Bud Brisbois
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Austin Dean "Bud" Brisbois (April 11, 1937 - June 1978) was a jazz and studio trumpet player. He played all styles, including big band lead, jazz soloing, pop, rock, country, Motown, and classical, but it was his high-note playing that set him apart. At his peak he was one of the most accurate and consistent of all high-note trumpeters, and his range has never been equaled.
Brisbois was born in Edina, Minnesota and began studying the trumpet at age 12. He was mainly self-taught, and reportedly had most of his range before leaving high school. He briefly attended University of Minnesota before moving to Los Angeles, where he would live most of his life, when not touring. In September 1958 he joined Stan Kenton's orchestra, where he took over the "scream" parts written for Maynard Ferguson, in addition to playing much of the lead trumpet. Bud toured with Kenton's band until the early 60's, recording over 30 albums. Around 1963 he left Kenton to work in the Los Angeles recording studios.
Bud worked as a studio musician in L.A. from around 1963 to 1975, recording over a hundred albums. A complete listing of all his work is impossible, but some of the performers he recorded with are: Herb Alpert, Tony Bennett, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Duke Ellington, The Fifth Dimension, The Four Freshmen, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Harry James, Henry Mancini, Dean Martin, Billy May, The Monkees, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Rawls, Lalo Schifrin, Bud Shank, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, and Nancy Wilson. In addition, he played lead trumpet on the theme songs to Hawaii Five-O and The Jetsons.
In early 1973 Bud formed the rock group Butane, featuring himself as singer and trumpeter. They recorded a demo and played regular gigs over the next two years, at one point performing on the hit tv show The Midnight Special, but never secured a record contract and eventually disbanded.
In 1975 following the breakup of his second marriage, Bud began having increasing problems controlling his manic depression, from which he had suffered all his life. He quit the music business entirely and moved to Beverly Hills, where for a time he worked as a Porsche salesman. Eventually he began playing again and in mid-1978 began performing again, including a memorable guest spot with the jazz-rock group "Matrix". Less than a week later, he committed suicide.
