Some Old City Band Photos

Bob Bell got a slide scanner for Christmas and sends us three more pictures from the OSCB's illustrious past:

"specifically the season of 1976-77. I was Deputy Bandmaster at the time and these are three gigs I led. The first picture is the Legion Church Parade, Sunday before Nov. 11th, formed up in front of First Baptist Church on 4th Ave. E.. There were still quite a few vets in the band that year.
"The second picture is quite possibly the worst Santa Claus Parade in living memory. We're marching west on 10th St. The building beside us is the Seldon House (Jason's) when it was still painted white. We are about to left wheel onto 2nd Ave. E. We marched shoulder to shoulder to try to keep warm. My trumpet plugged up with ice. The saxes kept losing notes until their reeds split. By the time we reached the reviewing stand at City Hall, we had only percussion left working.
"The third picture is the grand opening of the brand new Shallow Lake Arena. Indoors, thank goodness, though they put us on the ice."

Central Place Courtyard (12-08-07)

Some scenes (and sounds) from down by the fountain in the courtyard of Central Place last Tuesday evening, the Owen Sound City Band under the direction of our intrepid semi-conductor Dan Blenkensop, staving off the rainclouds with that big windband sound :)

many thanks to our resident photographer Linda Joch for sending these along!

Junior Band by Owen Sound City Band

Music Box Dancer by Owen Sound City Band

At A Dixieland Jazz Funeral by Owen Sound City Band

Some Old Photos

Our former bandleader and long-time member Bob Bell sends us some City Band memories for our web archives:

I thought I'd send these around. The little black and white was taken at the Santa Claus Parade in 1964. One is the grand opening of the Harrison Park Inn in 1987, replacing the one that burned down. Third is the OSCVI Reunion Parade. You'll recognize Gary [Bergstra] on the trombone, but maybe not the kid on bass clarinet a few rows back.

The concert picture was taken in 1976 or 1977. We did a kiddies' concert spread out on the grass, so the children could get in closer. Bob Rourke was conducting.

The last shot was from 1987, just after a concert. My oldest son, Sandy, a six-year-old at the time, grabbed my hat and baton while I was chatting in the background. Interestingly, the guy in the red sneakers with his back to the camera is Tim Harrison, former bandsman and founder of the Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival.

and to go with those memories, a little Stephen Sondheim, recorded live last night off that very same bandshell in that very same Harrison Park!

 

Send In The Clowns by Owen Sound City Band

City Band at the Grey Roots Heritage Fair

City Band percusion/horn player Nolan Murphy (13) has assembled a fabulous display of photos, memoirs, recordings, videos and artifacts on the history of the Owen Sound City Band for his entry into the 4th Annual Grey Roots Regional Heritage Fair opening today at the Grey Roots Museum and Archive.  Thanks to some terrific support from band members past and present, the presentation covers the history from the early marching bands of Wm Iles on through the Youth Band years and up to the present day.

Nolan's display will compete with entries from grade 4-8 students from several local schools; the Fair itself is April 28, but projects will remain up for public viewing in the museum lobby until the end of Saturday April 30th.

Heritage Fairs are a grand celebration of Canada's past, in the form of student history projects.  Students research Canadian heroes, legends, milestones, and achievements - and proudly present their stories at a public exhibition.

The Grey Roots Regional Heritage Fair allows students to celebrate our heritage and share their work with the community. Participating schools send the best student projects from each class, grades 4-8, to represent their school. This fair could only be possible because of the special talents and dedication of our teachers and principals.

via Grey Roots Museum and Archives

Owen Sound City Band circa 1937

courtesy of Nancy Mashinter (OSCB) and Karin Noble (Grey Roots Archives), a photo of our City Band in full regalia in the Summer of '37, around the same time we won the Canadian Open Class A Brass and Reed Championship.

Back row L to R: L. Stuck, Wm Gow Jr, S. Pearce, Wm Iles (founder), F. Mitchell, Wm Miller, L. Bonner (Pres), H. Bonner, T.Potter, Dr. Griffin, C. Blackstone, A. Quinn, G. Taylor, L. Allen

Centre: H. Iles, Cliff Iles, C. Holmes, Wm Gow Sr, A. Clow, R. Buck, A. Hayward, J. Taylor, Clar. Iles, B. Hunter.

Front: L. Waghorn, A.Rutherford, A. Stuck, A. McNiven, J.Cowie (Director), S. Cruickshank, Wilf Iles, L. Strange, C. Thompson.

Absent: Art Harris.

A Beautiful End to Summer!

And so it was, a beautiful summer's evening under the twilight, the geese warming up their flight skills overhead, our last show of the 2010 summer Music In The Park season and a big thank-you to all our fans for all your support and applause over these past many Mondays.  We love this job.

Thanks as well goes out again to Linda Joch for capturing the moment; if you have photos (or recordings!) of the Owen Sound City Band, rememberances of your own tour of duty or of friends or family who have played in our group please do let us know at info-at-owensoundcityband.org -- we love to feature our history and we're hoping to piece together an exhibit panel for the Grey-Roots, so any and all contributions are very welcome.

And speaking of memories, hear here now some echos of last Monday's summer season wrap-up, and it being a bittersweet parting, let's finish on a melancholy note with Send In The Clowns

Send In The Clowns by Owen Sound City Band

Harrison Park, August 9 2010

Thanks to all our fans who braved a threat of weather to enjoy our first show of August in our 2010 summer concert series. Intrepid band photographer Linda Joch was out at the bandshell again this evening and sends in a few more action shots live from the gazebo dance floor high above the still rain-soaked Harrison Park playgrounds!

Oh, and the WETI-Institute will be interested to know that our musical call for interplanetary contact sadly did not rouse any reply ... or even an answering machine. ??Perhaps next Monday?

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind by Owen Sound City Band

Harrison Park, July 2005

Some action photos from the archives of our old website, the Owen Sound City Band live in concert at the Harrison Park bandshell gazebo during the summer series of concerts in 2005

 we are, of course, still performing regularly at Harrison Park, right where we were in 2005, right where we were in 1955, and right where we were in 1925.  Your friendly municipal concert band is on the scene at Harrison Park every Monday evening at roughly 7:15 PM, rain or shine from late June to the end of August, live at the bandshell (where else?)

Harrison Park, July 26, 2010

From the end of the school year until the end of August, the City Band performs live at the gazebo in Harrison Park; that old bandshell is very nearly as old as the City Band, so we share a certain kinship :)

Last Monday night was a beautiful evening for an outdoor rumba in the park, the sky was clear and calm, kids were playing in the playground, there was t'ai chi in the Good Cheer courts, distant ducks on the river and the birds were singing in the trees; Linda Joch stopped by with her camera and sent us a couple of photos.

Jamaican Rumba by Owen Sound City Band

Homecoming Reunion 2007

City Band Homecoming Reunion and Concert

Harrison Park, July 28, 2007