Edward Griffin is an active educator and performing musician throughout the New York metropolitan area. He is currently the Band Director at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in the Edison Township Public Schools. At TJMS, Eddie instructs all lesson groups, directs both concert bands, and leads the jazz band.
Eddie received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, where he earned a double-major in Music Education and Music Performance. At Rutgers, Eddie studied euphonium and brass pedagogy with Aaron Vanderweele, Alan Baer, and Jerry Peel. He also studied conducting with Darryl Bott and Todd Nichols.
As an educator, Eddie has instructed several marching bands throughout New Jersey. He works on the staff at John P. Stevens High School, where he instructs the brass and is a member of the design team. During his time at J.P. Stevens, the band has grown to be a perennial finalist at the BOA Mid-Atlantic Regional and is one of the largest bands in the state of New Jersey. Eddie maintains a private studio, and his students have earned acceptance into several honor ensembles and university music departments. He also serves on the visual staff of the United Percussion 2 indoor ensemble.
As a performer, Eddie has played with several award-winning brass bands and concert ensembles. He currently performs with the Eastern Wind Symphony, a semi-professional band based out of central New Jersey. Eddie has also performed with the Princeton Brass Band, Atlantic Brass, Imperial Brass, and the Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York.
Eddie has been on the Bushwackers staff since 2018. In 2019, he served in the role of Brass Caption Head. His family has been involved in drum corps his entire life, and he is excited to begin his third year with the Bushwackers!
Benjamin Rivera is a music educator and freelance tuba player. Ben received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Previously, he marched with Cadets2 Drum and Bugle Corps for their inaugural season. Ben is now a middle school band director in Long Branch, NJ, while also teaching competitive marching band programs in Long Branch High School, West Orange High School, and JP Stevens High School in Edison, NJ. He is excited for his second season on the Bushwackers Brass Staff in his new role as Brass Caption Head.
Alan Chez conducts Music Clinics, Master Classes, Lessons, and Marching Band Clinics and performances throughout the country. He is well known for playing over 25 years on Late Night and The Late Show with David Letterman, he is the second longest network TV trumpet player, behind only Doc Severenson with over 2800 Shows.
Chez has played, toured and recorded with such artists as Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Robert Cray Band, Spyro Gyra, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Eric Clapton, CeeLo Green, Snoop Dog, Flava Flav, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Earth wind and Fire, and the great Tower of Power, among many others. His performances include two presidential inagurations, world tours, over 25 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, the Concert for NY, Concert of The Century, John Lennon’s 50th Birthday in Tokyo, closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics, as well as multiple concerts at the White House, offering his extraordinary skills for fundraiser events.
Chez is devoting his time these days to his passion, “Al Chez Band featuring The Brothers of Funk,” a big band playing rock and soul music with that big horn sound. Al and the band have been touring since 2013.
Chez started his extensive music career at the age of 8. Starting out as a soprano player, Soloist, Entertainer in the drum corps activity. Stating with The Saints from Woodbridge NJ, the Garfield Cadets from Allentown NJ, Reading Buccaneers from Reading PA, and The Bushwackers from Harrison NJ.
Alan is a member of the Design and Creative team for Perennial DCI Finalists The Crossmen from San Antonio Texas. Alan is returning in 2020 to the CROSSMEN for his 21st consecutive year on the design team. Alan has continued his passion for the marching arts as brass instructor, visual designer, clinician, and program coordinator for such groups as DCI World Champions the Cadets, The Jersey Surf, Oakland Crusaders, DCA Champions Reading Buccaneers, Empire Statesmen, the Bushwackers, Fusion Core and Canada’s Kingston Grenadiers.
Alan also worked at the music departments and clinician at the school of the Arts in Philadelphia PA, Boston University, Pocono Mountain East, Haverford PA Jazz Artist in residency, plus many more. Alan is entering his 12th year as a clinician, brass instructor, entertainer, and soloist for The University of Virginia. He is the program coordinator for New Jersey State Marching Band Champions John P Stevens High School in Edison New Jersey as well as Mount Olive HS in Mount Olive NJ. He also works with Kittatinny HS, Sparta HS, Morris Hills HS, Coronado HS in El Paso Texas, Ft Zumwalt North in St. Louis Missouri, Claudia Taylor Johnson HS in San Antonio Texas, LD Bell HS and many others.
Alan is a YAMAHA Clinician and Performing Artist, living in the beautiful state on new Jersey with his Wife, 6 kids, 10 grandchildren, 3 dogs, and 5 ducks. Life is good…
John Herbert Molloy is a trumpet player and brass instructor currently residing in Greenwood Lake, NY. John is 37 years old, and he has been playing trumpet since the age of 9. His now 22 year drum corps career started with The Sunrisers Drum & Bugle Corps as a lead soprano player in 1998. Most recently he was the brass caption head of Fusion Core for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Between those two experiences John has also marched and performed with The Bushwackers (2000, 2013, & 2014), The Lambertville Volunteers, The Cadets (2001, 2002, 2003), The Reading Buccaneers (2008, 2009), and The Hawthorne Caballeros (2005, 2006) all on lead trumpet or soprano bugle.
