Matt Reilly and George Willis. And to hear Peter's rudimental drumming arrangement of Cold Play's "Sky Full of Star's" had to be a surprising moment for everyone in the audience. This was an inspiring hour that just flew bye and left everybody wanting more!!!!!!!!!
Cross Fade Duo...Video 1…Joe 90
Cross Fade Duo...Video 2…Sky Full of Stars (session opener)
Immediately following in a room right down the hall the attendees filed in to see The Connecticut Patriots Fife & Drum Corps. This session was moderated by rudimental legend, Charley Poole, Jr., and led by Patriot drum instructor, Brendan Mason. As someone known as "the fife & drum guy" I could not have been prouder than I was for that hour. The corps took the beauty and pageantry of a fife & drum muster and brought it to life at PASIC. They do an incredible job of taking traditional melodies & rudiments, and creating incredibly versatile arrangement that make you feel like you are in a concert hall…and in many ways they were. But this wasn't just a drum clinic as there was a true feeling of communication with the audience. Nothing exemplified this better than when the Patriot fife line performed a beautiful fife solo in one of their medleys and as the drums reentered the crowd roared with applause. Of course we expect to hear a great drum line when the Patriots take the stage, but for many in the audience this was their first experience hearing a fife line, and they showed their appreciation with that massive cheer!!!!!!!! AND, lets not forget that during the Q&A there was a question for the drum major. Yes, the crowd loved everything about this clinic!!!!!!
CT Patriots…Video 1…Southern Comfort
CT Patriots…Video 2…Seaweed
Trust me when I say, this was a proud moment for anybody involved in the fife & drum activity. To Mark, Peter, Brendan and The Connecticut Patriots, for the entire community of fifers and drummers around the globe, I just want to say THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DC