USN Fleet Forces Band: "The Stars and Stripes Fovever"

When we're lucky enough to have an active-duty ceremonial band perform at our reunion, NMA President Terry Chesson always welcomes them with a warning, basically, "You're about to get applause like you never got before."

And why shouldn't this be so? We're honored to have a Navy band play for us; they're our brothers and sisters. We recognize excellence in performance; we're musicians. And we know the challenges of ceremonial band performance; we're MUs. We've all stood in formation on piers and quarterdecks, in hangers and ballrooms.

On June 28, 2014, the ceremonial unit of the United States Navy Fleet Forces Band performed for us. President Chesson, as always, warned them of the reception to come. Their performance, as always, earned our enthusiastic response. After the concert, as always, we wandered the ballroom in a collective daze, asking each other, "My god, could we have possibly sounded this good when we were in uniform?"

Here's their performance of "The Stars and Stripes Forever." I originally planned to post only the trio, because the piccolo soloist is so...I don't know, "outstanding" seems a little weak. You have to hear and see for yourself what he brings to the world's most well-known piccolo solo. But then I decided to include the previous breakup strain for context. Then I had to include the ensuing breakup strain so you could hear the applause. Then I wanted you to hear the band's balance and  precision in the first strain, their dynamics and--

Here's the whole damn march.

Fly Me to the Moon--It Would Be Quicker

I know I promised to post more about the NMA reunion when I returned to Illinois, but it's taken a while to recover from the flight home. While my ticket promised a short flight to Atlanta, GA, and another to Moline, IL, it did not include all the details or a definition of the word "short."

Diagram showing Frank Mullen's flight path home from Norfolk.

I boarded the plane in Norfolk, fastened my seat belt and the captain informed us we weren't going anywhere. Atlanta, where I was to change planes, was threatened by storms, so we'd have to wait.

In a concession to basic decency, passengers were allowed off the plane. It being likely I'd miss my connection in Atlanta--I was scheduled for an hour layover in which to navigate my way across an airport the size of Canada--I spoke with a ticketing agent. She booked me on an evening flight home out of Atlanta, but kept my original reservation active, just in case. I could see that my flight home might also be delayed due to weather, so I felt good about having two options.

After two hours of updates, we were finally invited back aboard, and off we went. The pilot made good time, but had to reroute around a moving weather system. This delayed us, but when I deplaned in Atlanta, I discovered the storm had delayed everything, including my connecting flight. But I missed it by minutes. The electronic schedule board treated me to the joy of watching the listing for flight 1523 to Moline flip from "Boarding in 5 minutes) to "Gate Closed."

This gave me six hours to kill in the Atlanta airport. I did a New York times crossword puzzle. That took eight minutes and fifty-five seconds. I had my computer and set up a chat room. I ate Mongolian steak. Finally, I got on an airplane. Life was good.

In Rio de Janiero or aboard the Cunard Queen of the Seas. On flight 1523, life wasn't so good. The captain told us storms had closed the Moline airport, so we'd have to circle the city in a holding pattern.

The city we'd circling, we soon learned, was Topeka, Kansas. You can only steer a plane in circles for so long before you take a look at your gas gauge and say, "Oops." Apparently that's what the pilot did, because he told us we'd better head toward Moline.

Kansas City, MO, evidently qualified as "toward Moline." We circle KC for a bit, and then the captain gave his longest and most-detailed speech of the long evening:

"Well, folks, we can't do this forever, so it's time we set this thing down. The weather has moved to the east, so I think I can get us down in about 15 minutes. Oh, by the way, we'll be passing through some convective weather patterns, so keep your seat belts fastened or you'll be throwing up Sprite and peanuts all over the passenger in front of you."

Long, yes, detailed, yes, but lacking in one specific and vital detail: he didn't tell us where we were going to land. Secrets are a big part of the airline industry; travel is so much more exciting when you don't know where you're going or when you'll get there.

But it truly was Moline. The well-kept secret fell apart when, thirteen hours after I left the hotel in Norfolk, I walked into the main concourse and found my wife waiting. Oddly, she wasn't terribly interested in hearing about my ordeal. It had something to do with the fact that she'd been sitting at a computer all day, tracking flights, trying to figure out where I was, and then spent half the night driving to the airport in pelting rain, dodging flooded roads in low-lying areas and swerving around panicked wildlife fleeing across the highways.