In 1999 he was named “Sunriser of The Year”. He received the “Distinguished Service Award” at Cadets2 in 2015 and was inducted into The Buglers Hall of Fame in 2019. He has been a part of 6 drum corps world championship seasons as a teacher or performer. Most recently he was the bugle soloist, assistant director, recruiter, and mellophone technician at Cadets2 during their 2016 DCA championship season.
In 2005 John was the trumpet brass tech for the Santa Clara Vanguard. He was also a brass staff member of The Reading Buccaneers (2008, 2009, 2010), The Cadets (2008-2012), Cadets2 (2012 & 2016), and The Oregon Crusaders (2012, 2013). In 2013 John was also a brass tech for the Bushwackers, and in 2014 he was the brass caption head.
Outside of drum corps John is a 2010 graduate of Montclair State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance. John was Montclair’s lead trumpet player for the jazz big band for 12 straight semesters and he was selected 4 years in a row to be the lead trumpet player for the NJ Intercollegiate Jazz Band. John has taught hundreds of private brass lessons in the states of NJ, DE, and WA. He was also an instructor for many marching bands through the years including Smyrna High School (DE), Northern Highlands, Montville, Belleville, and Fairlawn High Schools in NJ.
John has played over 1,000 professional gigs on trumpet and currently enjoys performing with The Tappan Zee Bridgemen primarily in the states of NY, NJ, and CT.
John is grateful to be involved as a consultant at The Bushwackers in 2020. “Having marched in this corps when I was 17 years old and again in 2013 & 2014 in my early 30’s, I feel that I can bring a unique approach and perspective to the already successful brass program at The 2020 Bushwackers. I’m so excited to be around this great and historical drum corps once again!”
Lewis C. Kelly is the Director of Bands at West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey. He received his Bachelor of Music from William Paterson University of New Jersey and his Master of Arts in Education from Augustana University. Lew has been involved in the marching arts for over two decades and has marched, taught, and arranged for various bands and drum corps from Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Britney Alcine has had an extensive history with the Bushwackers Drum & Bugle Corps over the last six years: Britney began as a marching member in 2013 and 2014, on both baritone and tuba respectively, and was awarded the Visual Member Award in 2014. She then came back to teach as a brass technician during 2017-2018 seasons. She went on to be the corps Visual co-captionhead in the 2019 season. Her involvement in the marching arts started with her high school marching band in Elizabeth, NJ, of which she was a member from 2008-2012. Britney went on to be an instructor with the Elizabeth High School Marching Band from 2013-2018 as a visual instructor and low brass technician, and the Music Caption Head during the band’s 2018 season. Britney has also worked with bands such as the Harrison High School Blue Tide Soundwaves and the West Windsor-Plainsboro South Pirate Marching Band as their Visual Instructor.
Britney Alcine is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well working with the UMass Minutemen Marching Band. She earned her Bachelors of Music degree from Rutgers University in 2016 with a concentration in Music Education at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. Britney is looking forward to working with the to new edition of the Bushwackers in the 2020 season!
Taha Attia is excited to be back with the Bushwackers for his third year on staff. He marched 2 seasons as a Trumpet player with the Raiders in DCI open class from 2011-2012, and the Bushwackers from 2014-2017. Having marched under the guidance of Cameron Baker, David Enloe, Don Pfleger and many more, Taha is prepared to bring a wide variety of methodologies to this coming year’s Bushwackers hornline.
Shawn Nagpal is a performer and educator in the New Jersey area. He is currently enrolled in his final year at Rutgers University where he studies Music Education, with a concentration on instrumental music. His primary instrument is Euphonium and studied with Aaron VanderWeele, Solo Euphonium player of the New York Staff Band. He has also worked and studied with musicians from the New York Philharmonic, including Alan Baer and Kenneth DeCarlo. Shawn has also performed in many of Rutgers’ top wind bands and chamber groups, as well.
Shawn has also worked with several marching bands in the area. He was the lead brass pedagogue at the Central Bucks High School South Marching Band in PA. Also, he was a visual technician and choreographer for the John P. Stevens Marching Hawks in NJ. Shawn recently started a private studio, where he has several low brass students.
Shawn has marched lead baritone all four years of his drum corps career. He marched 2015 and 2016 at the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps. In 2018, he began his first summer with the Cadets, and aged out with them in 2019. Shawn is very excited to be joining the Bushwackers team this upcoming season!
Matt Sakasitz is excited to be back for a second year on staff with the Bushwackers. Currently he is a first year Master’s in Wind Conducting student at Rutgers University studying with Darryl Bott. Prior to going back to school, he taught at the Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School in Perth Amboy, NJ, teaching courses in piano, concert band, and general music. After studying tuba with Alan Baer and graduating from Rutgers in 2018, Matt has taught marching band and chamber music throughout New Jersey, and currently works with Rutgers’ Marching Scarlet Knights, the Rutgers Pep Band, and conducts the Concert Band in the spring semester. Matt can’t wait for another summer getting better with Bush!