8
Friday, March 22, 1974
University Daily Kansan
Brata Bloomberg. Clay Center sophomore forgets her bass guitar during a sense moment
"Ohmygosh." John Hall, Prairie Village
sophomore and alto saxophonist, expresses
disham at a game.
David Koenig, Floristant, Mo., senior,
sometimes finds his voice can be more effective
Band Adds Color to Games
A choir? No, it's Bill Stanley, Topkik a sophomore cheering the 'Hawks between numbers.
By LINDA A. HALES
Kansan Staff Reporter
It's "on to Greenbsor" for the KU Basketball Band. The 21-member jazz group who played and cheered the Jayhawks to victory in Tulsa will be following the team to the NOAA championship moment in Greenbsor, N.C., this weekend.
"Nobody else gives a damn," Barnes said. "The people who come through are usually the Athletic Association and the chancellor."
Jim Barnes, Hobart, Okla., graduate student and staff arranger for the band, said yesterday that credit should be given to the Athletic Association and Chancellor Archie R. Dykes for providing funds to pay the band's way to the game.
The Basketball Band plays all of KU's
new games and goes to tournaments
when needed.
"They're basketball fans; they have to be," Barnes said.
They are also paid musicians ($100 a season) who like music, especially jazz.
This year, Barnes said, about 60 students auditioned for the 21 available positions. The band has five saxophones, five fritternes, one tuba, six trumpets and a fourpiece rhythm section. Students from the KU Marching Band sometimes have an edge
The Basketball Band was organized six years ago. Originally, he said, a volunteer group would play at the games. The problem then was that no one knew ahead of time whether a full band or only six trumpet players would be there, Barries
Kemeth Bloquemort, former director of KU bands and now director of bands at Michigan State University, said he did nothing to do what he played at basketball games, he said. The group was named the KU篮球 Band, but next year their name will be the Jayhawks Buzz, Barres
over the others, Barnes said, because he knows them.
The band is known for its renditions of the theme from 2001 and Steve Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and for its collaboration with Dylan Farris. Barson likened the group to the Big Band
Barnes likened the group to the Big Band sound of the Kenton era.
But there is more to the group than music, especially at road games.
"Oh, they get a little louder than usual." Barnes
They have to make up for the lack of fans on the KU side. So they cheer and yell. They mean and boom out commands to the team. They wave their arms and do whatever they want.
can from the staff Do they boost the team morale?
"I think so," Barnes said. "The team seems to thinkOK, so Coach Owen seems to
Jim Barnes, Hoart, Oklahoma graduate student at hand start arrangement, tries to keep a calm demeanor.
Staff Photos By Debbie Gump