| Location | Concord, CA |
|---|---|
| Division | World Class |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Director | David Gibbs |
| Championship Titles | 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 (undefeated), 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009 (undefeated), 2010 (undefeated) |
| Uniform | Blue jackets with black triangular inset, black pants, white stripes along each shoulder and sleeve as well as through the black sequin inset connecting to a white stripe down the front of the left pantleg, black shakos with white plumes |
The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class (formerly Division I) drum and bugle corps based in Concord, California and founded in 1957 as a Drum and Bell corps, and is a member corps of Drum Corps International. The corps has won more Drum Corps International titles (14) than any other DCI member corps.
Over 450 young people currently participate in The Blue Devils programs, and over 8,000 young people, in 2,000 families, have been served by The Blue Devils organization since being founded in 1957.
Entirely community-funded, the direction of The Blue Devils is guided by volunteer parents and a professional teaching staff, who work closely with the young members. All instruments, instruction, and uniforms are provided to participants who pay an annual participation fee.
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The Blue Devils (sometimes just "the Devils", "Devs" or "BD") is the most successful corps of the DCI era, with a total of fourteen world champion titles[1] to their name over the four decades of Drum Corps International's existence. At their first DCI finals appearance in 1973, the Blue Devils placed twenty fourth, advancing the next year to ninth and then to third in 1975. In 1976 they won their first DCI title and since have never placed out of the top five corps at finals, the only corps to do so. The Blue Devils have also won more brass, drum, guard, and marching titles than any other drum corps. BD also lays claim to the record of most consecutive percussion titles in the DCI-era, having won the title in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986, under the direction of Tom Float.
In 1957, Tony and Ann Odello brought the group to the Concord V.F.W. post from the disbanded Martinettes. The Blue Devils' name is derived from the color of the V.F.W. post (blue) and the local landmark, Mt. Diablo (devil). In 1964, Jerry Seawright took over from Tony Odello as manager and turned the group into a full drum and bugle corps (by 1970). Mike Moxley took over from Jerry Seawright as director of the drum corps in 1984. Dave Gibbs, a former marching member/drum major of the Blue Devils, is currently the director of the drum corps (since 1991).
Historically, the Devils have made significant use of jazz and Latin repertoires, including their famous use of Buddy Rich's Channel One Suite, as well as such notable charts from the music of Chick Corea and Chuck Mangione. As a result of their musical style choices, the Devils are the corps most typically associated with jazz.
In January 2006, the corps debuted BlueView, a video podcast that documents the months preceding the summer competitive season as well as the summer competitive tour. BlueView has been folded into Blue Devils new audio/video media archive page entitled MediaBox.
The Blue Devils organization has attained numerous International Championships in various performing arts activities, including:
DCI World Champions: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 (undefeated), 1986, 1994 (undefeated), 1996 (tie), 1997, 1999 (tie), 2003, 2007, 2009 (undefeated), 2010 (undefeated)
DCI 2nd Place: 1981, 1983, 1984, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011
DCI 3rd Place: 1975, 1978, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2006
World Music Contest Championship: 2005
WGI Champions: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1997, 1999[2]
World Team Twirling Champions: 1983, 1984
DCI Preview of Champions: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
DCI South Champions: 1983, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
DCI Midwest Champions: 1976, 1982, 1986, 1988, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007
DCI North Champions: 1976, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
DCI East Champions: 1978, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010
DCI Mid-America Champions: 1995, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007
DCI Southwest Champions: 1998-1999, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2010
DCI Canada Champions: 1980, 1985, 1990
DCI West Champions: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2008, 2009, 2010
Drums Along The Rockies Champions: 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010
DCE Champions: 1994
Drum Corps West Champions: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007
Catholic Youth Organization Champions: 1976, 1978, 1982
World Open Champions: 1976, 1978
U.S. Open Champions: 1979, 1992
Pacific Procession Champions: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
DCI Open Class Champions: 2009 (undefeated), 2010, 2011
Precision West Champions: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007[3]
In 2009, The Concord Blue Devils went undefeated and won their 13th World Championship with a record score (for the corps) of 99.05. This was also the first time an organization won both World and Open Class Championships with the Blue Devils B also going undefeated and winning their 1st World Championship.
In 2010, The Concord Blue Devils and Blue Devils B repeated their 2009 feat by once again winning the World and Open Class championships and the A corps completing back-to-back undefeated seasons, a first in DCI history. The B corps only lost one show in 2010.
In 2011, Blue Devils "B" repeated for a third straight year as Open Class World Champions, narrowly beating the Oregon Crusaders. The Crusaders beat BDB only days before the finals, providing their only loss of the season. In a changed format this year, Blue Devils "B" went on to place 19th at the World Class semifinals, beating out five World Class Corps (Jersey Surf, Cascades, Teal Sound, Mandarins, and Pioneer).
