Brian was born in Belleville, Ontario, and has spent most of his career in the Toronto recording studios, becoming one of Canada’s most recorded musicians. His work in the studio and in concert has included performances with a very diverse group of artists, including: Charlie Watts, Tony Bennett, Anne Murray, Alanis Morrisette, Diana Krall, The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Herbie Hancock (see below for full list).
For fifteen years, Brian was the percussionist with the internationally renowned jazz ensemble, Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass. While he was a member of that group, they were nominated for six Grammy Awards, winning the prestigious award in 1995.
Every year, for a consecutive 29 years (1975-2004) Brian performed on JUNO AWARD-nominated and JUNO AWARD-winning recordings in categories including: Country, Jazz, Gospel, Children’s Album, R&B/Soul, Indigenous Artist, Instrumental Artist, and Best Classical Album. (With five nominations in both 1994 and 2005)
In 1999, Brian was honoured as ‘Percussionist of the Year’ at The National Jazz Awards and received nominations as ‘Drummer of the Year’ in 2006 and ‘Arranger of the Year’ in 2007.
AKA - prior to 1999 Brian used the surname 'Leonard'
television
Sesame Street • The Jim Henson Hour • Street Legal • Front Page Challenge • Fraggle Rock • The Tommy Hunter Show • Danger Bay • E.N.G. • Stars On Ice • Side Effects • Robocop • The Tuskegee Airmen • Babar • Emily of New Moon • Wayne & Shuster • Franklin • The Friendly Giant • Earth: The Final Conflict • Alfred Hitchcock Presents • The Littlest Hobo • Road To Avonlea • (and many more)
jingles
McDonalds • GM • Lexus • Toyota • Ford • FedEx • NIKE • Taco Bell • Pizza Pizza • Kraft • Burger King • KFC • The Keg • Bell • TD Canada • Trust • Bank of Montreal • Royal Bank • Coke • Diet Pepsi • Labatt’s Blue • Colt 45 Beer • Budweiser • Molson • (and thousands more)
film
Moonstruck • Crash • Being Julia • The Rolling Stones Live At The Max • Free Willy 3 • St. Ralph • The Island Of Dr. Moreau • Anersonville • The Care Bears Movie • Gordy • Friends At Last • January Man • North Of Superior • Destiny In Space • The Dream Is Alive • The Blue Planet • The Boy In Blue • Silent Sky • The Arrow • Race To Freedom • Elizabeth Rex • Steppin’ Out • Music Man • South Pacific • Millennium • Without A Clue
in concert
Diana Krall • Aretha Franklin • Andrea Bocelli • Dianna Ross • Shania Twain • Ella Fitzgerald • Harry Connick Jr. • Tony Bennett • Mel Torme • Joe Williams • Bobby McFerrin • Dave Brubeck • Gino Vannelli • Chet Atkins • Herbie Hancock • Eartha Kitt • Johnny Mathis • Charlie Watts • Paul Shaffer • Roberta Flack • Aaron Neville • Gato Barbieri • Chita Rivera • Rita Moreno • Andy Williams • Bernadette Peters • The Pointer Sisters • Dave Brubeck • Donny Osmond • Branford Marsalis • Martin Short • Mishie Mee • James Ingram • Peabo Bryson
select discography
Susan Aglukark – ‘This Child’
Susan Aglukark – ‘Unsung Heros’
Susan Aglukark – ‘Blood Red Earth’
Susan Aglukark – ‘The Crossing’
Allan Sisters – ‘Drummer Man’
Ross Allen – ‘Sad Songs and Waltzes’
John Allison – ‘Play A Simple Melody’
Les Ault – ‘A Flute of Many Colours’
Eugene Amaro – ‘Eugene Amaro’
Maria Antonakos – ‘Four Corners No Walls’
Peter Appleyard – ‘Swing Fever’
Robert Armes – ‘Jump To It’
Bill Badgley – ‘Gonna Fly Now’
The Bara MacNeil’s – ‘Timeframe’
Howard Baer – ‘Flowers In The Sky’
Howard Baer – ‘Celtic Mystique’
Howard Baer – ‘Woodland Strings’
