You can enjoy listening to the Bridgemen without concentrating. You can also listen more closely and discover elements that make it more interesting. Finally, you can listen repeatedly and keep hearing things you never noticed. That is the beauty of Larry Kerchner's brass arrangements, perfectly complemented by Dennis DeLucia's percussion section. Whether it's a chord that isn't quite what the ear expects or Khachaturian's “Sabre Dance” set to a Cuban beat, every arrangement has a smile written into it. If you're lucky enough to have a recording of the '78 show, pop it in. The '07 “Ritual Fire Dance/Sabre Dance” is faithful to the '78 version, note for note, and it is going to turn many heads this summer. And just try getting that “1 & & 3 4” tambourine rhythm out of your head.

The February 11th rehearsal is now history, and the corps' progress is nothing short of astonishing. In attendance were full guard and percussion sections and over 70 brass. Alumni corps are supposed to have their big night and then either dissolve or continue in obscurity. Instead, the Bridgemen are getting bigger and better. A large part of the current success is the fact the corps has become a family - literally, in many cases. Just among the mellophones, five members have relatives in the corps. Kristin Bicking is joined this year by her daughter, Camille Wilke, a cymbal player who recently aged out of the Jersey Surf. David Baum travels from North Carolina with his son, Hunter, who plays a bass drum almost as big he is. Jackie Barnum's husband, Les, is in the honor guard, Kelly Baillargeon is accompanied by both her husband and cousin in the horn line, and Tony Famelio's wife, Gail, is part of the support staff.

Even though the Bridgemen are an “alumni” corps, we're not strictly bound to the corps' historical repertoire. The corps will always remain faithful to its roots, but this year's show includes one song that the old Bridgemen never played. It isn't a state secret, but we'll hold off announcing it for now. Suffice to say, long-time drum corps fans will appreciate the piece (and get a chuckle).

The 2006 show featured many of the Bridgemen's musical trademarks; the 2007 edition promises to bring back more of the corps' iconic visual moves as well. This month's rehearsal began with the basics of marching including the “shuffle.” Last year when we tried the shuffle in rehearsal, it was not a pretty sight, but we're determined to include it in this year's program. We've found that the key to performing the shuffle is not to think about it too much. Therefore, the BMO (a.k.a., the baritone section, including half a dozen shiny new euphoniums) should march it quite well.

Nancy DuCharme, color guard instructor, reports “The guard spent Sunday venturing into new work for “Ritual” and enhancing & fine tuning the basics needed to gain perfection for “My Favorite Things“ and “In The Stone.“ As usual, it was a productive practice with Lisa (Argul) and Claire (Kronenfeld) taking sectional time to work on all the details & little nuances that make our guard unique. Our Guard will be working and also co-hosting, in conjunction with Emanon, a winter guard show on March 31st in Pequannock, NJ. This will be a great opportunity for us to add another group to our 'extended family' just as with Jersey Surf last year. We are looking forward to making this show a huge success and for it to become an annual event for everyone.”

After rehearsing in sections for most of the afternoon, we put it all together in the full ensemble for the last hour. It's great to have the whole corps performing as a unit, but there are two drawbacks that any corps alumnus can appreciate. First, the echo-chamber gym, which is the only room large enough to hold everyone, makes it difficult to hear the individual parts. Second, lips that have turned to cardboard after hours of playing don't respond well. At the end of an intense and focused rehearsal, led by the intense and focused percussion instructor Bob Dubinski, came the words “In the Stone.” ITS is a tiring piece on the chops when one is fresh; after a six-hour rehearsal, playing it borders on sadistic. It did, however, provide the guard with an opportunity to join the musicians, demonstrating equipment work that is very tight for this point in the season. Before adjourning, the soprano section treated us to “Mr. Clown,” a triple-tongued diddy originally played in 1970.

The summer's appearance schedule is nearly final. Once again the corps will perform at DCI East (or the “Eastern Classic,” as it is now called) in Allentown. With DCI finals in California this year, the Allentown show will be a little earlier in the season. The two-day show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 7th and 8th. The Bridgemen will be leading off the Sunday night lineup, so be sure to arrive early to see the 1977 DCI East champs take the field again.

Openings remain in the color guard, mallets, and, especially, contrabass and mellophone sections. Perhaps you're a trumpet/soprano player who can occasionally play less than ff (very loud), and you always wanted to try mellophone, sailing out over the horn line while playing the coolest parts in drum corps. Or, alternatively, as brass instructor Matt Krempasky says, “You want to march all summer carrying a Volkswagen on your shoulder.” Either way, if you want to be part of a wall of sound, come to our next rehearsal on March 11 or contact the corps, as we must soon lock down this year's membership.