Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Memorial Day Parade 2015, Washington, D.C.

The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
 
A beautiful day in Washington greeted thousands who turned out to watch and participate in the annual Memorial Day Parade down Constitution Avenue in honor of all military members who have served the United States. Veterans from wars beginning with World War II through present day marched or rode in style to greet paradegoers who lined the street and rewarded the troops with constant, loud applause.  Tuskegee Airmen riding in fancy cars were among parade participants.
 
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, and at 3 p.m., the two-hour parade stopped, watchers removed their hats, and all paused in silence for the National Moment of Remembrance, authorized by the U.S. Congress.  
 
Thanks to Stars and Stripes and the sponsors for publishing a commemorative edition of the newspaper for the special day.
Sponsored by the Republic of Vietnam Veterans Association Coalition/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
Arbor View High School, Las Vegas, NV/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Arbor View High School, Las Vegas, NV/Photo by Patricia Leslie
A riderless horse in tribute to those who have lost their lives in service to our nation/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
To honor his uncle, WWII veteran Willy Novelli,  actor Joe Mantegna led a succession of WWII vets riding in high style/Photo by Patricia Leslie
WWII vets in the 2015 Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
WWII vets in the 2015 Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
WWII vets in the 2015 Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
Ballou High School Marching Band, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)/Photo by Patricia Leslie
"Girls can't have all the fun!  I just want to be a pom pom boy!" Hampton High School Band, Allison Park, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
You guessed right:  a 60-foot flag/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Opelousas High School Band, Opelousas, LA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
"OMgosh! I was going to lay down right on the pavement and cry if I didn't get those heels off!  Thank goodness, you brought some other shoes for me!  Mothers think of everything!" Opelousas High School Band, Opelousas, LA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
President George Washington left Martha warming the stove, I 'spose/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band, Columbus/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band, Columbus/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation featuring Gary Sinise (on right, waving in black and white checked shirt) and Wounded Warriors from Afghanistan and Iraq/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Black Knight Marching Band, Franklin High School, Franklin, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Black Knight Marching Band, Franklin High School, Franklin, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Nationals went to Chicago to beat the Cubs and left Abe and George at home.  Boo hoo. But we got'em!  Over on the far curb it looks like George is bending over to grab a ...? Slurp off a popsicle?/Photo by Patricia Leslie
 Secaucus High School, Secaucus, NJ/Photo by Patricia Leslie
West Platte High School Marching Band, Weston, MO/Photo by Patricia Leslie
President Abraham Lincoln for sure wasn't going to bring that crazy Mary Todd Lincoln!/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Female Re-Enactors of Distinction/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Shiner High School Marching Band, Shiner, TX/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Shiner High School Marching Band, Shiner, TX/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Oh, to lead a dog's life and ride atop a stagecoach in 2015. Bow WOW/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Sons of Confederate Veterans, R.E. Lee Camp, Alexandria, VA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Bartow High School, Bartow, FL/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Bartow High School, Bartow, FL/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Henry Ford II High School Marching Falcons, Sterling Heights, MI/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Henry Ford II High School Marching Falcons, Sterling Heights, MI/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Pride of Morristown Junior/Senior High School, Morristown, IN/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Pride of Morristown Junior/Senior High School, Morristown, IN/Photo by Patricia Leslie
They grow'em big out West!  A potato from Idaho/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Deer Park High School Band, Deer Park, TX/Photo by Patricia Leslie
General "Black Jack" John Pershing and his horse, "Aw Shucks"/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Gateway High School Marching Band, Monroeville, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Lions/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev, who wears size negative two/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Mulberry High School Band, Mulberry, FL/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Faces of the Fallen/Photo by Patricia Leslie

From Lancaster County, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Please identify this band/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Springfield Central High School Marching Band, Springfield, MA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Springfield Central High School Marching Band, Springfield, MA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Cumberland Valley High School Marching Band, Mechanicsburg, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Cumberland Valley High School Marching Band, Mechanicsburg, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Cumberland Valley High School Marching Band, Mechanicsburg, PA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
2014 American Idol winner, Caleb Johnson, salutes American heroes/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Havelock High School Marching Rams, Havelock, NC. Havelock must havelots of residents to have a high school band this big/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Havelock High School Marching Rams, Havelock, NC.  Havelock's flag girls won "Best Costume" of the day.  They were dressed like WWII worker bee women/Photo by Patricia Leslie
John F. Kennedy High School Eagles' Marching Band, Taylor, MI/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Purple Hearts Reunited/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Purple Hearts Reunited/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Snowball Express serving the Children of Our Fallen Military Heroes/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Kuwait honored Gulf War veterans/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Ocoee High School Knights Marching Band, Ocoee, FL/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Mariposa Unified Grizzly High School Band, Mariposa, CA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
The Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
Navy Reserves/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Chilton High School Band, Clanton, AL or Chilton, WI?/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Chilton High School Band, Clanton, AL or Chilton, WI?/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Liberty Technology High School Band, Jackson, TN/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Everett High School, Everett, MA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Everett High School, Everett, MA/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Doing what moms do in the Memorial Day Parade, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie
Hang around 'til the end and get your picture taken with a pig/Photo by Patricia Leslie


patricialesli@gmail.com

Monday, May 18, 2015

Army's new jazz and All-Stars delight audience

The U.S. Army Blues in concert, Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
 
