All the recent blog chatter has had me thinking about bass drummers and "mid-sections" or "bass sections" as they like to call them in Scotland. I voted in the pipes|drums poll because it seems like a good bit of fun. Apparently, some are working hard to stuff the ballot boxes, and some seem outraged that an award will be made from online poll results. Incidentally, I voted for Kathryn Tawse and the SFU bass section. I think she's brilliant every time she plays, and this year at the Worlds....wow. Lots of other good plays, too, and I did enjoy the HOE Shotts & Dykehead "inflate the tenor drum" trick. Cool, and fun.Anyway, I got to thinking about CRPB bass drummers past to present, and the various things they brought to the band: Don Jeannotte, Jody Brin, Brian Fraser, John Hall, Mitch Stilborn, and now Karen Hala. Brian Fraser brought a lot to the band. It was about this time of year when he was tragically killed in a Winnipeg road accident, and I miss him still. Brian was one of those band guys who would do anything for the band, and anything to support people in the band.
In 1997, Brian won "Best Bass" at Maxville in the Grade 2 event. We was also a winner of that award at Moose Jaw, Regina, Red Deer, Canmore and other places. While he was justly proud of his various wins in that regard, he was really more interested in the band succeeding, and his efforts were completely focussed in that direction.
Whatever happens long term with the awarding of bass & mid-section prizes, let's remember that the contest is all about the band's ensemble performance, and not how one section of one band is better than those sections of other bands.
And I'll take a moment to remember a good friend and his bad jokes, and say thanks to all the members who have made the CRPB "bass section" over the years.
