The California Band Alumni Association

Ordering DVDs

To see a list of DVDs that are available, please see our list of sponsored shows. Then e-mail the Archiving Project at with your name, address, phone number, and which DVDs you would like. A $15 donation is suggested per DVD. We accept checks or PayPal; please see “Making a Donation” at the bottom of the page. We thank our sponsors for making these shows available.

2006 Reunion Video Available

The video that was playing at the 2006 Reunion is now available on DVD. It was produced to honor Bob Briggs, this year’s recipient of the Tony Martinez Award. The 42-minute video features Cal Band shows before and during Bob’s tenure as Director, including highlights from: 1958 Brussels World’s Fair; 1970 Japan Tour; 1976 Bicentennial Tour; 1979 Garden State Bowl; 1990 Copper Bowl; a 1991 “Inside Cal” interview with Bob; 1991 Citrus Bowl; 1992 “Halloween Show”; and a 1994 Big Game tribute to Bob.

1970 Japan Tour Available

Jerry Taylor and Ric Mart have been working with the Archiving Project to archive the final performance at the San Francisco Opera House on DVD. Former Bandsmen who attended this tour are encouraged to donate $25 toward this project. Some alumni have already contributed seed money to this project; if you did, please contact Jerry by mail or by phone at .

Please send inquiries and donations for the 1970 Tour DVD directly to Jerry Taylor:

Archiving History and Process

Since the 1950s, the Cal Band has documented its history by filming and, later, video taping its performances. These recordings have been invaluable in helping teach fundamentals and relive past memories. Sadly, however, the quality of the film and tape deteriorates with time. If nothing is done to preserve these records, our memories will be lost forever.

In an effort to preserve our history, the CBAA Council established the CBAA Archiving Project. The goals of this project are:

1. to archive the Cal Band’s performances in such a way that further deterioration of the recordings is minimized or eliminated, and
2. to make viewing of the recordings easier for students and alumni.

In achieving these goals, we will fulfill the CBAA’s dual purposes of advancing the interests of the Cal Band and promoting fellowship among members of the Cal Band Alumni.

The Archiving project started in 1998-1999 with the moving of the Band’s film archives from the basement in Cesar Chavez Center to the Bancroft Library. The move provided the proper climate-controlled setting for the films which will help slow the aging process. In February 2000, the CBAA Council approved the allocation of $5000 for initial costs of the project. Most of this money was used to purchase digital video equipment which was used to transfer early video footage from the mid-1970's onwards (in U-Matic and VHS formats) to the high-quality DVCAM digital tape format. Transfers from remaining VHS (early 1990's) and Super-VHS (1994-1997) tapes are almost complete. A significant number of films from the 1950's to mid 1970's were also sponsored and transferred to digital tape. The transfer process for films required that films be taken to a recording lab to be copied using specialized equipment and professional expertise, which cost significantly more than the video transfers. This process is ongoing. Cal Band seasons since 1998 have been recorded directly onto DVCAM tapes.

In 2003, with the new ability to create DVDs on personal computers, the Archiving Project decided to start distributing performances on DVD instead of VHS. The DVD format offered superior visual quality, longevity, and a menu system compared to VHS. In 2006, the CBAA Council approved additional money to purchase video editing equipment to support our growing effort. In its continuing effort to make recordings more accessible, the Archiving Project has produced special collections

Sponsoring a Performance

The CBAA has proven its commitment to the goals of the project by contributing the up-front costs. However, given budgetary constraints, the council can not fund the entire project. This is where you come in. We are asking alumni and friends of the Band to sponsor the archiving of a specific Cal Band performance or group of performances from the past. For $125, the sponsor will get a DVD copy of the footage they saved, will be noted on the DVD, and will be included on a web site thanking all of our sponsors.

The donation will cover costs associated with transferring the performance to the digital format. If $125 is more than you had in mind, a twenty-dollar donation will go a long way in helping meet the goals of the project and would also be greatly appreciated. Is there a specific performance from your Newman year that stands out in your mind? How about the final time you took to the turf of Memorial Stadium as a Senior? You can help make it possible for this memory to live on forever for current and future generations of Golden Bears. And wouldn’t it be fun to be able to share something with your children or grandchildren that means so much to you?

For footage that is on film (generally up to 1976), the $125 sponsorship will cover a typical one half-hour game day performance. For footage that is on VHS, a $125 sponsorship will save an entire season - this will cover the cost of the digital tape(s). You can view a list of performances and groups of performances available for sponsorship.

Making a Donation: DVDs, Sponsorships, and General Donations

Thank you for your interest in preserving our history. We accept donations by check and by PayPal. You can e-mail us first at if you have questions or if you would like to expedite your DVD order.

Donations by Check:

Please make the check out to “CBAA,” and write “Archiving Project” on the memo line, and indicate which show(s) or season(s) you would like (DVDs or sponsorships), or whether it is a general contribution. The mailing address is:

Donations by PayPal:

Please use the following information to contribute using PayPal:
Send Money To: @
For: Service/Other
Message to Recipient: include your mailing address, e-mail address, and/or phone number; indicate which show(s) or season(s) you would like (DVDs or sponsorships), or whether it is a general contribution.