About Me

Bio

Brian Pattison is an Indianapolis-based trombonist who is fluent in many diverse musical styles. Legendary jazz trombonist Jiggs Whigham describes Brian as having “a beautiful sound.” He recently earned his Master of Music in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied with Jim Pugh of Steely Dan. Brian also holds a Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, where he studied trombone with Rick Stout, Second Trombonist of The Cleveland Orchestra. Other notable guest teachers include Steve Davis, Paul Ferguson, Jiggs Whigham, James Box, Ed Zadrozny, Mark Fisher, and Hakeem Bilal.

At U of I, Brian has performed with several of the jazz ensembles, including the Repertory Jazz Orchestra directed by Jim Pugh, Concert Jazz Band directed by Chip McNeill, Jazz Trombone Ensembles directed by Jim Pugh and Richard Dole, and the Instrumental Jazz Combos of Tito Carrillo and Chip McNeill. Between these groups, Brian has had the opportunity to perform works by Count Basie, Maria Schneider, Thad Jones, Roy Hargrove, Slide Hampton, and several original tunes written by members of the ensembles. He has additionally studied improvisation with Chip Stephens, composition with Jim Pugh, and arranging with Chip McNeill. As a student at Baldwin Wallace, Brian performed with many of the Conservatory’s unique ensembles. He has played principal and second trombone in the BW Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dr. Soo Han. With the BW Symphonic Wind Ensemble, he has played standard wind ensemble repertoire and premiered several newly-composed works. Additionally, Brian has performed with the BW Brass Choir, Jazz Combos, and several brass chamber ensembles. He has also performed in pit orchestras for several of BW’s nationally-ranked musical theater productions, including the academic premier of Kinky Boots in 2019 and Cabaret in 2018.

Outside of academia, Brian has a wide variety of performing experience. He is currently a member of the high-energy Bluewater Kings Band, a customizable 3-14-piece band that performs for weddings, festivals, and corporate events. He has also performed with Grupo Bembé, one of Indy’s favorite Latin bands. While in Cleveland, Ohio, Brian was a member of the jazz-praise big band Gabriel’s Horns before the group dissolved in 2022, and performed with Da Land Brass Band, a Cleveland-based New Orleans-style band that performs at festivals, night clubs, funerals, and parties. As a theatre musician Brian has played at several theaters across the Northeastern US, including the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts in Warsaw, IN (Big the Musical, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma, Matilda) and the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA (Ruddigore, Mary Poppins, HMS Pinafore). Other show credits include Mean Girls, Something Rotten, The Prom, and Merrily We Roll Along.

As an educator, Brian has experience in both one-on-one and large group settings. Currently he maintains a small private studio teaching beginning low brass. He has also worked with the Medina (OH) High School marching band low brass section on music, memorization, and the fundamentals of marching. Additionally, he has worked with the trombone section of their week-long middle school summer camp. In February 2019, Brian taught a masterclass to several high school students while on tour to New York City with the BW Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

An active composer, Brian has experience writing for a wide variety of ensembles, including jazz combos, big bands, studio orchestra, vocal ensembles, and trombone quintet with rhythm section. His works have been performed by the Rose Bowl Big Band of Urbana, Illinois, U of I Concert Jazz Band, Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Trombone Ensemble, Instrumental Combos, Jazz Vocal Ensemble, as well as the Baldwin Wallace Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo.

Outside of music, Brian enjoys cooking for his friends and family, watching Formula 1 racing, and can be seen frequenting Indy’s numerous local coffee shops.