Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 8966 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:38 am Post subject: Henry Mancini quote on Bud Brisbois
I read Henry Mancini's biography in which he mentions his time with Bud Brisbois. I thought you might find the following excerpt interesting. Note. Please ignore this post if you are sensitive.
"Buddy, a highly respected studio player who had been on most of my albums, had one of the highest ranges I had ever heard. He too became a close friend. . . He was the most even-tempered man I ever met and he seemed to be a pillar of stability. . . As the 1960s passed, I could see that he was unhappy. It must have been in the early seventies that he called and said, "I'm giving up trumpet. . . I've just had it". . .
I didn't hear from Bud for a long while. Then one day, I got a call from him. He said, "I think I'm straightened out and I'm practicing my horn again. I want to go back to playing."
I said, that's great, Bud, and I was really thrilled. I said, "As soon as you think you're ready to go, give me a call and we'll go out on the road." He loved the road. So Bud was playing again, and I was waiting for him to show up to go back with . . me.
Within a year, I got a call from Bud's sister. She said that he had driven into the desert near Phoenix, put a gun to his head, and pulled the trigger. He was forty-one." _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Does it say any more about why Bud originally chose to give up the trumpet? Before I heard it being attributed to his “small sound” compared to other great players.
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 8966 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 10:14 am Post subject:
CJceltics33 wrote:
Does it say any more about why Bud originally chose to give up the trumpet? Before I heard it being attributed to his “small sound” compared to other great players.
There is nothing about that. Just that he got divorced, married a much younger woman, that also turned bad (no explanation).
Also that he wanted to be a big band leader, had the physical and personality to go with his playing, but . . wrong place and time. Never got off the ground. That seemed to be very discouraging.
But to answer your question, nothing about him being dissatisfied with his playing. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
I’ve read different articles that mentioned Bud was bipolar. That is such a terrible disorder, especially if one goes unmedicated or undiagnosed.
Bud had freakishly insane high register. And SOMETIMES it was exciting to listen to. Sometimes not for me.
The sound of the trumpet soaring around a double C is a thrilling powerful sound. Especially when used in context. Notes much ablove a double C are never huge or powerful and almost always sound out of place. No slot, not secure and often screechy, or whistle like.
I’ve heard the occasional double D or Doc’s famous beautiful Eb. But mostly, even with superstars I don’t need to mention, I find “triple register” playing on the trumpet more irritating than interesting.
The sound of the trumpet soaring around a double C is a thrilling powerful sound. Especially when used in context. Notes much ablove a double C are never huge or powerful and almost always sound out of place. No slot, not secure and often screechy, or whistle like.
I’ve heard the occasional double D or Doc’s famous beautiful Eb. But mostly, even with superstars I don’t need to mention, I find “triple register” playing on the trumpet more irritating than interesting.
Agreed. Interesting to hear it done but a steady diet becomes grating to me. Usually best as a way to cap something off if it's done with enough command.
Maynard gets a nice double F at the very end here. The utter impunity with which he could play around the dub C range just blows me away.
And yep, Maynard sounded great on that Kenton clip. There was something very magical in that era of the 50s and 60s big bands. There are lots of players today that can do what MF and Bud and others were doing back then, but it doesn’t have the same excitement.
Glad we have access to all the great recordings so easily today, I remember hunting forever it seems at used record shops, and listening to dubs of cassettes trying to get my hands on this kind of stuff. Now with the internet and YouTube? Sure makes things easier.
There are lots of players today that can do what MF and Bud and others were doing back then, but it doesn’t have the same excitement.
I dunno. There are a lot of double C players but I have yet to hear any attempt at "Maynard Ferguson" that I've felt was truly on par with Maynard's. I've only heard one other player attempt the Titan and the best I can say is it was a valiant effort. In his youth, Maynard had some kind of special mojo going on. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
There are lots of players today that can do what MF and Bud and others were doing back then, but it doesn’t have the same excitement.
I dunno. There are a lot of double C players but I have yet to hear any attempt at "Maynard Ferguson" that I've felt was truly on par with Maynard's. I've only heard one other player attempt the Titan and the best I can say is it was a valiant effort. In his youth, Maynard had some kind of special mojo going on.
The Titan Symphony was a bizarre piece. The solo trumpet (MF) part was just so out of place and extreme. And Maynard only stuck about 70% of his target notes with lots of chips and scoops that didn’t belong in an orchestra setting like that and such that was just such odd writing for a trumpet solo feature. So that one never did it for me. Kind of a case of “just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should”
But Shorty Roger’s “Maynard Ferguson” was incredible. And I’ve heard lots of attempts and the only one I thought gave it justice was 1990s UNT with Scott Englebright. The band was roaring at that time and Scott sounded fantastic. Most all other attempts I’ve heard, even by some superstar players falls short to me ears. Not that I could do better but none of those guys besides Englebright did that feature justice.
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