Blue Devils

The Blue Devils

Location	Concord, CA
Division	World Class
Founded	1970
Director	David Gibbs
Championship Titles	1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012
Corps Uniform	2011: Blue jacket with black stripes going down the right arm and white stripes down the right abdomen. Black and blue striped half skirt on the right side. Black pants with two white stripes running down the right leg. Black show. Black shako with a white plume.

The Blue Devils are a Junior Drum & Bugle Corps based in Concord, California. As 14-time champions of Drum Corps International since their first championship in 1976, the "Devs" offer young men and women between the ages of 7 and 21 quality educational and performance experiences in the areas of musical and dance performance. Founded in 1957, The Blue Devils’ objective is to develop personal character through challenging physical, emotional, mental, and social activities while promoting the values of dedication, hard work, and commitment to a team effort. Over 450 young people currently participate in The Blue Devils programs, and over 6,000 young people, in 1,800 families, have been served by The Blue Devils organization in its 44-year history.

The Blue Devils organization ("BD Performing Arts") currently consists of the "A", "B", and "C" Drum & Bugle Corps, the Diablo Wind Symphony, "Open" and "A" Winter Guards and a Twirling program. A new organization, BD Entertainment has been formed to provide you the opportunity to witness dazzling visuals and spectacular sound at Corporate meetings, conventions and tradeshows and special events, offering only the finest theatre art, music and dance.

History

The Blue Devils began as a drum-only corps in 1957, and later added glockenspiels to the marching ensemble. In 1961, the Color Guard section was added, followed by the Brass section in 1970.

Ann and Tony Odello and the Concord, California, branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) acquired the defunct Martinettes drum corps and drill team in 1957. On that foundation they created the Blue Devils (named "Blue" for the VFW color and "Devils" after Concord's local landmark, Mt. Diablo). Starting with fewer than 50 young members, the organization was an all-boy drum corps unit using only percussion instruments, with a separate all-girl marching team. During the late 1950s and early 1960s the Blue Devils organization oversaw several drum and bell and twirling corps. The drum and bell corps won many major competitions and held the California state championships for a number of years. The junior and senior twirling corps won every major state, regional, and national competition. The senior twirling team, the Devil's Advocates, was also very successful during the 1980s. The team won seven national championships as well as the world championships in 1983 and 1984.

Tony Odello resigned as manager of the bell corps in 1964, and Jerry Seawright assumed the position, with Erlene Shaffer as manager of the majorettes. In 1965 the twirlers fielded a group with twelve members to compete in field shows and parades.

In 1968, a third unit was added to the Blue Devils when a new junior corps was established after the original junior drum and bell corps elected to compete as a senior unit. All of these units did so well that in the late 1960s the senior drum and bell corps decided to make the transition to a full drum and bugle corps.

In 1970, the Blue Devils recruited ten brass players to join the talented percussion line and color guard from the bell corps, and on February 14, 1971, the Blue Devils attended their first standstill competition in Downey, California. By the spring of 1972 the drum and bugle corps had grown in size to more than 70 members and traveled on their first summer tour to compete with groups in the Pacific Northwest. The corps did very well on this tour and changed their category from B to A status that same year.

The new Blue Devils toured on a national level for the first time in 1973 and gained associate membership in Drum Corps International by placing 23rd at the DCI Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Also during 1973, the junior drum and bell corps was converted to a "B" bugle corps, and an even younger-aged "C" bugle corps was established.

In 1974 the corps earned a full DCI membership by virtue of their ninth place finish in Ithaca, New York. In 1975 the Blue Devils placed third, and in 1976 they won their first Drum Corps International Championship, topping every caption.

Since 1975 the Blue Devils have never placed out of the top five at Championships and have won the DCI World Championship title in 1976, '77, '79, '80, '82, '86, '94, '96, '97, '99, '03, '07, '09 and 2010, more than any other corps in history. The Blue Devils is the only corps to have scored in the 90s every year since 1975.

One unique aspect of the 1994 championship program was the use of scuba tanks as percussion instruments in the pit.

Two segments of the Blue Devils' 2003 show, 'The Phenomenon of Cool,' were in 5/4 time, Dave Brubeck's "Unsquare Dance" and "Take Five." They are the only corps in memory to march more than half their show in odd time. That extraordinary show was the vehicle for a season-long slow-motion race as the surging Blue Devils finally caught and passed the streaking Cavaliers to capture their 11th DCI championship, after a three-year hiatus, with a finals score of 98.8.

Blue Devils founder Jerry Seawright died in early 2004. That year, BD ran a nearly perfect string of wins right up to DCI Championships in Denver on the strength of a muscular jazz show entitled 'SummerTrain Blues Mix.' This railroad-themed show featured train-like vocal sound effects from the guard, as well as tuned railroad rails in the pit. On Finals night, the corps captured high guard and high brass before yielding the championship back to the Cavaliers by a mere 0.075 point.

