The Big Band
The Big Band by Eric Bussart. Photo by Jason Ardan Photography. Image subject to copyright restrictions.
Click on the images to expand photos and see captions.
Celebrating our rich musical past
About the Artist
Eric Bussart earned a BFA in Illustration from Marywood University. He’s been painting murals professionally since 2016. Based in Scranton, PA, he has produced more than 120 murals in northeastern Pennsylvania and the tri-state area. To view more of his work, click here.
The mural features famous musicians such as the Scranton Sirens and their bandleader, violinist Billy Lustig, along with the Dorsey Brothers, who first played with the Scranton Sirens at the historic Hotel Casey, and their close friend and mentor, Duke Ellington. The design also includes a flapper inspired by a vintage poster advertising the Scranton Sirens in concert at the Hotel Casey. Bussart reimagined the illustrated flapper on the poster into the more realistic portrait shown here.
Adding a pop of color, the artist’s use of the lotus flower as a backdrop for the portraits is significant, and symbolic. Just as the lovely lotus flower blooms in harsh conditions, the artistry of the jazz movement flourished here, even during our industrial past.
Since the early 1900s, musicians in the Lackawanna Valley were instrumental in paving the way for Big Band and Jazz greats.
Mural Dedication & Meet and Greet with the Artist
Friday, October 4, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
@ 217 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, Pennsylvania 18503
Join us! On Friday, October 4, at 5:30 p.m., we’ll celebrate the completion of The Big Band mural by Eric Bussart with a formal Dedication Ceremony and Meet and Greet with the Artist at the mural site, 217 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton.
Meet local artist Eric Bussart, enjoy goodies provided by the Fidelity Bank Sweets & Treats Van, and experience a special evening of Big Band music and dance. In honor of Scranton’s contribution to the Big Band era, Marko Marcinko and the Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band will perform, and Vince Brust Studios with the Big Band Dancers will swing dance.
The festivities continue with a special performance by the Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band Trio at the Christopher A. Doherty Pocket Park (corner of Linden Street and Wyoming Avenue) at 7:15 p.m.
Follow us on Facebook for more details and updates.
The Big Band is made possible with generous support from the following:
Lackawanna Heritage Valley (LHV)
Fancy Parsley Architecture & Design
Ferrario Real Estate Development
Faye Mittelman Mertz
Marilyn Kaufmann Wolk
Kenneth Michael Klein
Samuel J. Pizzuto
(1937-2006)
Shop, Inc.
The Big Band mural by Eric Bussart is a tribute to the history of the Scranton Sirens and the Big Band era, honoring the significant contributions of local artists to the Jazz movement.
Images subject to copyright restrictions.
Join Host Geoffrey Pizzuto as he shares the story of Scranton's legacy of Jazz in this short video produced by Jason Ardan Photography.
Our mural in the making
Local artist Eric Bussart painted The Big Band mural at 217 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA, in the summer of 2024 as part of Scranton Tomorrow's Mural Arts Program.
The Big Band features portraits of music legends from the Big Band era with local ties, including the Scranton Sirens, Duke Ellington (far right) and the Dorsey Brothers (center).
Portraits of the Dorsey Brothers, two of the most famous members of the Scranton Sirens, in progress.
Local artist Eric Bussart painted The Big Band mural at 217 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA, in the summer of 2024 as part of Scranton Tomorrow's Mural Arts Program.