Barbary Coast performs at Expo 86

It began with a small notice in downbeat magazine last fall: a series of regional competitions for jazz ensembles and combos to be held across Canada in early 1986. The winners would be invited to perform at Expo '86, the World's Fair at Vancouver.

It was easy to receive an invitation to the Montreal Regionals. The Barbary Coast has been going to Montreal over spring break for several years and has a solid reputation there. So in February, following performances at Middlebury and McGill, the Coast played in the Montreal Regionals of the Canadian Stage Band Festival and was the first U.S. band to do so.

Though not officially competing (that was limited to Canadian bands), the Dartmouth entry was evaluated by a panel of judges, one of whom said, "The Barbary Coast is a first-class ensemble, well balanced within and between sections, well disciplined, and very well rehearsed. Good technique, good intonation, good soloists. It is difficult to criticize because everything is done in a professional way. Excellent performance throughout."

Based on that performance, the Coast was invited to Vancouver for the downbeat international finals in May. Financing the trip was a problem, but support came from President McLaughlin, the Dickey Endowment, the Hopkins Center, the Student Social Council, the Council on Student Organizations, the Interfraternity Council, and several Hanover businesses.

The Vancouver trip required taking a week off from classes just before finals. The Coast, with 20 students, was the largest it has ever been: five saxes, five trumpets, five trombones, and five rhythm (piano, guitar, bass, drums, and congas).

The Coast reached Seattle on Tuesday, May 13, and was put up overnight by the parents of Dillon Schneider '86. After a free day on Thursday, the group had two warm-up sessions, at a local school on Friday and at the Washington Pavilion at Expo 86 on Saturday.

Sunday, the 18th, was the big day for which the Coast had traveled nearly 3,000 miles. The down beat international competition for the 15 U.S. bands was held at the Plaza of Nations, where a sizable audience gathered under plexiglas despite the rain. Dartmouth's entry did what has become its trademark, playing pieces Parker, Monk, Gillespie from the Afro-American jazz tradition. The four judges rated them 95, 93, 92, 91, and they won third place behind the Freedonia (SUNY) Jazz Ensemble and the Ohio State University Jazz Ensemble.

"Freedonia, almost all music majors, was nothing short of amazing, but I though we were quite close to Ohio State," said Don Glasgo, a visiting instructor in music who has directed the Coast since 1975. "We have always known there was jazz at Dartmouth. Now others know it too."

Dartmouth's jazz ensemble, The Bar-bary Coast, performed at Expo 86 inVancouver in May.