Along with the DCI Championships, the Blue Devils Winter Guard won the Winter Guard International Championship in 1995, in 1996 with a record score of 99.45, in 1997 and again in 1998.

In the fall of 1989, the organization moved into its current building complex in the North Concord Business Park. There the Blue Devils Music School was established and began enrolling students as young as four years old. The music program, teaching piano, percussion and basic music theory to youth aged four to nine, currently involves over 150 students. In 1996 the organization added yet another program, The Diablo Wind Symphony. The Symphony serves 60 to 80 students ages 14 to 18.

Today the Blue Devils organization encompasses a wide spectrum of programs. The Blue Devils family includes the A, B, and C drum and bugle corps, three winter guard programs, and a world-class twirling program, in addition to the music school and the wind symphony. Over 500 young people, ages seven to twenty-one, are currently members of the Blue Devils performing units. More than 6000 young people have been served by the Blue Devils in its 47-year history.

Apart from their competitive performances, the Blue Devils are committed to offering the educational and cultural experience of international travel to their members. In 1983 the Blue Devils drum corps attended the 21st Century Celebration in Osaka, Japan. Teams from the Blue Devils twirling programs have traveled to Tokyo in 1982, Milan in 1983 (gold medal team winners), Calgary in 1984 (gold medal team winners), Turin, Italy in 1986 and Lyon, France in 1998. The percussion section was featured in 1988 as the centerpiece of a week-long schedule of performances at Japan Greenland. In the spring of 1988, the Blue Devils Winter Guard traveled to the Netherlands for clinics and performances. The drum corps returned to Japan in the fall of 1996 for a ten-day tour that included field show, parades, and indoor theatre performances, as well as clinics. The 2000, the Diablo Wind Symphony had a very successful fourteen-day Australian tour with performances in major Australian schools.

The Blue Devils have offered performances and clinics with great artists in the musical world. They have in concert with Maynard Ferguson, Bobby Shew and Chuck Mangione, as well as the late Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich. Clinics sponsored by the Blue Devils have featured Ralph Humphrey, Dave Weckl, Steve Houghton, Peter Erskine, Bob Montgomery and many others. The Blue Devils have highlighted musical selections from these great bands and artists in their repertoires over the years.

For an opportunity to entertain and perform in an intimate theater environment, the 1997 Blue Devils created 'Exhaltation,' combining the intimacy of the theater with the exhilarating power of field performances. 1998 saw an expansion of these performance opportunities with the creation of 'Exubero,' which traveled throughout the U.S. In 1999 audiences across the midwest and in Europe were treated to the exciting '{Jazz} Man in the Moon,' utilizing the talents of all sections to create a study of the ever present mystery of the effects of the moon on the cycles of life. The 2000 On-Stage production thrilled fans throughout Europe and was the centerpiece of the European tour.

Backed by a strong administrative program, The Blue Devils from Concord, California, rank unquestionably as the highest ranking and most consistent corps in the history of DCI.

The corps has been awarded Fifthteen Drum Corps International World Championship titles.

Management

BD Performing Arts is the corporate entitiy that manages the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps (also known as the Blue Devils A-Corps). Along with the A-Corps, BD Performing Arts supports the B-Corps, the C-Corps, the Blue Devils Winter Guard program, the Diablo Wind Symphony, and BD Entertainment. The Executive Director of BD Performing Arts is David Gibbs. The Board of Directors of BD Performing Arts are [1]:

• Kit Rodgers - President
• Donna Batchelor - Vice President
• Tom VandeWater - Chief Financial Officer
• Dodie Martz, Secretary
• Toby Cummings
• JoEllen Abate-McEntire, Alumnus
• Maile Collmer, Alumnus
• Jeff DeMello, Past Secretary, Past President, Alumnus,
• Rosa Lee Harden - Past President
• Doug Peterson, Alumnus
• Brian Ripley - Past Vice President
• Brandon Wilson, Alumnus

Mission

Music and the performing arts connect youth with their culture through a common language crossing generational, social, and racial barriers. The activities that a young person pursues influences the type of person he or she becomes. The experience that comes with participation in a performing arts organization builds discipline, character, pride, and self-confidence at a crucial age and forms the springboard to even greater achievements in adulthood.

BD Performing Arts programs permanently enrich the lives of young people through a commitment to youth development and performance excellence while providing enjoyment for our local community and audiences worldwide.

