MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- When a Marine band performs, audiences usually expect to see sharp, crisp movements and hear military marching music, but when the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing Dixieland Band takes the stage audiences often get more than they bargained for.

The Dixieland Band is not the run-of-the-mill military band group. The nine-piece band performs a very different style of music with a very different attitude than is traditionally expected of Marines.

With a trumpet, trombone, tuba, bass drum, snare drum, clarinet, tenor saxophone, banjo and the only scrub board in the Marine Corps, these nine Marines are filling the air with a fun rhythm that invites crowds to tap their feet and clap their hands.
"It's a fun style of music," said Master Sgt. Daniel J. Connelly, Dixieland tuba player and 3d MAW drum major. "Dixieland is kind of a sloppy style of music, but it's fun because you can see the reaction of the crowd. You know if you're doing it right if the people are laughing and smiling. Once we start playing we feed off each other. The job part of it goes away, and we let our hair down even though we don't have much hair."

Connelly formed the group in 1995 when he returned from the School of Music and obtained the drum major military occupational specialty. Since drum majors don't play instruments, he decided to form the Dixieland Band so he could keep playing music. Since Connelly's father was a Dixieland musician, he acquired a passion for the music and it came to be the style of choice for his group.

"It's just a cheerful happy music," said Connelly. "That's how it makes us feel. Every time we put our horns to our face with that style of music it makes us cheerful and happy."

Connelly had other reasons for forming the group aside from the personal enjoyment. His original intentions were to take the band walking from work section to work section on Fridays to provide happy music for Marines and boost air station morale. Since its beginning, the demand for Dixieland Band performances has increased significantly and snowballed it into a very popular group.

Aside from their normal duties with the 3d MAW Band, including change-of-command ceremonies, VIP concerts, private parties and other commitments, the nine Marines in the Dixieland Band often dedicate their liberty to not only practicing Dixieland music, but performing it at receptions and various jazz festivals as well.

The group has performed all over the country, from Connolly's home- town, Green Bay, Wis., to the Highland Games in Costa Mesa, and the Redwood Jazz Festival in Eureka, where it was a headline band. The Miramar Marines have even performed on foreign soil in Victoria, Canada, and on the Southwest Asia tour.

With all the additional performances, the members of the Dixieland Band must put forth more practice time. Some of the musicians don't even play their primary instruments in the Dixieland Band. Cpl. Thaddeus V. Davis, scrub board player, plays the French horn in the concert band, and Cpl. Robert D. Valtierra, Dixieland clarinetist, plays the trumpet in the concert band. Sgt. Jasin A. Muffoletto, learned to play the banjo just for the Dixieland Band. The nine musicians- Connolly; Davis; Valtierra; Muffoletto; Staff Sgt. Stephen Jeremiah, Jr., tenor saxophone; Sgt. Roy "Get Down" Brown III, trombone; Sgt. Gregg M. Humphrey, trumpet; Cpl. Matthew W. Crutcher, snare drum; and Cpl. Shane R. Carpenter, bass drum, have gone beyond sacrificing their liberty for practices and performances.

"The members have put in endless off-duty hours and worked really hard to learn this style of music," said Connelly. "Some of them have invested their own money into the group. Cpl. Davis bought his scrub board, Sgt. Muffoletto bought his banjo and I use the tuba I bought about 20 years ago."

The band has been together for a long time, but as with most things in the military, it must adapt and overcome because of personnel changing duty stations or getting out of the Marine Corps. Connelly hopes to fill some of the holes that will open up when key personnel leave the band.

Birthday ball season has already begun for the 3d MAW Band. The musicians will be busy with more than 25 commitments throughout the month. The next chance to catch the Dixieland Band in action will be at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony here Dec. 19.