BD Performing Arts is the corporate entity that manages the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps (also known as the Blue Devils A-Corps). Along with the A-Corps, BD Performing Arts supports the B-Corps, the C-Corps, the Blue Devils Winter Guard program, the Diablo Wind Symphony, and BD Entertainment. The Executive Director of BD Performing Arts is David Gibbs. The Board of Directors of BD Performing Arts are[4]:
The Board of Advisers for BD Performing Arts are:
The Mission of the BD Performing Arts organization is as follows:
Music and the performing arts connect youth with their culture through a common language crossing generational, social, and racial barriers. The activities that a young person pursues influence the type of person he or she becomes. The experience that comes with participation in a performing arts organization builds discipline, character, pride, and self-confidence at a crucial age and forms the springboard to even greater achievements in adulthood.
BD Performing Arts programs permanently enrich the lives of young people through a commitment to youth development and performance excellence while providing enjoyment for our local community and audiences worldwide.
| Year | Position | Score | Show |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Theme from Lawrence of Arabia - Ninth Symphony (Ode to Joy) - America The Beautiful - Big Spender (from Sweet Charity) - Stoney End - Shadow of Your Smile (from The Sandpiper) | ||
| 1972 | Strike Up the Band (from Strike Up the Band) - Ave Maria - Venus - The Man I Love - I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) - Day in the life of a Fool | ||
| 1973 | 24 | 66.100 | Chant and Jubilo * Jupiter (from The Planets) - Ave Maria - This Could Be the Start of Something Big - Miserlou - Caravan - Morning of the Carnival |
| 1974 | 9 | 79.150 | Chant and Jubilo - Porgy and Bess - Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor - Clouds - Feel of a Vision - Touch of Venus - Lady Sings the Blues |
| 1975 | 3 | 88.600 | Space Shuttle - Love's Been Gone So Long - What Is Hip - Squibb Cakes - Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor - Chase the Clouds Away - Feel of a Vision |
| 1976 | 1 | 92.700 | Channel One Suite - Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor - Chase the Clouds Away |
| 1977 | 1 | 92.050 | Channel One Suite - Spanish Fantasy - Gonna Fly Now (from Rocky) |
| 1978 | 3 | 91.200 | Chicago III Suite - Spanish Fantasy - Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor |
| 1979 | 1 | 93.550 | Chicago III Suite - La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) - Pauper in Paradise - My Heart Belongs to Me |
| 1980 | 1 | 90.600 | New York Fantasy - Ya Gotta Try - Pegasus - Free (from Chicago III Suite) - La Suerte de Los Tontos - Pauper in Paradise - Dindi |
| 1981 | 2 | 93.700 | New York Fantasy - Ya Gotta Try - La Danse du Bonheur - One More Time Chuck Corea - Johnny One Note (from Babes in Arms) - Dindi |
| 1982 | 1 | 95.250 | T.O. - Pegasus - Paradox - One More Time Chuck Corea - People Alone (from The Competition) |
| 1983 | 2 | 93.800 | T.O. - Everybody Loves the Blues - Paradox - One More Time Chuck Corea - A New Beginning |
| 1984 | 2 | 97.900 | Bacchanalia - Latin Implosion - Karn Evil 9 - La Fiesta - Like A Lover |
| 1985 | 3 | 97.100 | Liferaft Earth - Trilogy - Karn Evil 9 - Piano Concerto No. 1 - First Circle |
| 1986 | 1 | 98.400 | Channel One Suite - Chick Corea Suite (Conquistador - Spanish Fantasy) |
| 1987 | 4 | 94.400 | Fanfare For The New - Harlem Nocturne - Echidna's Arf - Free - Spanish Dreams |
| 1988 | 3 | 96.300 | Happy Days Are Here Again - Old Black Magic - Goodbye Yesterday - Since I Fell For You |
| 1989 | 4 | 95.900 | Ya Gotta Try - If We Were In Love (from Yes, Georgio) - Allegre - Johnny One Note (from Babes in Arms) |
| 1990 | 4 | 95.300 | Selections from Tommy - Selections from Tommy |
| 1991 | 5 | 93.800 | Conversations in Jazz - Commencement (from Adventures in Time) - Bird and Bela in B Flat (2nd Movement) - Bird and Bela in B Flat (3rd Movement) |
| 1992 | 4 | 95.400 | Big, Bad and Blue - Someone's There - El Congo Valiente (from Cuban Fire Suite) - Fuego Cubano (from Cuban Fire Suite) - La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite) - When a Man Loves a Woman |
| 1993 | 4 | 95.100 | A Don Ellis Portrait - Open Wide - Great Divide - Chain Reaction - Strawberry Soup - Niner-Two |
