The Swiss style fife & drum corps, Ameri-Clique celebrated its 25th anniversary on Saturday, October 3, with a muster in beautiful North Granby, Connecticut. Many friends of the corps, themselves from different fife & drum traditions and styles attended. In this first video we have the Ameri-Clique Corps with its opening remarks including a special nod to Dave Fontaine, a superb rudimental drummer who first in the U.S., achieved proficiency in the art of Basel Swiss drumming, ala Dr. Fritz Berger.
In 2002 Ameri-Clique performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention Drummer's Heritage Event with the late, great Swiss drummer, Alfons Grieder. Alfons, was very pleased and impressed with this newcomer (to Swiss drumming), Dave Fontaine, as well as with this upstart American corps, Ameri-Clique.
Dave was the first to perform a clinic on Swiss rudimental drumming at a U.S.A.R.D. convention.
In spite of the dampness and the chill in the air, we all had a wonderful time.