Wikipedia / Alan Rubin
Wikipedia / Alan Rubin
Alan Rubin (February 11, 1943– June 8, 2011) was an American musician. He played trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet.
Early life and education
Rubin was born in Brooklyn. He began attending Juilliard School of Music in New York when he was 17 and studied with William Vacchiano, who was principal trumpet in the New York Philharmonic. Vacchiano described Rubin as his best student. While at Juilliard, Rubin was invited to play with Paul Hindemith on his last concert tour of the United States, but Rubin chose instead to play with Peggy Lee at the Village Vanguard. Rubin dropped out of Juilliard at 20 to tour with singer Robert Goulet as his lead trumpet player.
Career
Rubin was a member of the Saturday Night Live Band, with whom he played at the Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Olympic Games. As a member of The Blues Brothers, he portrayed Mr. Fabulous in the 1980 film and the 1998 sequel, and was a member of the touring band. In the first film, Rubin's character is maitre d' at an expensive restaurant before Jake and Elwood persuade him to rejoin the band. The nickname "Mr. Fabulous" was given to Rubin by John Belushi.
Rubin played with an array of artists, such as Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Duke Ellington, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Gil Evans, Eumir Deodato, Sting, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Frankie Valli, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Miles Davis, Yoko Ono, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, and Dr. John. Rubin contributed to over 6000 recording sessions.
Rubin's last performance was with The Blues Brotherhood (Blues Brothers tribute show) at B.B. King's in New York City on October 12, 2010. The performance also featured Tom "Bones" Malone and "Blue Lou" Marini.
Death
Rubin died from lung cancer on June 8, 2011, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.
Discography
With Patti Austin
Havana Candy (CTI, 1977)
With Gato Barbieri
Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata (Impulse!, 1974)
With George Benson
White Rabbit (CTI, 1972)
Bad Benson (CTI, 1974)
With The Blues Brothers
Briefcase Full of Blues (Atlantic, 1978)
The Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1980)
Made in America (Atlantic, 1980)
The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux (Atlantic, 1990)
Red, White & Blues (Turnstyle, 1992)
Blues Brothers 2000 (Universal, 1998)
With Hue and Cry
Remote (Circa, 1988)
With Jimmy Buffett
Off to See the Lizard (MCA, 1989)
With Ron Carter
Anything Goes (Kudu, 1975)
With Stanley Clarke
School Days (Nemperor, 1976)
With Linda Clifford
I'll Keep On Loving You (Capitol, 1982)
With Hank Crawford
Wildflower (Kudu, 1973)
I Hear a Symphony (Kudu, 1975)
Mr. Chips (Milestone Records, 1986)
Night Beat (Milestone, 1989)
Groove Master (Milestone, 1990)
Tight (Milestone, 1996)
With Sheena Easton
No Sound But a Heart (EMI, 1987)
With Donald Fagen
Kamakiriad (Reprise, 1993)
With Aretha Franklin
Get It Right (Arista, 1983)
With Gloria Gaynor
Experience Gloria Gaynor (MGM, 1975)
I've Got You (Polydor, 1976)
Glorious (Polydor, 1977)
With Johnny Hammond
Higher Ground (Kudu, 1973)
With Levon Helm
Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars (ABC, 1977)
Levon Helm (ABC, 1978)
With Jennifer Holliday
Say You Love Me (Geffen, 1985)
With Cissy Houston
Think It Over (Private Stock, 1978)
With Jackie and Roy
Time & Love (CTI, 1972)
With Garland Jeffreys
One-Eyed Jack (A&M, 1978)
Guts for Love (Epic, 1982)
With Billy Joel
The Bridge (1986)
With Hubert Laws
Morning Star (CTI, 1972)
With O'Donel Levy
Simba (Groove Merchant, 1974)
With Fred Lipsius
Better Believe It (mja Records, 1996)
With Herbie Mann
Brazil: Once Again (Atlantic, 1977)
With Jimmy McGriff
Red Beans (Groove Merchant, 1976)
Tailgunner (LRC, 1977)
With Sinéad O'Connor
Am I Not Your Girl? (Chrysalis, 1992)
With Yoko Ono
A Story (Rykodisc, 1997)
With Lou Reed
Sally Can't Dance (RCA, 1974)
With Don Sebesky
Giant Box (CTI, 1973)
With Carly Simon
Hello Big Man (Warner Bros., 1983)
With Paul Simon
Graceland (Warner Bros., 1986)
With Lonnie Smith
Keep on Lovin' (Groove Merchant, 1976)
With Phoebe Snow
Never Letting Go (Columbia, 1977)
With Ringo Starr
Ringo's Rotogravure (Polydor, 1976)
With James Taylor
Walking Man (Warner Bros., 1974)
With Tina Turner
Love Explosion (United Artists, 1979)
With Stanley Turrentine
Nightwings (Fantasy, 1977)
With Frankie Valli
Closeup (Private Stock, 1975)
With Randy Weston
Blue Moses (CTI, 1972)
With Jim Steinman
Bad for Good (Epic, 1981)
With Frank Sinatra
L.A. Is My Lady (Qwest, 1984; rereleased, 2004, Frank Sinatra Enterprises)
Filmography
References
External links