| 1994 | 1 | 98.400 | My Spanish Heart - Spanish Fantasy Part I - Night Streets - Day Danse - My Spanish Heart - Spanish Fantasy Part 4 |
| 1995 | 3 | 96.700 | Carpe Noctem - Buleria (from Jazz Pana) - Conquistador - Coronation of the Dead Queen (mvt 4 of The Legend of Alcobaca) - Ines (Second Movement of The Legend of Alcobaca) - No Heroes - Commencement (from Adventures in Time) - Caribe (from One More Once) - Day Danse - Dom Pedro's Revenge (5th Movement of The Legend of Alcobaca) |
| 1996 | 1 (tie) | 97.400 | Club Blue: A Gangster Chronicle - Children's Hour of Dream - Desi - Tess' Theme (from Dick Tracy) - Trouble (from Mission Impossible) |
| 1997 | 1 | 98.400 | As Time Goes By . . . - Casablanca - Bangkok - A Night in Tunisia - As Time Goes By |
| 1998 | 3 | 97.700 | One Hand, One Heart—Music from Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky and West Side Story by Bernstein - Romeo and Juliet - West Side Story |
| 1999 | 1 (tie) | 98.400 | Rhythms...At the Edge of Time - Estancia Ballet (Rhythm 1 - Afrocuban/Malambo) - Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 2 - Rhumba) - Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 3 - Samba) - Adios Nonino (Rhythm 4 - Tango) - Unchained Melody (Rhythm 5 - Jazz) - The Dirty Boogie (Rhythm 6 - Swing) |
| 2000 | 3 | 96.900 | Methods of Madness - A Night Piece For Orchestra..Prelude & Blues (from Taxi Driver) - Prelude (from On Dangerous Ground) - Prelude (from Psycho) - Scene d' Amour (from Vertigo) - The Wild Ride (from North By Northwest) |
| 2001 | 2 | 97.600 | Awayday Blue - Awayday - Fantasy Variations (on George Gershwin's Second Prelude for Piano) |
| 2002 | 2 | 97.300 | Jazz: Music Made in America - Ragtime - I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) - Fascinating Rhythm - House of the Rising Sun - Channel One Suite |
| 2003 | 1 | 98.800 | Phenomenon of Cool - Concierto de Aranjuez - Take Five - Blue Rondo A La Turk - Unsquare Dance |
| 2004 | 2 | 98.525 | The SummerTrain Blues MIX - The Ghost Train Tryptich - Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) - Take the 'A' Train - Calling the Indians Out |
| 2005 | 4 | 95.250 | Dance Derby of the Century - Redline Tango - Brother Can You Spare A Dime - Prelude Fugue and Riffs - On the Town - In Wartime |
| 2006 | 3 | 96.550 | The Godfather, Part BLUE - Selections from The Godfather |
| 2007 | 1 | 98.000 | Winged Victory - Bird and Bela in B Flat (2nd Movement) - Celebrare Celeberrime - Introduction to Rite of Spring - Pegasus - Firebird Suite - The Kiss |
| 2008 | 2 | 98.100 | Constantly Risking Absurdity - Main Theme from Sweeney Todd - Phrygian Gates - Bach Invention - Serenada Schizophrana - Pianos - I Will Wait For You - The Untouchables |
| 2009 | 1 | 99.050 | 1930 - Get Happy - Happy Days Are Here Again - Playing Love - Piano Variations - Rialto Ripples - I Got Rhythm (from Girl Crazy) - Piano Concerto in F Amazon - Caravan - Rhapsody in Blue |
| 2010 | 1 | 98.900 | Through a Glass Darkly - City of Glass Suite - Conflict - Mirage - Trajectories - Incident In Jazz - Laura - La Suerte De Los Tontos |
| 2011 | 2 | 97.800 | The Beat My Heart Skipped - A House Is Not a Home - Summer of 77 - Walk On By - One Less Bell To Answer - Woman - I Say A Little Prayer - Wives And Lovers - God Give Me Strength |
The Blue Devils Organization is sponsored by Sticktape.com,[6] Guardtape.com,[7] Pro-Mark,[7] DSI, FJM,[8] Planet Waves, Evans drum heads,[9] Super Drill Masters,[10] MEINL,[11] HALFTIME MAGAZINE, TESORO, Roland,[12] Zildjian,[13] Pearl Corporation, Adams, and King.
The Blue Devils Organization has just recently partnered with the Pearl Corporation[14] and Adams Concert Percussion after spending 10 years with Dynasty USA. The Pearl Corporation and Adams Concert Percussion is the world-wide leading manufacturer of drums and is highly represented throughout Drum Corps International community. Along with the Pearl Corporation the Blue Devils Organization has also partnered up with Conn-Selmer, Inc.[15] Also after being apart of Dynasty USA for the past 10 years, beginning in the fall the Blue Devils will be playing on King Ultimate Marching Brass. King brass instruments hold an abundant amount of history, and is also a large supporter of the Drum Corps Community.
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