Person · Male
Bud Shank
- From
- Dayton, United States
- Active
- 1926–2009
- Rating
- ★ 5
- Releases
- 71
- jazz
- cool jazz
About
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. He is also known for the soundtrack recordings with his group to the surfing films of Bruce Brown in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and for the alto flute solo on the song "California Dreamin'" recorded by the Mamas & the Papas in 1965.
Member of
-
Laurindo Almeida Quartet alto saxophone
-
Bud Shank Quartet alto saxophone
-
John Graas Octet flute, alto saxophone
Discography
Albums
-
Bud Shank Quintets
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Pacific Jazz Records 1213
-
Brazilliance
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I'll Take Romance
-
Brazilliance, Volume 2
-
Plays Tenor
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Koto & Flute (The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto Featuring The Flute of Bud Shank)
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Barefoot Adventure Apple Music
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New Groove Apple Music
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Brasamba!
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Bud Shank
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Brazil! Brazil! Brazil!
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Let It Be
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Sessions, Live
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Heritage
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Crystal Comments
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Explorations: 1980
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Shades of Dring
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Selected Classical Works For Guitar And Flute
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Yesterday, Today and Forever
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Back Again
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This Bud’s for You…
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Serious Swingers
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Vic Lewis Big Bands
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Tomorrow's Rainbow
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Misty Eyes
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Tales of the Pilot - The Music of David Peck
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The Jiggs Up
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Brazilliance
-
America the Beautiful
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Baa-Too-Kee
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"Lost In The Stars" Bud Shank And Lou Levy Play The Sinatra Songbook
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The Doctor Is In Apple Music
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I Told You So! Apple Music
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Lopin'
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...Three To Get Ready
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Plays The Music Of Bill Evans
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Blowin' Country
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A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
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After You, Jeru
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Alone Together
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Cool Fool
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Beyond The Red Door
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Uma Tarde Com Bud Shank E João Donato
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Michelle Apple Music
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California Dreamin' Apple Music
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Magical Mystery Apple Music
-
In Germany
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Bossa Nova Jazz Samba
Live
Compilations
Links
Also known as
E.C. Shank
Tags
- jazz and blues
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 8b41d840-cddb-41b5-b85d-3023b333f9d3
- ISNI
- 0000000059423885
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 11 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.