Our four-person band, Melha from Springfield Massachusetts gave it a go. Unfortunately, we had some technical difficulties and the first part of their performance was unusable. I did manage to salvage the end as they played the competition song. What you won’t see is they had some technical difficulties with one of their horns but never stopped. Perseverance and no quit attitude, way to go gentlemen!
Next up was Al Kader (these are being posted in the order of their performance) out of Wilsonville, Oregon (Portland). This band stepped up to the Unlimited category so they would be able to compete head to head with Khiva. They are a pretty large band as well. Way to go guys! The competition was on.
I have split up each band into a separate post this year. What a competition, all of the bands did a wonderful job. If you missed Nashville, well all I can say is “you missed out”! We will start out the videos with the Khiva Oriental Band – the powerhouse from Amarillo Texas. Are there any Oriental Bands in Shrinedom that have more members?
The Mid-Atlantic Oriental Band Association (MASOBA) held their annual meeting in Virginia Beach on September 7, 2018. The officers were in attendance with the exception of 3rd VP Warren Lewis who was home recovering from illness. The election of officers was held and Luke Schofield (Irem) was elected to ride herd on us for the following year. The other line officers moved up one chair and Dennis Guignet (Rajah) was elected to Sergeant At Arms and keeper of the blender. Past President John K. Grumbein was once again elected to the Sec/Treas. position. Past President Mahlon Ressel was escorted to his place of honor after receiving his “Has Been Pin” and life membership card. Imperial Sir Jim Cain then proceeded to install the officers with the help of Imperial Chief Rabban Jeffery Sowden. Several others on the Imperial Line were also in attendance. The Potentates of both Rajah and Irem were also in attendance.
A collection of $152 was taken and $150 for parade registration for a total of $302 for the Ladder of Smiles.
ASOB Ambassador Keith Oviatt brought greetings from ASOB Pres Harry Pressman and announced his plans to attend our Mid Winter meeting in February in Reading, PA. Saturday Parade results were 1st Place Jaffa and 2nd place Irem with Fred Dietrich named Best Drum Major.
The MASOBA Mid-Winter will be held in Reading Pa on February 23, 2019. For information and reservations please contact Noble John K. Grumbein at jkgrumbein@aol.com or 7520 Trexler Circle, Trexlertown, PA 18087 and phone is (610) 395-6578.
A donation to the Ladder of Smiles is a great way to honor someone whether it is for a loved one’s passing, a birthday or special occasion. At our point of life and our needs are less than they used to be, in the coming holiday season what better gift than a donation to the Ladder instead of a receiving another something that we don’t need.
Remember when your mother told you that “If you fall out of that tree and break your leg, Don’t come running to me!”
Until next time,
Aleliekum Es Selam
Keith
Fall Greetings to all.
The Araba and Azan Oriental Bands have not reported any of their activities.
Noble Don Moores, Amara Oriental Band advised the Band is down to two members and unable to participate in Amara’s Ceremonials or parades.
Noble Robert Woodall, Bahia Oriental Band Treasurer, reported that although the Band has four dues-paying members, only he and President Millard Smith are “active”, meeting occasionally over Camel’s Milk to pay bills/ contribute to the Paper Crusade, First Lady’s Project, etc. Noble Eddie Davis, a longtime member of the Band, has been residing in Texas for a number of years, but diligently continues to maintain his membership.
The Great Sahib Oriental Band is moving right along with the most recent activity, parading, (actually “floating”), in the Englewood, FL “Pioneer Days” on September 3rd. Nine members enjoyed playing the best kind of music this side of Heaven for the many enthusiastic parade route bystanders. The Band finished the parade in great shape until the right tire of the float was visited by the “Tire Black Camel” on the return to the staging area, but were able to limp back with no injuries to Band members.
The Band is looking forward to the Fall Ceremonial in October. Also, the Band has organized a Mandarin Degree Team and will continue Tong #54, with a date of November 10 for a Degree presentation.
