Who says horns can't play in a rock band?
As a horn player, I grew up playing classical and jazz. I love the "legit" music, and I play it every chance I get. I even shamelessly rip it off sometimes in my compositions. But...there's nothing quite like playing music that hits with the force of a brick, or gets people on the dance floor, or has something to say lyrically. So...rock bands! I first heard of this whole "ska" thing back in high school, and it was quite the revelation to young Bryan that all the rock music I was listening to could have my instrument in it (!). It took me a few years to find a band, and a few more to find bands that stuck, but I did, and being on stage with those groups have been some of the biggest thrills of my performing life. Also, being a relative rarity of a horn player in the rock world, I've been asked to provide guest work and arrangement for a number of groups.
Groups I play with now...
- Failed To Victory, Orange County, CA local ska heroes and great friends. I play trumpet and do a small amount of writing in this band, as well as handling booking and promotion.
- Goodluck Shark, which I formed as an outlet for my original songs, has turned into an absolute blast. I play trumpet, write a lot of tunes (though not all of them), occasionally sing, and write their website. Yes, they're doomed.
Groups I've performed with...
- Ready For Vegas, from Riverside County, CA, who have now reformed as Beulah And The Beat. I was first hired to do custom horn arrangements of several of their songs, and wound up staying on as their trombone player.
- Lost Sohls/Melodramatix/Kobra Kai, a hiphop collective out of northern San Diego County, CA. I rehearsed with them on a Tuesday, and on Thursday I was on stage with them opening for Skee-Lo. They're still good friends, and great underground hiphop. And yes, I played hiphop trumpet. It can and does work.
- Boxcar 7, a great blues and soul band out of Long Beach, CA
- Blue Lion Project, a great hard rock band from Orange County, CA
- OC Salsa, a now defunct salsa group
- True Rhythm & Soul, latin funk from Orange County, CA
- Viernes 13 In fairness, I wasn't a member for very long, and I unfortunately never got to do any shows with them, but they remain an absolutely great band and well worth a plug here.
Guest appearances...