Jeez, what a complainer.

The 2014 NMA Reunion Remembered

I'm sitting in my hotel room, recuperating from the 2014 reunion of the Navy Musicians Association, getting ready to pack up for my trip home tomorrow and already wondering: what will next year's reunion be like?

Last year's get-together was--here comes that word again--stellar. I know I've mentioned this before, but after the 2013 reunion, when the gear had been torn down and the last toasts offered, I heard a number of members say, "Something was different this year."

It was true. We had new members in 2013. We had a fine concert band and swinging big bands. We'd also been attracting some excellent new players, performers of widespread repute. It was a clear sign of our brotherhood that these hot new players didn't scare the rest of us off the bandstand. To the contrary, in concert band, big band and in jam sessions, we played together as comfortably and enthusiastically as ever. The affair was so good that, through the ensuing year, I feared that 2014 might be a letdown. I couldn't see how we could top the 2013 reunion.

But we did, and I think scores of attendees would agree.

We hit our stride quickly. The first day of our reunions can be rugged. But last Wednesday morning we set up the rehearsal hall in record time and were playing by 0920. Similarly, a volunteer setup crew got the concert band room set up and rehearsal began within minutes of the scheduled start time. And the rehearsal hall was full; those hot players who were first-timers last year? They were back.

The result was a series of effective and enjoyable rehearsals that culminated in--here's that word again--stellar performances.

Our big bands always swing. I don't think it's an innate trait of MUs, but rather the result of naval tradition. Navy musicians have been teaching each other how to swing since swing was born. I have met and played with members who served during World War II, who are on active duty now, and representatives
of service in every decade in between. The quality of our big bands is no surprise.

The NMA concert band presents a different challenge. This genre of music can be complex. Every piece is completely different. You can't rely any type of "autopilot" when a conductor is steering the band. Until the players arrive and warm up, you never know what instrumentation we'll have--or not have.

But this year, along with challenges, we had solutions. Wonder of wonders, the NMA had a full section of B-flat and alto clarinets. And timpani--four of them! Music stands that don't collapse under the weight of a pencil and spare mouthpiece. And because Wilbur Smith, our director, is still regaining his strength after back surgery, Ray Ascione agreed to conduct a few numbers, providing a rest for Smitty and lending new excitement to our performance.

And then there was the Saturday night performance by the ceremonial unit of the U.S Navy Fleet Forces Band.  The caliber of this new generation of Navy musicians is astounding. Just as they did last year, their performance--and remember, we're talking about regular old stand-on-the-pier, change-of-command, B-flat "bag band " or "gun tub band"--demonstrated exceptional musicianship, military bearing and showmanship..

(Soon, I will post a video of their performance of "The Stars and Stripes Forever." Yes, you've heard bands play it a thousand times. Yes, you know the piccolo player is always featured on the trio. But you've never experienced "Stars and Stripes" like this. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.)

If I've been focusing on the musical aspect of this reunion simply, it's only because it's easier to talk about music than spirit. It's hard to describe the camaraderie, the joy of spending a few days with friends you knew in your first band, or that you're meeting for the first time. But that spirit was everywhere, on the bandstand, in the lounge and under poolside umbrellas.

So how will things go next year when we return to Virginia Beach next year? First-time attendees are coming back for seconds, so clearly, the word about our reunions is getting around. And a special added attraction is on the horizon: the 2015 reunion will mark the 20th anniversary of the Navy Musicians Association. This could bring in new-comers, old-timers and once-in-a-whilers.

Yeah, I can see next year's reunion being even better than this year's. The only thing I can't see improving is the Fleet Forces band; the thought of them topping this year's performance seems inconceivable.

Of course, that's exactly what I said last year.

Coming Tonight...

Although the reunion is over, I'm still wrapping things up. Tomorrow is a travel day. Then it's back to my other life.

So it's gonna be a few days before I can post all the videos, photos and blather about the 2014 reunion of the Navy Musicians Association that I want to share with you.

As worn out as I am, there's still a lingering "high." So tonight I'll post a few things while they're still fresh, things that made the 2014 NMA reunion...I was going to say "stellar," but that was how we've referred to the 2013 reunion. This year, I'll need an adjective beyond "stellar," since this get-together topped even last year's reunion.

I'll be back tonight with the new adjective.

The Party is Over, the Tables are Turned

Before

During.

After.