Howard Baer – ‘Woodland Harp’
Howard Baer – ‘Natures Ballet’
The Cape Breton Symphony – ‘Fiddle’
Carroll Baker – ‘Heartbreak To Happiness’
Eli Barsi – ‘Listen’
Brian Barlow – ‘One Hot Summer Night’
Barlow, Botos & Alexander: ‘Play Monk’
Emilie-Claire Barlow – ‘Sings’
Emilie-Claire Barlow – ‘Tribute’
Emilie-Claire Barlow - ‘Happy Feet’
Guido Basso – ‘Holy Jazz'
Guido Basso – ‘One More For The Road’
Guido Basso – ‘Changing Partners'
Jeanne Baxtresser – ‘Boling Suite For Flute & Jazz Piano’
Rob McConnell – ‘The Boss Of The Boss Brass'
Rob McConnell – ‘Trombone Rob’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Atras de Porta’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘The Brass Is Back’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘All In Good Time’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Riffs I Have Known’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Play The Jazz Classics’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Brassy & Sassy’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Our 25th Year’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Big Band Christmas’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘The Boss of The Boss Brass’
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – ‘Big Band Bash’
Steve Bell – ‘Landscapes’
Rory Block – ‘Aurora Block’
Brittany Brant – ‘Go With You’
Brass Connection – ‘Standards’
Brass Connection – ‘A New Look’
Michael Brannan – ‘Cautious Man’
Kevan Breit – ‘I Should Be With You’
Paul Brodie – ‘Back To The 20’s’
Bobby Brown – ‘Listening Through The Years’
Charity Brown – ‘Stay With Me’
Michael Bolton – ‘Every Day Of My Life’
Maurice Bolyer – ’40 Banjo Tunes’
Bowfire – ‘Bowfire’
Liona Boyd – ‘The Romantic Guitar of Liona Boyd’
Liona Boyd – ‘A Guitar For Christmas’
Liona Boyd – ‘Christmas Dreams’
Brass Connection – ‘Standards’
Liona Boyd – ‘The Best Of Liona Boyd’
The Laurie Bower Singers – ‘Evergreen’
The Laurie Bower Singers – ‘The Roses & The Rain’
The Laurie Bower Singers – ‘Looking Through The Eyes of Love’
The Laurie Bower Singers – ‘Moring Has Broken’
The Laurie Bower Singers – ‘When You Say Goodbye’
Bobby Brown – ‘Salute To Scotland’
Meryn Cadell – ‘6 Blocks’
Meryn Cadell – ‘Slippery’
Caliban Quartet – ‘Caliban Does Christmas’
James Campbell – ‘Stolen Gems’
The Canadian Brass – ‘Unexplored Territory’
The Canadian Brass – ‘Plays Bernstein’
The Canadian Brass – ‘Encore’
Bill Candy – ‘Closer To The Music’
Cano – ‘Rendezvous’
Cape Breton Symphony – ‘Fiddle’
Cano – ‘Rendezvous’
Terry Carisse – ‘The Closest Thing To You’
The Celtic Connection – ‘The Celtic Connection’
Al Cherny – ‘Blue Sky Riding Song’
Chicago – ‘XXXVIII:Born For This Moment’
Choirs of Grace Church-on-the-Hill – ‘The First Noel’
Choirs of Grace Church-on-the-Hill – ‘There Was Setting, There Was Dawning’
Chalk Circle – ‘The Great Lake’
Chalk Circle – ‘Mending Walls’
Chalk Circle – ‘This Morning’
Patricia Chan – ‘Let Me Dream’
Peter Chipman – ‘I Love The Country In You’
Classical Kids – ‘Tchaikovsky Discovers America’
Classical Kids – ‘Mr. Bach Comes To Call’
Classical Kids – ‘Beethoven Lives Upstairs’
Classical Kids – ‘Mozart’s Magic Fantasy’
Phyllis Cohen – ‘Things I Would Do’
Bruce Cockburn – ‘Humans’
Bruce Cockburn – ‘Rumours Of Glory’
Bruce Cockburn – ‘Anything, Anywhere, Anytime’
Miles Cohen – ‘Take A Ride With Me’
Holy Cole – ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’
Bill Colgate – ‘When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth’
The Commodores Orchestra – ‘Dance of the Decades’