Shows by year

Year	Program Title	Repertoire	Placement	Score	Class
1971		Theme from Lawrence of Arabia Symphony No. 9 America The Beautiful Big Spender (from Sweet Charity) Stoney End Shadow Of Your Smile (from The Sandpiper)
1972		Strike Up The Band Ave Maria Venus The Man I Love I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) Day In The Life Of A Fool
1973		Chant And Jubilo Jupiter Ave Maria This Could Be The Start Of Something Big Miserlou Caravan Morning Of The Carnival	24th	66.10	DCI Open Class
1974		Chant And Jubilo Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from Porgy and Bess) It Ain't Necessarily So (from Porgy and Bess) Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor Feel Of A Vision Touch Of Venus Lady Sings The Blues	9th	79.15	DCI Open Class
1975		Space Shuttle Love's Been Gone So Long What Is Hip? Squibb Cakes Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor Feel Of A Vision Chase The Clouds Away	3rd	88.60	DCI Open Class
1976		Channel One Suite Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor Chase The Clouds Away	1st	92.70	DCI Open Class
1977		Channel One Suite Spanish Fantasy Gonna Fly Now (from Rocky)	1st	92.05	DCI Open Class
1978		Chicago III Suite Spanish Fantasy Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor	3rd	91.20	DCI Open Class
1979		Chicago III Suite La Suerte De Los Tontos My Heart Belongs To Me	1st	93.55	DCI Open Class
1980		New York Fantasy Ya Gotta Try Pegasus Free La Suerte De Los Tontos Pauper In Paradise Dindi	1st	90.60	DCI Open Class
1981		New York Fantasy Ya Gotta Try La Danse Bonheur One More Time Chuck Corea Johnny One Note (from Babes in Arms) La Danse Bonheur Dindi	2nd	93.70	DCI Open Class
1982		T.O. Pegasus Paradox One More Time Chuck Corea People Alone (from The Competition)	1st	95.25	DCI Open Class
1983		T.O. Everybody Loves the Blues Paradox One More Time Chuck Corea A New Beginning	2nd	93.80	DCI Open Class
1984		Bacchanalia Latin Implosion Karn Evil 9 La Fiesta Like A Lover	2nd	97.90	DCI Open class
1985		Liferaft Earth Trilogy Karn Evil 9 Piano Concerto No. 1 First Circle	3rd	97.10	DCI Open Class
1986		Channel One Suite Conquistador Spanish Fantasy Chick Corea Suite	1st	98.40	DCI Open Class
1987		Fanfare For The New Harlem Nocturne Echidna's Arf (Of You) Free Spanish Dreams	4th	94.40	DCI Open Class
1988		Happy Days Are Here Again Old Black Magic Goodbye Yesterday Since I Fell For You	3rd	96.30	DCI Open Class
1989		Ya Gotta Try If We Were In Love (from Yes, Georgio) Allegre Johnny One Note (from Babes in Arms)	4th	95.90	DCI Open Class
1990	Tommy	Sparks See Me Feel Me Tommy Can You Hear Me? Pinball Wizard Underture Listening to You Overture Finale	4th	95.30	DCI Open Class
1991	Conversations In Jazz	Commencement (from Adventures in Time) Bird and Bela in B Flat (2nd Movement) Bird and Bela in B Flat (3rd Movement)	5th	93.80	DCI Open Class
1992	Big, Bad, and Blue	Someone's There El Congo Valiente (from Cuban Fire Suite) Fuego Cubano (from Cuban Fire Suite) La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) When a Man Loves a Woman	4th	95.40	DCI Division I
1993	A Don Ellis Portrait	Open Wide Great Divide Chain Reaction Strawberry Soup Niner-Two	4th	95.10	DCI Division I
1994	My Spanish Heart	Spanish Fantasy Part 1 Night Streets Day Danse My Spanish Heart Spanish Fantasy Part 4	1st	98.40	DCI Division I
1995	Carpe Nocturn	Buleria ( from Jazz Pana) Conquistador Coronation Of The Dead Queen (from The Legend of Alcobaça) Ines (from The Legend of Alcobaça) No Heroes Commencement (from Adventures in Time) Caribe (from One More Once) Day Danse Dom Pedro's Revenge (from The Legend of Alcobaça)	3rd	96.70	DCI Division I
1996	Club Blue: A Gangster Chronicle	Children's Hour of Dream Desi Tess' Theme (from Dick Tracy) Trouble (from Mission Impossible)	1st (tie)	97.40	DCI Division I
1997	As Time Goes By...	Casablanca Bangkok A Night in Tunisia As Time Goes By	1st	98.40	DCI Division I
1998	One Hand, One Heart	Romeo and Juliet West Side Story	3rd	97.70	DCI Division I
1999	RHYTHMS... At The Edge Of Time	Estancia Ballet (Rhythm 1 - Afrocuban/Malambo) Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 2 - Rhumba) Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 3 - Samba) Adios Nonino (Rhythm 4 - Tango) Unchained Melody (Rhythm 5 - Jazz) The Dirty Boogie (Rhythm 6 - Swing)	1st (tie)	98.40	DCI Division I
2000	Methods of Madness	Night Piece For Saxophone and Orchestra (from Taxi Driver) Prelude & Blues (from Taxi Driver) Prelude (from On Dangerous Ground) Prelude (from Psycho) Scene d' Amour (from Vertigo) The Wild Ride (from North By Northwest)	3rd	96.90	DCI Division I
2001	Awayday Blue	Awayday Fantasy Variations (on George Gershwin's Second Prelude for Piano)	2nd (shared with The Cadets)	97.60	DCI Division I
2002	Jazz: Music Made In America	Ragtime I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) Fascinating Rhythm House of the Rising Sun Channel One Suite	2nd	97.30	DCI Division I
2003	The Phenomenon Of Cool	Concierto de Aranjuez Take Five Blue Rondo A La Turk Unsquare Dance	1st	98.80	DCI Division I
2004	Summertrain Blues Mix	Blues Train Summertime Take The "A" Train	2nd	98.525	DCI Division I
2005	Dance Derby of the Century	Redline Tango Brother, Can You Spare A Dime? Prelude, Fugue & Riffs On The Town In Wartime	4th	95.250	DCI Division I
2006	The Godfather: Part Blue	Love Theme Sicilian Pastoral The Godfather Waltz	3rd	96.550	DCI Division I
2007	Winged Victory	Pegasus Fantasy The Ascension Heaven	1st	98.000	DCI Division I
2008	Constantly Risking Absurdity	Sweeny Todd-Main Theme Phrygian Gates Bach Invention Serenada Schizophrana Pianos I Will Wait for You The Untouchables:The City of Prague	2nd	98.100	DCI World Class
2009	1930	Get Happy Happy Days Are Here Again Playing Love Piano Variations Rialto Ripples I Got Rhythm Concerto in F Caravan Happy Days Are Here Again Rhapsody in Blue	1st	99.050	DCI World Class
2010	Through A Glass, Darkly	City of Glass Suite Conflict Mirage Trajectories Incident in Jazz Laura La Suerte de Los Tontos	1st	98.900	DCI World Class
2011	The Beat My Heart Skipped	A House Is Not a Home Summer of 77 Walk On By One Less Bell To Answer Woman I Say A Little Prayer Wives And Lovers God Give Me Strength	2nd	97.800	DCI World Class
2012	Cabaret Voltaire	Harmonielehre Morrison Manie The Children's Hour of Dream Symphonies: V Bird & Bela in B Flat Gymnopedies Ballet Mecanique Peppy and George Dr. Bones New Arrival Tevot Rhapsody in Blue	1st	98.700	DCI World Class

