[Dixielandjazz] John Brunious RIP

[Robert S. Ringwald]

John Brunious, 67; trumpeter led New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band
>From the Associated Press
February 16, 2008

Trumpeter John Brunious, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's leader and the
senior
member of the New Orleans ensemble, died Tuesday after an apparent heart
attack in
Orlando, Fla., where he had been living since Hurricane Katrina. He was 67.

A native of New Orleans who had a striking physical presence with a full
head of
white hair and a white mustache, Brunious began his career at the famous
French Quarter
music spot in 1987.

"His was one of the old musical New Orleans families," said Michael White, a
music
historian and professor at Xavier University. "They went back to early days
of jazz.
He carried on that kind of tradition."
Dressed in the traditional white shirt and black pants of old-school New
Orleans
jazz bands, Brunious carried on the heritage of jazz funerals. He played the
slow,
somber music that marks the march to the cemetery and the high-spirited,
upbeat tunes
that symbolize the cutting loose of the spirit of the deceased.

Born in 1940, he learned traditional jazz as a child from his father, John
Brunious
Sr., a trumpet and piano player who arranged music for Count Basie, Cab
Calloway
and others.

>From traditional jazz, Brunious then focused on bebop and rhythm and blues
as a young
man.
"He was one of a generation of musicians that saw and participated in many
different
styles of music," White said. "He grew up in an era when it was still in
style to
learn traditional jazz, but he went on from there. At one point he was the
band leader
with Little Richard."

Katrina flooded Brunious' apartment to the ceiling in August 2005.
He was rescued by a passing boat but was among the thousands stranded
without food
or water at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. He stayed there for five
days
before being evacuated.

Brunious lost all six of his trumpets to the flood but resumed touring with
the Preservation
Hall band.

In May 2006, the Tipitina's Foundation, which promotes preservation of
traditional
New Orleans music, gave Brunious a new silver-plated Conn trumpet.

He is survived by his wife, Terri; a son, John; two stepdaughters; three
brothers;
four sisters; and a granddaughter.

A memorial service is planned for Feb. 23 at Preservation Hall.


--Bob Ringwald K6YBV
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Fulton Street Jazz Band
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