Bud Shank – Biography, Discography & Instruments

Biography

Bud Shank was a jazz musician who played saxophone, flute and alto saxophone. Bud Shank was born on 27 May 1926 in Dayton and died on 2 April 2009 in Tucson. The music is usually filed under jazz and cool jazz. Record labels: Concord Records. The discography here lists 45 albums, from “Brazilliance” (1955) to “Studio 15 (Live Munich '57)” (2023).

Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flutist. He rose to prominence in the late 1940s into early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra. In 1951, he left Kenton and worked as sideman in various small jazz combos, most notably Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, before forming his own group. He spent the 1960s as a first-call studio musician in Hollywood. In the 1970s and 1980s, he performed regularly with the L. A. Four. Shank ultimately abandoned the flute to focus exclusively on playing jazz on the alto saxophone in the late 1980s. He also recorded on tenor and baritone sax. His most famous recording is probably the version of "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme song in Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Brazilliance 1955

Bud Shank Quintets 1955 · Pacific Jazz Pacific Jazz Records 1213 1955 · Pacific Jazz Jazz at Cal-Tech 1956 · Live · Pacific Jazz I'll Take Romance 1958 · World Pacific Slippery When Wet 1959 · World Pacific

Koto & Flute (The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto Featuring The Flute of Bud Shank) 1960

Plays Tenor 1960 · Pacific Jazz Barefoot Adventure 1961 · Pacific Jazz New Groove 1961 · Pacific Jazz Brasamba! 1962 · Fontana Bud Shank 1963 · Crown Records Brazil! Brazil! Brazil! 1966 · World Pacific Records

Let It Be 1970

Heritage 1978 · Concord Jazz Crystal Comments 1980 · Concord Jazz Explorations: 1980 1980 · Concord Concerto Yesterday, Today and Forever 1983 · Concord Jazz

Live At The Haig 1985 · Live

This Bud’s for You… 1985 · Muse Records Serious Swingers 1987 · Contemporary Misty Eyes 1989 · West Wind Tomorrow's Rainbow 1989 · Contemporary Tales of the Pilot - The Music of David Peck 1990 · Capri Records

Quiet Fire 1991 · Live

"Lost In The Stars" Bud Shank And Lou Levy Play The Sinatra Songbook 1992 · Fresh Sound Records The Doctor Is In 1992 · Candid I Told You So! 1993 · Candid

California Concert 1997 · Live

Plays The Music Of Bill Evans 1997 · Fresh Sound Records A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 1998 · KOCH Jazz Blowin' Country 1998 After You, Jeru 1999 · Fresh Sound Records Alone Together 2003 · Fresh Sound Records Cool Fool 2003 · Fresh Sound Records

Bouncing with Bud and Phil: Live at Yoshi’s 2005 · Live

European Tour '57 2006 · Live

European Tour '58 2006 · Live

Beyond The Red Door 2007 · Jazzed Media

Uma Tarde Com Bud Shank E João Donato 2007

California Dreamin' 2010 · EMI Music Japan Inc. Magical Mystery 2010 · EMI Music Japan Inc. Michelle 2010 · EMI Music Japan Inc.

Studio 15 (Live Munich '57) 2023 · Live

Bossa Nova Jazz Samba · Pacific Jazz

Also plays on

Albums where Bud Shank is credited as a sideman

1952	City of Glass — Stan Kenton conducts Bob Graettinger	flute, alto saxophone
1953	Stan Kenton Conducts Robert Graettinger’s City of Glass and This Modern World — Stan Kenton	flute, alto saxophone
1954	Chet Baker & Strings — Chet Baker	alto saxophone, flute
1954	This Modern World — Stan Kenton	alto saxophone, flute
1954	Barney Kessel — Barney Kessel	woodwind, flute, alto saxophone
1954	Something Cool — June Christy	alto saxophone
1954	Courts the Count — Shorty Rogers	reeds
1955	The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker — Chet Baker	baritone saxophone
1955	Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings — Chet Baker	flute
1955	Dimensions — Maynard Ferguson	alto saxophone, flute
1955	East Coast - West Coast Scene — Al Cohn And His "Charlie's Tavern" Ensembleand Shorty Rogers And His Augmented "Giants"	alto saxophone
1955	Shifting Winds — Bob Cooper	alto saxophone, flute, tenor saxophone, woodwind
1956	Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings — Bing Crosby & Buddy Bregman	alto saxophone
1956	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald	alto saxophone, flute, woodwind, saxophone
1956	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald	alto saxophone
1956	Around the Horn With Maynard Ferguson — Maynard Ferguson	baritone saxophone
1956	Pick Yourself Up With Anita O’Day — Anita O’Day	alto saxophone
1956	Mel Tormé with The Marty Paich Dek-Tette — Mel Tormé with The Marty Paich Dek‐Tette	alto saxophone
1956	Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like — Barney Kessel	flute, alto saxophone, woodwind
1956	The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet — Jimmy Giuffre	alto flute
1957	Dream Street — Peggy Lee	woodwind
1957	Fair and Warmer! — June Christy	woodwind
1957	New Sounds — Pete Rugolo	woodwind
1958	The Jazz Combo From "I Want To Live!" — Gerry Mulligan	alto saxophone, flute
1958	El Tigre — Barney Kessel - Harold Land	flute, alto saxophone, woodwind
1959	Ella Swings Lightly — Ella Fitzgerald	alto saxophone
1959	Art Pepper + Eleven — Art Pepper	alto saxophone
1959	Brazilliance, Volume 2 — Laurindo Almeida / Bud Shank	alto saxophone, flute
1959	Chances Are It Swings — Shorty Rogers	clarinet, flute, alto saxophone
1960	Waiter, Make Mine Blues — Anita O’Day	flute, alto saxophone

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Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Bud Shank play?

Bud Shank is known for playing saxophone, flute and alto saxophone.

When and where was Bud Shank born?

Bud Shank was born 27 May 1926 in Dayton.

What are Bud Shank's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Bud Shank Quintets (1955), Pacific Jazz Records 1213 (1955), Jazz at Cal-Tech (1956), I'll Take Romance (1958) and Slippery When Wet (1959).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.