A step in time

Have you ever wondered about the symphony of horns and drums resounding from the American Legion Post on Friday nights on Halstead Avenue in Harrison? It’s the Westchester Brassmen. I found a bit of Brassmen history -from Drum Corps World:

Westchester Brassmen approach 20 years of parade corps success
by David Lepore, DCW staff

Beneath the Carle-Anderson Memorial building in Harrison, NY, lies what many would describe as a private club.  Sure, it’s part of the local American Legion Post 559, but with walls decorated with trophies and plaques, one can see that this place is the hang out for a drum and bugle corps. September 7, 1984, they were formed as a parade corps and have been able to continue 19 years of a winning tradition and are approaching their 20th anniversary. “Since 1931, a drum corps has been in the building,” began Westchester Brassmen Director and founding member Joe Mazzullo. “Up until 1957 it was a junior corps, but in 1957 it became a senior corps, the Carle-Anderson Drum and Bugle Corps.”

1993 Westchester Brassmen (Harrison, NY) Photo by David Schwartz Due to lack of interest the corps disbanded in 1969. However in 1984, the American Legion 559 gave Mazzullo a loan for $10,000 to get a corps back.“I took the money and bought used drums from the Garfield Cadets, Hawthorne (Caballeros) and the Sunrisers. Then I would buy used horns here and there and we had our first meeting on September 7 of 1984 with the first official rehearsal the following week,” Mazzullo explained. Thus the Westchester Brassmen were born.             Throughout the majority of the late 1980s and 1990s, the Brassmen would win just about every judged parade they competed in. Boasting more than 60 horns at one point and having a total membership of more than 130, the Brassmen took on halftime shows for the New York Jets, marched in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade and were selected to march in the Operation Welcome Home Parade commemorating the return home of U.S. soldiers from Desert Storm.

Since that article was published in 2003, the Westchester Brassmen have increased their ranks and continue to impress and awe thousands as they march and compete at parades and exhibitions around the county and Tri-State area.  Last year, the Westchester Brassmen performed in Valhalla at the opening ceremonies for the New York State Empire Games. Carolann, who was a banner carrier last season, is now on cymbals and there’s a WFAS’er in the horn section. If you double click the images, you might just see the top of his head.  I bet you’ll never guess who he is!

Many thanks to Sharon M. Keck for all the Westchester Brassmen photos except for the 1993 photo credited to David Schwartz in Drum Corps World, above.

Thanks for listening:)

Tags: drum and bugle corp, Westchester Brassmen