One of the joys of living in the Washington, D.C. region is the plethora of musical opportunities offered by expert performers, many who play for free for eager and enthusiastic audiences.  So it was on Sunday afternoon at Brucker Hall at Fort Myer, Virginia where about 150 jazz lovers came out to hear non-traditional, original compositions and arrangements by members of the U.S. Army Blues, under the direction of Jeremiah Keillor.  The Army Blues is the premier jazz ensemble of the U.S. Army, an 18-piece ensemble, part of the Army Band "Pershing's Own."
Trumpeters in the Army Blues are Mark A. Wood, Kenneth W. McGee, Graham E. Breedlove, and Kenneth R. Rittenhouse.  According to the concert's leader, Joseph D. Henson, Take Five by Paul Desmond, made famous by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and arranged by Master Sgt. Rittenhouse for Sunday's performance, was "as traditional" as anything heard in the "New Music Concert"/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Trombonists in the group are Matthew F. Niess, Victor Barranco, Harry F. Watters, and Jeffrey J. Cortazzo, and on drums, Steve Fidyk.  On the program were Utopia by Blues' Joseph Henson and Bloodline by Michael Kramer, also a Blues member (below)/Photo by Patricia Leslie

New Army Blues member and guitarist is Michael Kramer who wrote To Herb, Two Herbs as a tribute to "overlooked jazz composer" Herbie Nichols (1919-1963) who died at 44 from leukemia.  Mr. Henson called it "probably the band's most challenging piece" of the day, but it didn't sound like it/Photo by Patricia Leslie
On the sax were Antonio L. Orta, Bill E. Linney, Mr. Henson, and David T. Brown/Photo by Patricia Leslie
A "New Music Concert" at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
These were the Blues' "Swamp Romp" playing Xavier Perez' Reich Sauce in the Chili. The program said Perez, "a big fan of composer Steve Reich" (b. 1936) put together the piece with a "bluesy, Southern boogaloo"/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Xavier Perez/Photo by Patricia Leslie
A "New Music Concert" at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Pianist Daniel A. Roberts composed Link's for his friend, Lyle Link, an area alto saxophonist.  Bass player Regan Brough arranged The Lover's Celebration by Memphis' James Williams (1951-2004) as a solo piano piece.  It featured a no-conflict relationship in a light, delightful, and soothing style/Photo by Patricia Leslie
An incredible show by the National Jazz Workshop All-Star Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Alan Baylock and produced by Matt Niess, preceded the Blues' performance. The website says the All-Star Jazz Orchestra is "an audition based ensemble open to music students aged 15-22 in the Washington, DC area. The mission of NJW is to offer the highest level of instruction to young jazz musicians while promoting America's Art form, jazz. NJW employs educators and artists dedicated to helping students reach their potential as musicians and individuals"/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Jaquan Andrews is the trombone soloist (left on second row) from the National Jazz All-Stars, playing Cold Duck Time.  Other All-Star trombonists are Aidan Farley, Jack Grimm, Zachary Niess, Noah Flanigan, and Francis Baylock/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Pianist Daniel A. Roberts got double billing, playing for the Army Blues and subbing for the All-Star Jazz Orchestra/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Garrett Mader and Jan Knutson are All-Star guitarists/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Sax All-Stars are Kurtis Wheeler, Eli Kane, Ben Brooks, Alex de Lazzari, Ben Francis, and Zach Hanna/Photo by Patricia Leslie
An All-Star at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
The only female spotted on the stage the whole afternoon was Caeley Niess who played a sexy Concerto for Cootie by Duke Ellington (1899-1974) and almost stole the show. Niess's parents, Suzanne and Matt Niess are members of the Army band. Other All-Star trumpeters are Robert A. Barron, Michael Berkeley, Nathan Bradley, Marshall Klimmek, and Jake Crawford/Photo by Patricia Leslie
All-Stars at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
On drums somewhere in the photo is All-Star Scott Sawicki /Photo by Patricia Leslie
All-Stars at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
An All-Star at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
All-Stars at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
Behind the trombone is an All-Star/Photo by Patricia Leslie
These two All-Stars really dug their music on stage at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie
All-Star bassists are Jacob Dormuth and Michael Baylock/Photo by Patricia Leslie
More All-Stars at Brucker Hall, Fort Myer, VA, May 17, 2015/Photo by Patricia Leslie