Remember the kids in the hospitals
God Bless You God Bless Our Troops God Bless America
Yours in the Faith,
ASOB Florida Ambassador
resnwk@aol.com
Musette Mouthpiece
Hella Shriners Oriental Band is in search of complete mouthpieces for at least five horns including the ligature, mouthpiece, and neck for single reed ‘E’ musettes. If they can get 4 or 5 of these, it will help grow their band. This provides the ASOB and its members an opportunity to come together to help build a stronger Oriental Band community. If you have or know of instruments or parts that are just sitting, let’s get those back in use. They do no one any good sitting in our closets to never see the light of day again. Get them into the hands of a bandsman to use and appreciate, especially when we have bands in need.
If you have the parts needed or know where they can get them, please directly contact:
Warren Allen, Email: warrenallen@sbcglobal.net Cell Phone 214-801-1419 Hm Phone 972-291-8328
If you know of other instruments or parts that could be re-homed and utilized by another Oriental Band, please contact our A.S.O.B. Quartermaster:
James “Moose” Fitzgerald (El Riad), Email: moose@bmtc.net Cell: 605-496-3209
This presentation I happened onto while doing some web surfing, I felt it was important to share with everyone. I am sure that some have seen it or may have been in the audience at the time. It is a presentation that was presented at the TASOB mid-winter meeting about six years ago in Tyler Texas. It was delivered by ASOB Past President Joe Brewton and the material presented was based on ASOB Past President Jim Whitehouse’s talking points. To give credit where it is due, the video was recorded/produced by a JB Squared Texas Productions and uploaded to a Vimeo channel for a Johnnie Wallace.
The following is directly from the page where found with no corrections made.
-Darren
Monday, June 25, 2012, at 11:53 AM EST
This presentation of the American Society of Oriental Bands (A.S.O.B.) and the Ladder of Smiles program benefitting the Shriners Hospitals, was made at the 2012 Texas Association of Shrine Oriental Bands (TASOB) annual mid-winter meeting which was held in Tyler, Texas. The work is a result of the collaborate of J. R. Batesole, Moslah Bedouins, (Moslah Shrine, Fort Worth, Texas) and Past President of the American Society of Oriental Bands (ASOB) Joe Brewton, Khiva Oriental Band (Khiva Shrine, Amarillo, Texas).
The presentation outlines the function of the ASOB Ladder of Smiles program.
As I had said before, Jamboree 2018 was great and everyone that attended had a great time. At some point though the fun had to turn toward the serious business of the ASOB. First thing Saturday morning, the bands had to put their game faces on. Each bandsman donned the costumes of their respective troops and got into character for what proved to be a great championship race.
This video is the entire 2018 Fantasy Competition. Four bands competed on stage in the following order:
Each band put forth a wonderful effort and really showed how much talent our Oriental Bands have. You all sounded great gentlemen. I will reserve telling you the outcome for another post. You can decide which band was your favorite! I am sure you will get your feet a tapping and your body swaying. If you are moved to get up and actually start dancing, don’t worry, I won’t tell!
Signing off, until next time!
-Darren
What a great weekend we had in Kansas City at the ASOB Jamboree 2018! Over the next few post I am going to share some videos taken of the event. This was a flash mob planned by our president Chris Tsaros. This started with a quick meeting at the hotel on Friday at 4PM to determine what we would play. We then found ourselves jumping into hotel vans and being dropped of just up the hill from our performance area on a side street. The performance was right at the Kansas City, Country Club Plaza where we surrounded the fountain with the statue of Neptune.
One lone musette player, Art Laing (from Al Azhar Temple, Alberta Canada), walked down the hill and started playing. He was then followed shortly by Chris Tsaros with his djembe drum, who also began to play. More and more bandsmen came down the hill each joining in on the music as they arrived until we had a total of 37 bandsmen from five different bands and one feather dancer that joined in. Stayed tuned as we get the rest of these posted.
-Darren
