1990 - Buffalo

This year the Blue Devils presented a dramatic stylistic change away from their traditional jazz theme, to a rock emphasis. The entire show was from the rock opera "Tommy" performed by The Who and composed by Peter Townshend. Musical selections included "Sparks", "See Me Feel Me", "Tommy Can You Hear Me", "Pinball Wizard", "Underture", "Listening to You", and "Overture Finale". This year's show was on of the most visually and musically creative shows to date.

1991 - Dallas

This year's show is titled "Conversations in Jazz". The first production is a composition by Don Sebesky in which he musically creates an imaginary conversation between Charley "Bird" Parker and Bela Bartok. The selection is "Bird and Bela in Bb". The second production is a combination of two songs, "Commencement" and "Apercu" and are by Johnny Richards. Experimental concepts in design and staging enhance the corps' exploration of its controversial tangent of contemporary jazz.

1992 - Madison

This show is appropriately titled "Big, Bad, and Blue". It is eleven minutes of hot and sultry jazz. The show begins with Harry Connick, Jr's title track "Someone's There" from his Blue Light, Red Light" album. Johnny Richard's "Cuban Fire" is next. It's presented as a suite, including "El Congo Valiente" with its driving Latin Rhythms, and the beautiful ballad "Fuengo Cubano" and, climaxing the suite, a classic form the Blue Devils' repertoire ""LaSuerte de Los Tontos". In the final production of "When a Man Loves a Woman" (based on Bette Midler's version from the movie "The Rose") you'll experience the Blue Devils like never before. Picture the entire corps in character as they present this classic of passion and power. You've long admired the Blue Devils. This year you'll love them.

1993 - Jackson

In 1993 the Blue Devils presented "A Don Ellis Portrait". The Blue Devils explore Ellis' music in a program divided into three movements, each based on musical selections that demonstrate his various experiments in jazz. The first movement is "Open Wide" and "Great Divide". Both of these pieces reflect African and Eastern European ethnic influences. The second movement is "Chain Reaction"; a Hank Levy composition made famous by the Ellis Band. It is composed in an unusual 13/8 time signature. "Strawberry Soup" and "Niner Two" comprise the final movement. Both of these pieces are examples of jazz/rock fusion, "Strawberry Soup" being one of Ellis' most ecletic pieces, combining elements of jazz, rock, pop, and big band swing.

1994 - Boston

The Blue Devils achieved a record setting seventh world championship and introduced an entirely new uniform. This year's show entitled "My Spanish Heart", is entirely from Chick Corea's work, an artist closely associated with some of the most exciting years of the Blue Devils. The opening selection, "Spanish Fantasy", establishes, from the first note, that the show is from the heart. The intro explodes into "Night Streets", a fiery celebration of rythm and dance. The intricacy and expression of the brass demonstrated the virtuosity that has become the signature of this DCI Champion Brass Ensemble. The rapid fire "Day Danse" with strong percussive emphasis, features intricate orchestrations demonstrating the creativity and innovation of today's percussion ensemble. The authentic penetrating flamenco plays a prominent part of this whimsical piece. The title cut "My Spanish Heart"-the ultimate love ballet-features the superb haunting solos that have become a Blue Devil trademark. The journey comes full cycle as passion comes to its final climax with the reprise of the powerful "Spanish Fantasy". Be prepared for an emotional drain as you experience from the heart, - "My Spanish Heart" presented as only the Blue Devils can.

1995 - Buffalo

This years production blended the most modern elements of Latin jazz and symphonic wind literature. The show is entitled Carpe Noctem (Seize the Night) and based on James Sochinski's composition "the Legend of Alcobasa".The composition is programmatic music inspired by a 13th century Portuguese legend of King Alcobasa and the tragic death of his wife. This years program is presented in four movements.The first movement is Vince Mendoza's "Jazz Pana", Jay Chattaway's "Conquistador" (as played by Maynard Ferguson) and Jim Sochinski's Coronation of the Dead Queen (mvt. 4 of The Legend of Alcobasa). They are blended into one heart-throbbing entity; with musicians spreading across the field to a regal toreador-like fanfare and ending with majestic-yet-menacing overtones of the fabled Portuguese love story. The second movement is the beautiful love theme of Ines (mvt. 2 of The Legend of Alcobasa) and is punctuated by occasional malevolent dissonances from the opener.Rick Tait's No Heroes (for the Latin jazz group Manteca), Johnny Richards' Commencement (written for Stan Kenton) and Michel Camilo's Caribe (from One More Once) comprises the third movement. The production is launched by festive ethnic drumming which powers up a finger busting "if you've got it, flaunt it" virtuosi passage played in unison by all the brass. Chick Corea's Day Danse (from My Spanish Heart) and Dom Pedro's Revenge (mvt. 5 of The Legend of Alcobasa) features a return of last year's haunting heartbeat, as Dom Pedro rips out the heart of his arch-villain. Further pathos is felt with evil-sounding colors capturing the inescapable darkness of the tragedy, seizing both the night and the quivering throats of the audience.

