Friends of LBJCB

My First LBJCB Rehearsal

I was a freshman in the band at Marina High School in Huntington Beach in 1979 when I first started hearing the name "Long Beach Junior Concert Band" being tossed around the band room.

Of course, with that name came a lot of false ideas and rumors about the band, such as "the band is too loud with no musical quality," "the drummers are a bunch of animals with no talent," etc. Well, being a kid of 14 years old or so I quickly bought into the stereotypes dogging the band, and wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, I was asked to go to rehearsals several times and I downright refused.

At Marina there was a tall, redheaded musician – I won't mention any names, but her initials are Robbie Martin – who was very persistent in trying to recruit me to join; however, I still was very much set in my ways and continued to say no.

One day, after school was out for the summer and we were all hanging out, Robbie convinced me to go to the movies with her and a few other friends on a warm Sunday afternoon.

I must tell you this sounded like fun, so Robbie picked me up at the house and we were on our way. Before I knew it we were on the freeway and at that moment I figured something was up, but didn't quite know what she was up to.

The next thing I knew, we drove into Vets Stadium for a Sunday afternoon marching practice toward the end of June just a week or so before the 4th of July.

I was not very happy about her deception at all but agreed to see what this band was all about. Besides, what choice did I have? Robbie had pretty much told me "either rehearse or find your own way home."

My next question was "What about my instrument?" Robbie, of course, was very sneaky and had planned this whole thing in advance, and already had my tenor sax in her trunk.

As I began to be introduced around, I met the saxophone section leader, the drum major and then it came time to meet Marvin.

As I was being introduced, Marvin saw out of the corner of his eye something he did not like, and in his Marvinesque kind of way, started yelling. I can tell you it scared me like nothing else.

As the practice progressed through the day, so did my excitement about the possibility of one day joining and wearing the uniform of the Long Beach Junior Concert Band.

The march the band was playing at the time was "Barnum and Baileys Favorites" and it was awesome, so that very night I took home my music and practiced the march day in and day out until the next rehearsal in hopes of trying out, so perhaps I could march the Huntington Beach 4th of July Parade.

I tried out for Dave Schaafsma on Tuesday, and was actually told I didn't make it. I was crushed, but still determined. I had one rehearsal to go and finally passed my audition.

Well, I was able to march my first parade on the 4th of July in my hometown, and my love affair with the Long Beach Junior Concert Band had begun. It has lasted for more than 30 years and I am still involved with LBJCB today.

For those of you who are current members, I hope my story inspires you to go out and build the membership of LBJCB and remember that there are ways to convince someone to come down and see the band for him or herself.

OBST,
Dave Floyd