Sunday, March 04, 2007

Circus Bands #3


The Ken & Nicole Syncopators.
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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where are the guiters and the person that plays the CD machine?

Anonymous said...

The CD person went to Radio Shack to pick up a cable and a pack of batteries.

Anonymous said...

LE Barnes had a great live band.

David

Anonymous said...

Speaking of CDs. I heard some real sorry music Thursday night at a circus. And before the show and at intermission the only thing they played was "The Stars & Stripes Forever"!!!!! Yes, you real show folks know that it is never played on the bandstand and when you hear that march played it means "disaster"!

Carl

Anonymous said...

Carl, Is this the same circus shown on Circus Vern news letter where the performers are standing on the ring curb in street clothes waving American Flags for their Blowoff?

Anonymous said...

Pete
Thanks for your kind words about circus musicians. i was in the band on the Beatty show for 11 seasons, 9 as band leader. We were very consistent, we played music that matched the act and we showed up sober and on time. In my entire time with Beatty I never missed a show, not even for a honeymoon or my first son's birth. We also didn't complain anymore then anyone else, well I guess we did when acts would how up and give us, an 8 piece band, arrangements for 30 players or a rock band with vocals or some poorly written arrangements and wonder why it didn't sound like the recording or the last show they were on. Oh, I guess we did complain when we had to keep playing and playing and playing while the acts in rings 1 and 3 were standing there fighting over who would do the last trick. Most of us were there because we loved it. I would like to thank eveyone who went through the band while I was there for performing at such a high level while doing the hardest job in the music biz.
And yes it was an expense but you get what you pay for.

Jim Haverstrom
Music Director
Clyde Beatty Cole Circus
88-96 seasons