Alan Rubin


Alan Rubin 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, 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 at B.B. King's in New York City on October 12, 2010. The performance also featured Tom "Bones" Malone and Lou "Blue Lou" Marini.

Death

Rubin died from lung cancer on June 8, 2011, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

Discography

With Patti AustinHavana Candy
With Gato BarbieriChapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata
With George BensonWhite Rabbit Bad Benson
With The Blues BrothersBriefcase Full of Blues The Blues Brothers Made in America The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux Red, White & Blues Blues Brothers 2000
With Hue and CryRemote
With Jimmy BuffettOff to See the Lizard
With Ron CarterAnything Goes
With Stanley ClarkeSchool Days (album)
With Linda CliffordI'll Keep On Loving You
With Hank CrawfordWildflower I Hear a Symphony Mr. Chips Night Beat Groove Master Tight
With Sheena EastonNo Sound But a Heart
With Donald FagenKamakiriad
With Aretha FranklinGet It Right
With Gloria GaynorExperience Gloria Gaynor I've Got You Glorious
With Johnny HammondHigher Ground
With Levon HelmLevon Helm & the RCO All-Stars Levon Helm
With Jennifer HollidaySay You Love Me
With Cissy HoustonThink It Over
With Jackie and RoyTime & Love
With Garland JeffreysOne-Eyed Jack Guts for Love
With Billy JoelThe Bridge
With Hubert LawsMorning Star
With O'Donel LevySimba
With Fred Lipsius
With Herbie MannBrazil: Once Again
With Jimmy McGriffRed Beans Tailgunner
With Sinéad O'ConnorAm I Not Your Girl?
With Yoko OnoA Story
With Lou ReedSally Can't Dance
With Don SebeskyGiant Box
With Carly SimonHello Big Man
With Paul SimonGraceland
With Lonnie SmithKeep on Lovin'
With Phoebe SnowNever Letting Go
With Ringo StarrRingo's Rotogravure
With James TaylorWalking Man
With Tina TurnerLove Explosion
With Stanley TurrentineNightwings
With Frankie ValliCloseup
With Randy WestonBlue Moses
With Jim Steinman
With Frank Sinatra