The Battle Of The Bands: 1970 (Custom Fidelity)
Posted on April 8, 2006 by Ryan
Here's a recording of an 11th annual concert hosted by the Hollywood Bowl to showcase teenage musicians and singers. The participants are either independent or associated with high schools. There's your standard horn heavy stage band numbers from Montebello, Dorsey and Pico Rivera High Schools, as well as contributions from folk duos, such as Two Far Out with "Dynamo". There are a few standouts here. One is a version of "Burning Spear" by the Byron Davis Quartet, with its organ, flute and driving jazz groove. Oddly enough, this Byron Davis has no relation to the 80's electro hip-hop Byron Davis of Fresh Krew fame, who was also from Los Angeles. The another one is the District Of Evolution's killer version of Dyke and the Blazers' "We've Got More Soul". What made this one surprising is that I am convinced I went to high school with the drummer's son, who shares the same name and looks identical to the picture in the gatefold. Chuck, if you're reading this, your pops tore it up on this one! There's also the band who took First Place in the Combo Division, The Pete Jacobs Quartet, with "Feud In G Major" and "Little Visitors", as one very out-there hard bop jazz tune. The concerts wraps up with what I assume was an elaborate stage production. The New Revelation Gospel Choir and Production Band with a couple of dance groups, not heard on the record, from Beverly Hills and Palos Verdes perform a four cover song medley with "Oh, Happy Day" and "God Bless The Child" being the mellow tunes before it picks up with punchy drums on "Let It Be" and "Let The Sunshine In" (again?).
Filed under: Jazz, Kids / School Bands, Soul / Funk
12 Comments to “The Battle Of The Bands: 1970 (Custom Fidelity)”
that’s really ill
The only info on the Pico Rivera Stage Band is that they were an all-white 16-piece band who received first place for the Stage Band Division (opposed to the 1st place winning School Stage Band Division of the all-black Dorsey High School for their versions of “1974 Blues” and “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In”)
SICK!!!
Sounds a lot like the Soulful Strings version of ‘Burning Spear’
I was the leader of the district of evolution
RYAN THE DRUMMERS NAME WAS SCOOTER CLASS OF 71 L.A. HIGH
Your band sounded great. Thank you for the information. Did you and the other District members record anything other than this? I like that name, “Scooter”.
update the drummer of the district of evolution name is charles crable senior class 1970 Los Angeles high school
Hi Stan / Ryan, if you see this message I am most interested in talking to you about the above record, please get in touch.
STAN / RYAN…I too am interested in speaking to anyone who has a copy of this recording, or a 1970 Los Angeles High Year Book. Please contact me at janewry@aol.com. STAN, If you are looking for contact information for “Scooter”, contact me.
My mom is on this album! She competed in the vocal division and got 2nd place! how do I listen to it???
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weird, i live in pico rivera. is it the El Rancho High School band?