PHOTOS: The ‘Music of Marco?’ Big bands – Mackle Park swings to the sounds of the big brass band

All music becomes oldies, if people still remember it at all. The Beatles, the Bangles, and Busta Rhymes, all will become the province of those whose memories are provided with a soundtrack by the tunes they loved.

For the crowd filling the covered court at Mackle Park on Sunday afternoon, there was no doubt what music filled the bill for them. Big band music, heavy on the brass, hits from around the time of WWII – the big one – was the draw, as the Music of Marco Big Band brought their 16-piece ensemble back to a familiar venue and an appreciative crowd.

Several hundred spectators filled the space, and overflowed onto the bleachers and the picnic tables, as well as filling the parking lot to capacity and beyond. The band, led by Bob Schnitzius, opened with “In the Mood,” and the crowd definitely was.

Different tunes gave a succession of band members the chance to take a solo, from trombonist Scott Layman to sax player Craig Christman, along with dual vocalists Dante Lupi and Beth Mortland. A particular standout was trumpeter/flugelhorn player Mark Petty.