CRESTVIEW — Boy Scouts of America organizational rules allow for a troop musician. A Crestview troop has taken the position much further.
Troop 773 has its own complete, eight-piece jazz band.
“It was just an idea that came across a few people,” trumpeter and Life Scout Austin Carrico said.
“At first everyone was a little skeptical about how it would turn out. But when we got together for our first meeting, it all fit together like puzzle pieces. Everybody liked it.”
Austin and his fellow band members also play for their high school jazz bands.
Austin attends Niceville High while Matthew Kannapel, Germainye Hudson, Matthew Erk, Nick Johnson, Jerry Hand, Joey Best and Nathan Behr play for Crestview High.
“They found the resources they needed and started practicing,” Austin’s dad and assistant Scout Master Kelly Carrico said.
“It’s mostly for fun, but they want to play at the next Court of Honor and other functions.”
AN UpBEAT ADVISER
One of the community resources the boys draw from is Dick Reinlie, jazz musician and owner of UpBeat Music in Crestview.
“He’s an amazing person,” Austin said. “We love how he takes time out of his busy life to help out the troop. He’s a great guy overall.”
Currently, Reinlie is helping the band master John Coltrane’s “Blue Train,” but Austin said the boys plan to add other selections to their repertoire, including the New Orleans jazz standard, “Second Line,” and Miles Davis’ “Milestone.”
Practicing twice a month, band members hope to perform in six months at Troop 773’s next Court of Honor.
“As Dick Reinlie gets them going, and they feel comfortable, and they get the momentum going, he’s going to let them take over,” Carrico said.
Carrico said to his knowledge, Troop 773 is the only Boy Scout troop in Northwest Florida with its own scout band.
“I have not seen or heard of any scout troops with a band,” Carrico said. “There is a music merit badge, which most of the boys in the band already have, but this is the first (scout troop) band I’ve heard of.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Troop 773 forms region’s only Boy Scout band