Quick Facts
Biography
Brian Slawson (born 1956) is an American percussionist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his Grammy-nominated recording, Bach On Wood.
Early life
Brian Montgomery Slawson was born on August 2, 1956 to Ronald and Mildred Slawson in Plattsburgh, New York and was raised in Brookfield, Connecticut. At age 7, he played snare drum in a local fife & drum corps, leading to private drum set instruction at age 10. Brian attended Brookfield High School. After preliminary studies in percussion at the Hartt School, Slawson attended the Juilliard School in New York. Soon after, he signed his first recording contract with CBS Masterworks.
Professional career
In addition to being a sought after studio musician, stage performer and clinician, Brian's multimedia company, Slawsongs, produces custom music for film, television and radio. He is Principal Timpanist of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra, Professor of Percussion at Eastern Florida State College and a published author for Alfred Music Publishing. Slawson is the voice of Gusto the Bulldog in Warner Bros. Music Expressions, appears in Macmillan/McGraw-Hill's Spotlight on Music and is a featured performer at Lincoln Center's Meet the Artist Series.
Discography
- 1985 - Bach on Wood (CBS Masterworks)
- 1985 - A Yule Log (CBS FM)
- 1988 - Distant Drums (CBS FM)
- 1991 - Bach Beat (Sony Classical)
- 1999 - Boomer (Powkn)
- 2003 - XClassics (Belltone)
- 2010 - BoomerBeats (Belltone)
Television & Radio Appearances (National)
- The Tonight Show
- Entertainment Tonight
- CBS Morning News
- All Things Considered (National Public Radio)
Sponsored Endorsements
- Ludwig-Musser
- Zildjian
- Vic Firth
- Remo
- Rhythm Tech
- Alternate Mode
- Grover Pro Percussion
Print Music
- 2011 Dynamic Solos for Snare Drum (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2011 Classic Mallet Trios (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2012 Dynamic Solos for Timpani (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2012 Classic Mallet Trios Volume 2 (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2013 Classic Mallet Trios - Tchaikovsky (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2013 Classic Mallet Trios - Bach (Alfred Music Publishing)
- 2009 Two-Part Three-Pack (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Goldberg Variation 28 (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 El Paso Waltz (Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Concerto in A Minor (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Children's Medley (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Tale of the Dragon (Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Odd Duck (Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Winter (by Vivaldi, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Entrance of the Queen of Sheba (by Handel, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2009 Sonata in F (by Handel, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2010 Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2010 Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream (by Mendelssohn, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2010 Top Tank (Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2011 Menuetto (by W.A. Mozart, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2011 Intermezzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream (by Mendelssohn, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2011 Brandenburg No. 2/Allegro Moderato (by J.S. Bach, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2011 Shepherd's Song (by Beethoven, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2012 Sonata in A Minor (by D. Scarlatti, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2012 Etude in C Sharp Minor (by Scriabin, arr. Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)
- 2012 The Three Banditos (Slawson) (Tapspace Publishing)