East Coast Jazz

East Coast Jazz (ECJ) drum & bugle corps was formed in early 1989 from the heritage of the Ambassadors and Diplomats, both of Malden.

In their inaugural season of competition, the corps participated in several 1989 regional championships including the Drum Corps East (DCE) circuit (12^th), the DCI East “Class A/60” (3^rd) and the US Open “A/60” prelims (8^th). They finished the year with a 15^th place finish in the DCI “Class A/60” preliminary round. Financial setbacks resulting from the lease on their bingo building kept the Jazz off the field in 1990, returning to activity the following year and reverting back to the field in 1992, where they traveled to “Division III” competition in the DCE (11^th) and the prelims of the Canadian Open (19^th) and the US Open (16^th). That year, they were crowned the Eastern Massachusetts (E-Mass) “Class B” champions.

From 1993 to 2006, ECJ was a perennial competitor in the DCI championships. In the first 5 years, they participated in the “Division III” category, progressing from preliminary results of 17^th in 1993 to 8^th in 1994, followed by a finalist ranking of 4^th (1995), 5^th (1996) & finishing bridesmaid in the 1997 finals. Over this same period, highlights included a 6^th place finish in the 1993 DCI East “Division III” regionals, the 1994 E-Mass “Class A” title, finalist in both the 1995 Canadian Open and the DCE championships, winning both the 1996 DCE “Division III” and E-Mass “Class A” titles and 2^nd place finishes in both the 1997 Canadian Open & DCI Atlantic regionals and a 22^nd ranking in the DCI “Quarterfinals”.

The next 3 years saw the Jazz move up to “Division II” competition, capturing the coveted 1998 DCI title while placing 19^th in the “Quarterfinals”. They would go on to remain a finalist the following season, placing 3^rd in the “Division II” contest and 25^th in the 1999 “Quarterfinals”, falling just short of the 2000 finals, placing 6^th. Over this time, they made several regional championship appearances, including 2^nd place finishes in the 1998 Canadian and Garden State Open (GSO) finals, the 1999 DCI Atlantic (2^nd) & US Coast Guard (3^rd) and the 2000 North American Open (NAO), 6^th in the prelims.

The corps returned to “Division III” status for the 2001 season, as they rebuilt their program, placing 5^th in the DCI finals and also earned a finalist spot in both the GSO (3^rd) & the NAO (5^th). The last 5 seasons proved to be very successful, as ECJ returned to the DCI “Division II” finals each year, placing 8^th in 2002, improving to a 4^th place finish in 2003 and finishing 2^nd by a mere quarter of one tenth of a point in the 2004 “Grand Finale”. In 2005, East Coast Jazz won the DCI “Grand Finale” title and finished 2^nd in 2006 “Division II”  finals by less than 6 tenths of a point.

The corps disbanded in 2007.

www.eastcoastjazz.org; DCW, 6/22/90, p.18; Paul Legault (DCX)

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