1996 - Orlando

Club Blue: A Gangster Chronicle is the title of the 1996 Blue devils Show set through four progressive visual scenes.Mean Streets takes us out to the gangster's home turf, the night in a big city. The seductive mystery of the underworld is captured by the gangster apparel of the guard and scintillating music based on Charles Mingus' Children's Hour of Dream. After roaming the streets, we're taken inside Club Blue for an evening of Latin jazz based on Michael Daugherty's Desi, where heated words are exchanged and tempers flare. The women move in to restore sense to the men and make them realize there's more to life.

Crimes of Passion throws care to the wind as all that matters for the time is the love that sears the night air. No one can deliver a steamy love ballad like BD, a fact reinforced by Breathless and Tess' Theme from Danny Elfman's Dick Tracy sound track and their amazing guard. The gangsters have to make a run for it when the comfort of romance is shattered in The Chase. Danny Elfman’s frenzied Trouble from the movie sound track Mission Impossible, turn up the heat as the gangsters meet their ultimate fate. But can the bars of any jail hold them for good? It may take until DCI World Finals to find out.

1997 - Orlando

The Blue Devils 1997 program, As Time Goes By ...... inspired by the great movie Casablanca, is a view of the goings-on in Morocco during the exciting and dangerous times of the early 1940s. The show is set in four scenes that create individual moods and temperaments on the field, drawing us into the story line amidst Blue Devils' unique sense of pageantry that enraptures and captivates the senses.

Scene I (This day and age we're living in) entitled The Marketplace, is based on music from Max Steiner's soundtrack to the movie, Casablanca as well as Bangkok, by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Scene II (Relax, relieve the tension) takes us through the doors of Rick's Americain, with music based on Dizzy Gillespie's jazz classic, A Night in Tunisia. Listen for the upright Latin-style 1940s cocktail drum sets that are played by the tenor drummers, adding a musical and visual authenticity unlike anything we've ever heard or seen on the field. Scene III (The world will always welcome lovers) is titled As Time Goes By and based on Herman Hupfeld's immortal torch song love ballad, As Time Goes By. Full of passion and yearning, this steamy love ballad lpresents BD's amazing guard, powerful brass section and musical front field ensemble. Scene IV (A case of do or die) is titled Conflict in Casablanca and is based on the fast and intense strains of Alberto Ginastera's Harp Concerto, Opus 25. The music is full of tension, reflected in the pace of the drill and the demeanor of the guard work.The resolution of the conflict and the finale of the show is dramatized by the restatement of As Time Goes By. The hot and steamy ending will leave you on the edge of your seat awaiting the outcome.

"Here's looking at you, kid."

1998 - Orlando

The fusion of Tchaikovsky's and Bernstein's musical interpretations of Shakespeare's play is the basis of Blue Devils' 1998 show. The program, entitled "One Hand One Heart" is a musical and visual juxtaposition of the classical and the contemporary styles. The men of the guard portray the contemporary character of Tony, while the women portray the classical Juliet. The story of these two characters, divided by time, united by their timeless story, is told by the brass and percussion sections. Constantly shifting back and forth from the classical and contemporary musical compositions, at times playing both simultaneously, the Blue Devils are excited to perform this unique and ambitious program, one that is sure to become a contemporary classic.

1999 - Madison

The Blue Devils present their 1999 production....."RHYTHMS.......at the edge of time". The program opens with primitive Afrocuban rhythms... and follows these rhythms to the "Malambo" from Alberto Ginastera’s ballet "Estancia". A change of rhythm introduced by the color guard leads to the second production, "Powerhouse, Rhumba for Orchestra" by Graeme Koehne. A quick change in rhythmic interpretation and velocity moves the ensemble to a Samba."Adios Nonino" by Astor Piazzolla is production number three. The rhythm is Tango. The mood is sensual. Seductive. Passionate. A classic Blue Devil interpretation of this most well known of the Latin rhythms.Another slight change in rhythm leads to Graeme Koehne’s "Unchained Melody"... best described as jazz....funky, quirky, modern jazz. This journey through rhythm culminates in American Swing. Fast, fun, and always popular. A rhythm whose roots are elemental and whose appeal is international. A rhythm not in isolation, but part of a continuum of expression from the original Afrocuban beat, through variations in Malambo, Rhumba, Samba, Tango, and Jazz. The 1999 Blue Devils present the joy of expression, a dance to the rhythms, "RHYTHMS.......at the edge of time".