Brent’s first instrument was guitar – starting at age nine and performing in public by eleven. There were also piano lessons in elementary school. And school band brought trumpet, the discovery of Doc Severensin, Maynard Ferguson, and a love for Jazz and Big Band music that continues to evolve.
Brent attended Western Michigan University, majoring in Music Education with a minor in Composition. He also attended Red Wing Technical Institute for Band Instrument Repair, and has developed an extensive professional and collegiate faculty clientele during more than two decades of dedicated service to the industry. Currently he owns and operates his own band instrument service center (Brent's Bench) in Lafayette, IN. and provides repair services to school bands and individual musicians of all ages.
Brent has always been in some sort of performing group – garage band, concert band, marching band, jazz band, wedding band, brass ensembles, church choir, and even a barbershop quartet.
A former President of the Song Writer’s Association of Mid-North Indiana, Brent has made numerous friends and associates among recording artists, talent agencies, and other industry professionals.
Brent's Previous Works
Ten years ago, the LNS Blues Band (Brent's previous band) took the area by storm and established Brent’s reputation as a group leader, a fearless front man, and an easy to work with professional for contractors and event coordinators. The trio with drummer Jeff Newman and bassist Craig Schnarr performed with many amazing guest artists and played several venues with audiences from two to five thousand or more…
Some of our special guests included vocalists Ly Tartell, Regina Todd Hicks, former Miss Nebraska Kathy Heise, and Amanda Overmyer of recent American Idol fame.
Please see the review of the LNS Blues Band CD, “Bitter Coffee,” which received air play on radio stations in New Jersey, Mississippi, Indiana, Minnesota, Washington and California. The band no longer exists... The CD is out of print...
... But feel free to enjoy some samples from the LNS CD (currently unavailable in stores) which are also included in the "Audio Samples" playlist.
What You Get Bitter Coffee Some Kind of Woman When You Find a Baby Don't Hold Me Down Early in the Morning TWC - The Weather Channel
Like any musician, Brent is on call for various ensembles, including everything from a jazz duet to a big band. Most recently he is serving as front man, music writer arranger and director, chief cook and bottle washer for the Fremont Jackson Ensembles.
Once in a while he even has time to work with his combo group, the Jazz Action Heroes.
Brent has also composed music for marching band, video games and independent films.
Working with TMG/5 Artists and Westlake Signal Group, he now has five film scores to his credit – having been seen and heard on Los Angeles Cable Television, the Pan-African Film Festival, and the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
His ongoing relationship with Westlake Signal Group continues with a documentary series “Then and Now,” for Los Angeles Cable Television.
Please Note
"Then and Now - Single Engine Stations, Volume II"
Has just won a Telly Award in the Documentary Category!
Congratulations to everyone at Westlake Signal Group.
Brent’s new CD, “Dog Tired,” is a project of original instrumental compositions that feature the solo work of several of the area’s most called professionals. This disk is an exercise in utilizing new and exciting technology and takes advantage of portable recording techniques, the very latest in computer studio software, MIDI and vast library of studio quality sounds and samples. It allows amazing flexibility in editing and producing… Each piece continues to evolve and rewrite itself as its being recorded and processed.
The release date is tentatively scheduled for Next Month - March 2009.
Some of the folks who helped me on the project:
Lee Anna Atwell – vocal enhancement on “Because I Do” (former SAMI President, appears courtesy of “Trouble With Monday”)
Ned Boyd – saxes and flute (educator, Sunnyside Bands, Purdue University, freelance professional, member Los Blancos, has appeared with David Baker, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, and more)
Bruce Knepper – flugel horn (educator, Jefferson Bands, freelance professional, member Los Blancos and Double Exposure, has appeared with Marie Osmond, Med Flory, Manhattan Transfer, and more)
Jamie Newman – keyboards (former east coast lawyer, and that’s all he wanted me to say)
Randy Salman – alto and tenor sax (Director of Jazz Studies DePauw University, member the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, freelance professional, has appeared with Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Louis Bellson, and recorded with Clark Terry, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, The Steve Allee Big Band, Condition Blue, and more.)
Garry Smith – keyboards (freelance professional, member The Rex Streibeck Band and The Tone Bones)
M.T. “Mo” Trout – trumpet (Director of Jazz Studies Purdue University, freelance professional, from the University of North Texas, co-founder the Trout-Weiss Quintet)
Danny Weiss – tenor sax (freelance professional, private instructor, Bandleader on The Nordic Empress, co-founder the Trout-Weiss Quintet, has appeared with The Temptations, Yid Vicious, and more)
What an incredible blessing to have friends like these!
About Brent 
