October 2004

So…before we announce the 2005 Phantom Regiment production, let’s put some closure to 2004 and come clean on the meaning of “874” in last season’s show title.

“Apasionada 874 – The Music of Astor Piazzolla” was the title we chose to give theme to the music selected for 2004. Astor Piazzolla was an
Argentinean composer who wrote some of the most eclectic, passionate and profound melodies of this century. He blended Argentinean cultural music – most often tango – into symphonic, jazz and classical structures. The technical demand, the passion and the range of emotions fit perfectly with Regiment’s style. By season’s end, this show stood shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the great Phantom Regiment productions of the past 30 years.

OK, so…what’s “874” got to do with it? Well, we’ll tell you.

Nothing. Means nothing at all.

Just consider it an “inside joke” from the design team, if you will. Kept well hidden all season, even members and the director were kept guessing as to it’s significance. Did it signify August 7th, the day of DCI finals? Did it signify August, 1974, the month and year Regiment first made DCI finals? All good guesses, all interesting coincidences, but no. The fact is, “874” simply has no meaning.

Here’s the story from program coordinator Dan Farrell: “Having “Apasionada” as a title just seemed a little too abrupt. We noticed that Piazzolla often tagged a few digits onto titles of his compositions, so we pondered some relevant digits for us to use. We wanted to make sure the number had no actual meaning. JD (brass arranger JD Shaw) pulled a number out of the air – 847. We nixed that number because it was the area code of the hotel in which we had our design meeting. (Editor’s note: The design meeting that weekend was held at a hotel near Chicago’s O’Hare airport – in Rosemont, for those that enjoy irony!) His response was “OK, 874!” We went with it. “Apasionada 874 – the Music of Astor Piazzolla” seemed to roll off the tongue quite easily, so there it was.

“We thought we’d let it be our inside joke”, Farrell continues, “It was fun to hear all the speculation and explanations. We promised the members we’d tell them what it truly meant at the end of the season, and we did just that on the morning of Finals in Denver. Even the corps director and Board members were kept guessing until then!”

So, there ya’ have it. A catchy name for a great show and a fun bit of trivia for future “Did you know that…?” conversations.

By the way, have you noticed the great sale prices at Regiment’s on-line store?

Coming soon: The 2005 production announcement.

Adam Sage, who was hired as Phantom Regiment’s color guard designer and caption head in September, has been instrumental in the success of several outstanding color guards in his career. Most recently, he was in charge of Santa Clara Vanguard’s color guard. Prior to that, he spent seven years with Cavaliers, two years with Crossmen and two years with Magic of Orlando. He’s looking forward to being a part of a nearly 50-year tradition at Phantom Regiment.

“I have always admired the Phantom Regiment for its strength, class and aura created on the field,” the fourth-grade teacher in Kennesaw, Ga., said in an interview. “I hope to be able to contribute a strong level of sophistication, style and integrity to the team, all of which describe the elements of the Phantom Regiment.

“It is my goal to continue those standards set with the color guard’s history dating many years back and move forward with an incredibly talented staff. This is an exciting direction for all of us.”

Dan Farrell, Phantom Regiment’s program coordinator and a long-time staffer, sees the addition of Adam to the design and instructional team as a key component in continuing the corps’ success.

“Having Adam join the team is very exciting for us,” he said. “The wealth of experience and the quality of his past work speaks for itself. I’m sure people will be very pleased with the 2005 Regiment guard and what it will contribute to the overall look and feel of the corps.”

Adam, 34, isn’t venturing into the unknown in Rockford, Ill., where there is tremendous pride in a corps that has been a DCI finalist 31 straight years. He still recalls more than 15 years later competing against Phantom Regiment when he marched with Suncoast Sound in 1988.

“I certainly remember being amazed when I first saw the Regiment guard in 1988 at my first drum corps show in Charlotte. I was so fascinated that I was watching the Regiment guard, but my instructor seemed to be a bit unhappy that I was doing so during my own warmup with Suncoast Sound. Being a rookie is not always the easiest, but I learned what to do and what not to do.

“The end of that season was really magical, too, as our color guard was second to Phantom Regiment, who won the guard caption at DCI.”

After two years with Suncoast Sound, Adam marched two seasons with Cadets of Bergen County as well as two seasons with the Emerald Marquis winter guard. Then his teaching and designing career took off.

He has worked with numerous high school color guards in Florida, including Tarpon Springs, East Lake, Seminole (1993 WGI A Class bronze medalist) and Clearwater. He also has worked with Pope in Marietta, Ga. Pope was the 2000 WGI Open Class silver medalist and the 2002 WGI World Class bronze medalist.

Adam also is actively involved with Winter Guard International (WGI). He was the director of The Company Colour Guard from 1995 to 1999. The Company was a two-time WGI World Champion in A Class (1995) and Open Class (1996).

Currently, he teaches Kell (Marietta, Ga.), Kennesaw Mountain (Kennesaw, Ga.), University of Central Florida Winter Guard, Miamisburg (Ohio) High School Winter Guard and Southern Knights Winter Guard (Brighton, England).

In addition, he is an adjudicator in the Southeast, as well as for ISSMA in Indiana.

When he is not teaching color guard, Adam is an elementary teacher in Kennesaw, Ga., where he resides. He admits to finding a bit of spare time to do things away from color guard.

“I am a fan of fine dining and great wine,” he said. “I love to travel — other than on a bus — and enjoy the outdoors. Finding the time to read a good book is always a plus for me. I also love teaching my fourth-grade students as they certainly keep me on my toes.”

J.D. and Roseanne Shaw are the proud and happy parents of a new baby girl. Sonora True Shaw was born Sunday afternoon, weighing in at 6 lbs, 13 oz. Mother and baby are doing fine (J.D., too). They are expected to come home Tuesday morning.

J.D. & Roseanne Shaw
8730 Hampden Drive
Tampa, FL 33626
jdshaw@regiment.org