Channel One Suite

Composed by Bill Reddie

Bill Reddie is a California based composer, arranger, and reasearcher on the connection of emotional health to music and surroundings. His two most famous pieces are his orignal composition "Channel One Suite" and his arrangement of "West Side Story", both done for the Buddy Rich Orchestra. He has also done much other commercial arranging for the movie and television industry.

For a time, Mr. Reddie also ran a company called Channel One Records which sold music for relaxation and stress management. He is also and writer and lecturer on the subject.

The following is an excerpt of an paper written by Bill Reddie and first presented by his Channel One Records company.

Music and Emotion

Bill Reddie

Then, there are those truly inspiring musical creations that lift one out of oneself, somehow transporting the listener in a way that defies explanation.

Inspiring music appears to contain an abundance of emotional peaks and valleys that may evoke pleasure, sadness and other diverse manifestations of emotion. For the listener, this often becomes a very unique and moving personal experience - and the oddity is that neither the composer nor the performers of the music will be able to explain exactly how or why it creates that effect.

This seeming inability has nothing to do with the extensive technical abilities of the composer or members of the orchestra. Rather, it concerns the difficulty anyone encounters when attempting to define or describe the ethereal nature of inspiration. For example, how does one go about describing the Source?

Apparently, it matters not the musical style - a simple folk song might trigger an emotional reaction as powerful as that created by a complex symphonic work.

Why this happens has been debated for ages but most musicologists will agree that trying to find the answer to this and other human response questions becomes a gigantic task due to the plethora of human, technical, psycho-biological and other variables that permeate an inspiring composition and its performance.

Another unusual aspect is that no two people will react to any given piece of music in exactly the same way. What might be a moving experience for one person might be somewhat different for another.  Human perspective is influenced from birth onward by parental, societal, religious and other forces. Consequently, all future human experience is filtered through and measured by past experience.

Therefore, it does not require too great a stretch to understand why individual responsiveness to music may vary from person to person. Simply stated, each life experience is different for each person and though experiential similarities may exist, responsiveness remains uniquely individualistic.

What is it in music that gives it that remarkable ability to reach and so strongly affect the human psyche? How is it able to calm, soothe, heal and minimize pain? And what about its darker side - wherein it is capable (as some researchers suggest) of actually creating pathological conditions in humans, animals and plants? A number of research projects have convincingly demonstrated that music can be harmful or beneficial dependent upon the type.

Unlike the research mentioned above, other sources of information often prove to be more conjectural than factual. For sure, one can find the usual authoritative comment in any good library...but much of that opinion appears to focus on the effects of music rather than its ethereal nature and origin.

However, deciphering and understanding the ethereal may ultimately require more than human rationalism and logic can provide. Perhaps this is one reason why the puzzle of human response to music has yet to be solved.

Logically, one would think that thousands of years of musical endeavor should have produced something in the way of bona fide evidence; something that would provide an irrefutable explanation for that musical-empathic link that so often lifts the human spirit. Obviously, that link has yet to be established and if history is any indicator, the solution to the puzzle may be a long time in coming.

Meanwhile, inspiring music continues to fulfill a strong human need. It speaks to the heart and because of this, improves and enhances our lives. This is why certain music has been so successful as a stress management tool. It calms and provides respite wherein recovery may take place.

As for solving the puzzle, that is best left to the musicologists. Listeners need not and should not be too concerned with the complex issues and technical aspects of music. As a matter of fact, focusing on the complex tends to block one’s ability to feel. Why? Because it is impossible to analyze and feel simultaneously.

A passing mention should be given here concerning the existence of something that is best described as sonic mayhem. Sonic mayhem cannot subsist for long without the support of high-powered marketing hype, numerous theatrical effects and high decibel amplification. It is called music by its practitioners and followers but that is a misnomer. Rather, it is a form of abrasive-aggressive entertainment. This subject will be pursued further in a future article.

So where does all of this leave us? Well, we have a world of music at our disposal and where we go from there is up to us. Perhaps, during the process of listening to music, we may experience one of those magic moments wherein we discover ourselves.

Finally, inspiring music contains a message for everyone and to receive that message, all we need do is simply listen with an open heart and allow the music to do what it has always done best - uplift the human spirit and soothe the soul.

 Performed by Buddy Rich

Arguably the greatest jazz drummer of all time, the legendary Buddy Rich exhibited his love for music through the dedication of his life to the art. His was a career that spanned seven decades, beginning when Rich was 18 months old and continuing until his death in 1987. Immensely gifted, Rich could play with remarkable speed and dexterity despite the fact that he never received a formal lesson and refused to practice outside of his performances. Born Bernard Rich to vaudevillians Robert and Bess Rich on September 30, 1917, the famed drummer was introduced to audiences at a very young age. By 1921, he was a seasoned solo performer with his vaudeville act, "Traps the Drum Wonder." With his natural sense of rhythm, Rich performed regularly on Broadway at the age of four. At the peak of Rich's early career, he was the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world. Rich's jazz career began in 1937 when he began playing with Joe Marsala at New York's Hickory House. By 1939, he had joined Tommy Dorsey's band, and he later went on to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Ventura, Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. Rich was regularly featured in Jazz at the Philharmonic during the late 40s. He also appeared in such Hollywood films as Symphony of Swing (1939), Ship Ahoy (1942) and How's About It (1943). Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Rich toured with his own bands and opened two nightclubs, Buddy's Place and Buddy's Place II. Both clubs were regularly filled to capacity by fans of the great master drummer. After opening Buddy's Place II, Rich introduced new tunes with elements of rock into his repertoire, demonstrating his ability to adapt to his audience's changing tastes and establishing himself as a great rock drummer. Known for his caustic humor, Rich was a favorite on several television talk shows including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Mike Douglas Show, the Dick Cavett Show and the Merv Griffin Show. During these appearances, Rich entertained audiences through his constant sparring with the hosts and his slights of various pop singers. This famed musician received outstanding recognition throughout his career. The Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame Award, the Modern Drummer Magazine Hall of Fame Award and the Jazz Unlimited Immortals of Jazz Award are just a few of his numerous honors. Rich gained international attention for such master compositions as his 10-minute West Side Story medley. During his lengthy career, Rich toured around the globe, performing for millions of fans and several world leaders including the king of Thailand, the queen of England, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Regan and King Hussein of Jordan. On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. Long-time friend, Frank Sinatra, presented the eulogy at Rich's funeral. Today, Buddy Rich is remembered as one of history's greatest musicians. According to jazz legend Gene Krupa, Rich was "The greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath." Buddy Rich web site  To watch Buddy Rich and the Muppets Animal have a drum battle, click here or below.

Made famous in the marching area by the Concord Blue Devils

2008 will be the most exciting ever for The Blue Devils, as we celebrate FIFTY years of excellence! This is a milestone of which everyone who has ever been associated with The Blue Devils can be proud! Established in 1957 as a Drum and Bell corps, the organization has grown into a world renowned performing arts organization with an unprecedented 11 Drum Corps International World Championships, 4 Winter Guard International Championships, 2 World Twirling Championships and a combined total of 18 National Twirling Championships! Over 8,000 young people, in 2,000 families, have participated in The Blue Devils programs since 1957.

Blue Devils web site