Traditions

• The Blue Devils hornline are known to wear their Championship rings outside of their gloves.
• "Hack Fest", which occurs on the last day of practice at MARS before Nats Tour, is a run-through of the previous year's show by memory. (performed by corps veterans).
• Was the first corps to play "F Tuning" as a on-field warm-up. It is now called "Bb Tuning"
• BD hornline members sing "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" and "Californian Girls" before shows to lucky females at the horn warmup. (Which was started in the 1998 season)

Trivia

• Tom Float, Blue Devils Percussion Caption Head from 1982 to 1990, is often credited for creating the snare drum "scoop," which is a curved plastic arc attached to the bottom of a snare drum. The purpose of the scoop is to project sound from the snare side head in front and away from the player, rather than into the ground.
• The Blue Devils possess the most hornline caption awards in DCI history. "D.C.I. High Brass Titles (23): 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984 (tie), 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993 (tie), 1994, 1995 (tie), 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008 & 2010."
• The Blue Devils also possess the most consecutive drum titles -- four years, from 1983-1986. In fact, it took the only perfect score in drumline history, scored by the Cadets of Bergen County in 1987, to break the streak.
• In 1985 their season was nearly ended prematurely when a fire broke out in the brand new 'kitchen' trailer, which was holding all the percussion, most of the brass, and much of the colorguard equipment. The equipment truck broke down earlier that evening leading to the equipment move.
• In 1994, they were so confident of a finals victory that they already had baseball style jerseys printed out and being sold with DEVILS across the top back and the number 7, signifying their 7th title which they later won that season.
• In 1995 the bass drum instructor was non other than Jim Casella (a Vanguard bass drum alumnus himself) who later went on to percussion composer/arrangement fame with the Vanguard and now Cavaliers
• The Blue Devils F-Tuning Warmup as well as excerpts from their 1999 show can be faintly heard in the background of American Pie: Band Camp.
• Since 2006, The Blue Devils have won 3 World Championships, placed 1st in 122 competitions, 2nd in 10, and 3rd in 1.
• The Blue Devils went undefeated in both the 2009 and 2010 season.

See Also

• Blue Devils B
• Blue Devils C

External Links

• Blue Devils: Official Website
• DCI Telecast Intro