Two Bands, June 1961
One of the best things about Disneyland is (was?) the wonderful live music that guests might just happen upon in any of the lands. You had an oom-pah-pah band in Fantasyland, the Royal Street Bachelors in New Orleans Square and The Strawhatters inFrontierland. You might see The New Establishment in Tomorrowland, or the Elliott Brothers at the Plaza Gardens. It was there for everyone, at no extra cost!
The Disneyland Band was always a popular sight, whether they were playing aboard the Mark Twain, or marching down Main Street, or, as we see here, performing by the flag pole in Town Square. It's about 6 o'clock, so there were hours of daylight left, but I wonder if this might not be part of the "Flag retreat" ceremony?
Next is this fun photo of the Gonzalez Trio, but this time it's three hombres, instead of two guys and a gal. Where is my retro crush, Carmelita Gonzalez? I'd love to see and hear strolling mariachis in Frontierland, maybe I will start holding my breath. The gentleman to the left appears to be signing an autograph, possibly on a rolled up Grad Nite booklet. Just a guess, but it IS June, and the first Grad Nite was in 1961.
14 comments:
The patriotic banners are flying on the lampposts. Could this be part of a July 4th celebration? Some Girl Scouts are standing behind the band members. Maybe they're part of the ceremony.
That's a nice photo of the Gonzalez Trio; even if it is missing the señora (señorita?).Bean pole alert on the left. He has that high school (or college) basketball player look.
I guess nowadays most of the music you hear is recorded and coming from a loudspeaker.
I'm with you, Major. Live music throughout the Park is/was a big part of the Disneyland experience. Thanks for today's photos.
Major-
I'm going to go way out on a limb here, and say only the gent on the right is part of the Gonzalez Trio. (Just file your complaints below).
Thanks, major.
JB, could that beanpole be a spaceman incognito??
—Sue
It's good to see that the Marching Band has their Girl Scout security "muscle" to protect them! It's always comforting to have a few thugs hyped up on cookies in case things go south.
I see the Trio has the traditional instrumentation of two guitars and a revolver. That really spices up the hat dance! The Beatles did a whole album dedicated to that instrument, although I hear they used an semi-automatic in the recordings. Technology marches on, I suppose.
I think we can also see a "den mother" in the crowd (behind the blonde Girl Scout). She's the one holding the Brownie camera.
Major, you’re right, an astonishing variety of live music was available (and still is, it seems) in the Park. I never paid much attention since I was always angling for the next ride.
The ones I remember most were the Delta Ramblers in the French Market. Dad loved Dixieland and we usually had dinner there.
The Gonzalez Trio just wrapped up Concerto for Two Guitars and Handgun, one of Rodrigo’s lesser known works.
JG
I'm really loving the fact that he's packing a six-shooter. It completes the narrative that this is the Wild West and best stay on your toes there youngin. And if things get out of hand over at the Golden Horseshoe the Mariachis calmly set down their guitars and proceed to lay down the law.
JB, these were taken sometime before the 4th of July, but it’s certainly possible that they already had the patriotic bunting up for that holiday. Good eye on the Girl Scouts, I didn’t notice them! That kid had a future playing the Tomorrowland Spaceman. Do they still do live music anymore? Chapek could be a hero and save money by cutting all of the musicians.
Nanook, I think I know what you mean, and yet… they are obviously a trio, and my guess is that the name didn’t change even if some of the personnel did. I’ve see the trio when there were just two of them!
Sue, HEY! Great minds think alike.
Stu29573, the Girl Scouts wear white gloves so that they don’t bruise their knuckles when they punch people. I noticed the revolver, and can’t quite tell if the other fellows are wearing firearms as well. I guess that added a nice “Pancho Villa” flavor to the proceedings?
TokyoMagic!, I can’t tell if that’s a den mother, or if she’s just an older Girl Scout. How long did girls stay in the Scouts, anyway? Up to the end of high school? Then of course they’d get married and have babies.
JG, while I was like you and was often in a hurry to get to my next ride, I did sometimes stop to listen to the Dapper Dans or whatever Dixieland trio was playing in New Orleans Square. My dad loved Dixieland too, I often fell asleep to the sound of the Dukes of Dixieland playing on the hi-fi downstairs.
Anonymous, yes, I think of the “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges!” guys from “Treasure of the Sierra Madre”. Although our trio looks much nicer!
"I see the Trio has the traditional instrumentation of two guitars and a revolver."
Comes in handy for the mariachi arrangement of the 1812 Overture.
The modern parks are absolutely diminished by the relative dearth of live entertainment.
Melissa, I can practically hear the mariachi version of the 1812 Overture in my head! Hey, those musicians cost money, and people will crowd the parks without them, so cut 'em loose!
Went to Grad Night 1966 and had a blast..Amazing scene.
Last visit (2019) I was especially impressed by Five and Dime, a 20s-30s jazz group in California Adventure. The only disappointment was that they did the exact same little show every performance. That they did it extraordinarily well indicated they were capable of a lot more.
Many years prior saw Off Kilter at Epcot. Their shows were semi-fixed, but the Canada gift shop had several different CDs with a variety of numbers. Got them on my iPod, along with the Elliott Brothers Date Night at Disneyland album (which overlapped some numbers from their Disneyland After Dark appearance, but not all).
That’s actually the Gunzalez Trio.
Miss me?
Chuck, YES!
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