Riversiders

The Riversiders started 3 corps over time to keep the activity alive in our neighborhood. The Riversiders came out of the Farragut Projects in the Brooklyn Navy Yard Section, by the Brooklyn Bridge near what is now DUMBO. (Dr. White Community Center at 200 Gold St.) Corps members also came from Fort Green and eventually Flatbush and other areas.

M&M (marching & maneuvering) took place in the neighborhood parks, Shady Rest, York St. Park, City Park, the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Flushing Avenue
and also Randalls Island in Manhattan and the 39th St. Armory in Bay Ridge at the Pier.

THE FIRST RIVERSIDERS 1965-1968
STAFF-Dir.: Mr. James Watkins,
Ctr. Coord.: Sis. Mary Terrence,
Asst. Dir.: George Brown (Privatiers)
Hornline: "Baby John" Chalmus (Privatiers & Blessed Sac)
M&M & ColorGuard: Billy Borden (Privatiers)
Drumline: Bobby Winslow (simultaneously taught Minisink CMCC Warriors)

UNIFORMS: the orange west-point style cadet jackets, black pants (orange stripe) and white pearl shakos were resurrected from the disbanded Laredo Knights of Brooklyn NY.

REPRETOIRE: Laredo/ Battle Hymn--Johnnie Comes Marching Home (Jazz-swing) The Robe, Mission Impossible/ Wade In The Water (jazz-swing)/ You Only Live Twice

RIVER 1 HISTORY: competed in the Garden State & NY Circuits. The hornline of was powerful with crisp screaming sopranos, a rich mellophone/french section and a lush bottom bari and concho line, that created tapestries of sound. The drumline's clean snares, bopping tenorline and assorted base/cymbal sections were the prototype for much of the DCI drumming today. The Guard was snap incorporated with a rifle and saber line that twirled around their necks and every other way possible. Their M&M was clean and geometrical but had the swagger to match their musical swing.

They made a mighty rise to take the champoinship in 1968 but disbanded at the season's end.

At least 1/3 of the corps joined the Minisink (CMCC) Warriors. With 1/3 of the disbanded Carter Cadets also joining Minisink, that combination created the 1969 juggernaut Warrior machine, The "Black Attack" with Hy Dreiser's most magnificent Gershwin season.

THE SECOND RIVERSIDERS 1969 - 1973
Dir. James Watkins,
Ctr. Liaison: Sister Joan Soto,
Horns: "Baby-John" Chalmus (Blessed Sac) & Don Vanscoy,
M&M: Frank Veloce (Hawthorne Cabelleros),
ColorGuard: Joseph Pellicastro
Rifles: Ronald & Steven Watkins, Cheryl Holmes (all of the Riversider guard)
Drumline: Bobby Winslow 69-70, (co-taught Minisink Warriors), Wes Myers (Skyliners) 71-73
All instructors except Don Vanscoy studied and became judges while they taught River 2.

RIVER 2
Their brass, percussion and m&m recreated the dynamics of the original corps but expanded into new execution, movement, harmornic, rhythm and poly-technic directions. About ten original members returned adding to a solid nucleus. The Sac/ Caballero/ Skyliner/Vanscoy/ Warrior influences of their instructors forged a brand new River. The Garden State judges dubbed the drumline "The Rhythm Machine" while songs like Laredo, Mission Impossible, Wild Wild West, Ecstasy of Gold, Lucretia McEvil and Cast A Giant Shadow let people that Orange and Black was Back.

After River 2, some members went on to march with OLPH Ridgemen, St. Rita's Brassmen, The Polish Falcons and Sky (NY Skyliners).

THE THIRD RIVERSIDERS 1975 - 1978
Director & Horn Instructor: Don Vanscoy
Ctr. Liaison: Sister Joan Soto
Trainer, Horns & M&M: Carl Cherebin
Drumline: James Doyle
ColorGuard: Cheryl Holmes

Don Vanscoy trained and composed for the Streamliners hornline enabling them to become the second Riversider corps. Cheryl Holmes, James Doyle and Carl Cherebin trained in the Streamliners (marched in River 2 and became instructors in River 3 (at ages 18/19).

RIVER 3
This last corps became a stand-still competition and parade unit due to lack of funding to travel and field a corps. River 3 was a training ground that equipped the members for life achievement and to seek out corps engaged in field competition. Strong and proficient hornmen and drummers came out of our system and joined corps such as Wynn Center Toppers and NY Lancers among others. Second Soprano, Curtis Bobo went to college in Illinois and elevated his skills to earn a solo soprano spot in the Phantom Regiment of Rockford, IL.

Any Riversiders, please add or fill in blanks on info.

[Submitted by Carl Cherebin, 2nd baritone. 3/3/10]

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