About this cheer

This cheer is based on "Willie and the Hand Jive", originally recorded by Johnny Otis.

Instrumentation requirements

A bass drum and snare drum at the very least is preferable for percussion. The snare drum is necessary because the bass drum rhythm only doubles that of the bass line.
It is nice to have a large low brass section to play the bass line, but depending on the size of the band only one or two people playing this may be necessary.
The alto sax/mellophone harmony to the bass line is not necessary.
There should be at least three trumpets for this cheer to sound good, and at least one of them must be willing to take the solos between the melody.

This cheer is traditionally started by either low wind/brass or the bass drum playing the rhythm of the bass line. The rest of the people playing the bass line and the percussion then comes in, followed by an alto sax/mellophone harmony when the conductor is getting ready to cue the melody. The conductor will make this cue by yelling a simple "One! Two! Three! Four!", and then the rest of the band comes in. There is a solo ad lib trumpet part in between the melody that the rest of the band plays. The cheer can be repeated several times (most memorably during a six-minute stint at Clarkson), and due to this it is frequently used to kill extra time in period breaks and occasionally in time outs. The cheer ends with the melody cutting out, then the low brass and percussion, until only the bass drum is left.

On rare occasions, the band has marched all the way around the Field House while playing this cheer. In the late 1990s, towards the end of the second intermission the band would sometimes start Handjive on the stage and then collectively march to the walkway behind sections 22, 33, and 44 in the Field House. The band would finish the cheer when the referees began their third period warmup skate, and played Hail when the team emerged from the tunnel directly below them. This was eventually nixed by the Field House staff who deemed it to be a fire hazard.

The solos in between the band melody are traditionally played by trumpet (and should be, if available). However, in 2007 due to shortages at some games the solo was played at times by an alto sax, mellophone, trombone, and on one occasion two sousaphones.

Starting in 2007 the trumpets would sometimes get together on one round of trumpet solos and blare a single chord for the duration of each solo entrance. This became known as the "Camillieri Special", named after Steve Camillieri who was probably the first person to do this.

The high woodwinds (and anyone else who is so inclined) leave their instruments and do the Hand Jive at the front of the band. Other instruments (saxophones, sousaphones, mellophones, and anyone else who is so inclined) walk in a snaking line around the stage while playing in an impromptu game of follow-the-leader.