By Tom Baldino
They say things come in threes and in a little more than a week the JSJBF lost three of its family: John Fanizzo, longtime drummer for the Incinerators, AJ Perna, bass player for the Jo Wymer Band and Dennis Eschbach, board member for nearly 20 years and past President of the foundation.
Dennis grew up in Bergen County and took up the trombone at a young age, becoming part of the world famous Hawthorne Caballeros Drum & Bugle Corp, who just celebrated 75 years of competition, and for many years provided the halftime entertainment for the New York Football Giants. Dennis was also a longtime member of the Atlantic Wind Ensemble, performing many summer concerts in the Ocean Grove Pavilion as well as both playing and conducting in part the annual “Salute to America” held in the Great Auditorium each Memorial Day weekend.
Besides the countless hours Dennis put into the Foundation alongside his partner, our Office Manager Doris Lazur, he spent many holiday seasons with Tim McCloone’s band bringing cheer to many less fortunate with Holiday Express. Being a member of the Goldenseal “Golden Horns” gave him another outlet to provide joy to others through music.
Dennis will always be remembered as a driving force within the Foundation and starting in 2023, a music scholarship in his name from the JSJBF will be presented to a graduating high school senior pursuing the field of music in college. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dennis’s name either online at jsjbf.org or by check mailed to the JSJBF, P.O. Box 8713, Red Bank NJ 07701.