Crash (David Cronenberg) – ‘Crash Soundtrack’
Siobhan Crawley – ‘Somewhere In Between’
Sandi Currie – ‘Sandie Currie’
Heather Dale – ‘May Queen’
Trevor Dandy – ‘Don’t Cry Little Tree’
Bob DeAngelis – ‘Runnin’ Wild’
George Delerue – ‘Agnes of God, Motion Picture Soundtrack’
Tom Dunn – ‘Make It Hot’
Eastbound (Jay & Krista) – ‘Eastbound’
Edward & Harding – ‘Celebration’
Edward & Harding – ‘Stateside’
Edward, Harding & McLean – ‘Edward, Harding & McLean’
Bobby Edwards – ‘Twilight Drive’
Bobby Edwards – ‘Rainbow’
John Ellis – ‘John Ellis’
Rik Emmett – ‘Ipso Facto’
Ensemble Vivant – ‘Live In Concert: Tribute To Rick Wilkins’
The Ennis Sisters – ‘It’s Not About You’
Micky Erbe/Maribeth Solomon – ‘Destiny In Space’ IMAX
Micky Erbe/Maribeth Solomon – ‘IMAX Under The Sea’
Micky Erbe/Maribeth Solomon – ‘Blue Planet and The Dream is Alive’
The Everylovin’ Singers – ‘Another Side of Young’
Jerry Fielding – ‘Funeral Home: Original Motion Picture Sound Track
Fifty Diamond Rocks – ‘FDR’
Deon Flash – ‘Journey with Hymn’
Larry Folk – ‘Caught In The Light’
Don Francks – ‘21st Century Francks’
Franklin – ‘Hey It’s Franklin’ soundtrack
The Free Design – ‘Cosmic Peekaboo’
The Front – ‘Gina’s At A Party’
The Front – ‘Underworld’
Friendly Giant – ‘Concert of Concerts’
Galaxy Trio – ‘The Galaxy Trio’
Bill Garrett – ‘Red Shoes’
Dan Gibson – ‘Natural Grooves’
Dan Gibson – ‘Nature’s Ballet’
Geoffrey Gilmer – ‘One Night In September’
The Good Brothers – ‘Live Fast Love Hard’
The Choirs of Grace Church-on-the-hill – ‘The First Noel’
Lenny Graf – ‘Water’
Adam Gregory – ‘The Way I’m Made’
Jonathan Goldsmith – ‘Diplomatic Immunity’
Gospel Christmas Project – ‘The Gospel Christmas Project’
Paul Gross – ‘Two Houses’
Sheila Guthrie – ‘Is That All There Is?’
Bruce Guthro – ‘Of Your Son’
Sara Hamilton & David – ‘Let The Music Move You’
Sarah Hamilton & David – ‘Live’
Hagood Hardy – ‘The Homecoming’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Maybe Tomorrow’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Tell Me My Name’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Reflections’
Hagood Hardy – ‘The Christmas Album’
Hagood Hardy – ‘The Hagood Hardy Collection’
Hagood Hardy – ‘As Time Goes By’
Hagood Hardy – ‘After Hours’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Chasing A Dream’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Night Magic’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Hagood Hardy’
Hagood Hardy – ‘Christmas Homecoming’
Ina & Al Harris – ‘Ina & Al Harris’
Ina Harris – ‘Naturally’
Harem Scarem – ‘Harem Scarem’
Shane Henry – ‘You’re Coming Home’
Dan Hill – ‘Dan Hill’
The Hockey Theme (2006) – Dolores Claman
Bill Houston – ‘The King of White Otter Lake’
Colin Hunter – ‘Christmas Songs For The Family’
Dick Hyman – ‘Moonstruck, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’
Ron Hynes – ‘Face To The Gale’
Ron Hynes – ‘Cryer’s Paradise’
Irish Rovers – ‘Wasn’t That A Party’
Tom Jackson – ‘No Regrets’
John James – ‘Mothers of Hope
Jaylus – ‘Sea Swept’
Olivia Newton John – ‘Grace & Gratitude’
Maryln Jones - ‘They Don’t Play Our Love Songs Anymore’
Mark Jordan – ‘Canada’
Michael Kaeshammer – ‘Strut’
Ian Fletcher Kemp – ‘Writer’
Joan Kennedy – ‘Candle In The Window’
Terry Kelly – ‘Face To Face’
Terry Kelly – ‘Divided Highway’
Terry Kelly – ‘The Power Of The Dream’
Terry Kelly – ‘Far Cry From Leaving’
Terry Kelly – ‘Mama Likes To Rock & Roll’
Moe Koffman – ‘Jungle Man’
Moe Koffman – ‘Back To Bach’
Moe Koffman – ‘Music For The Night’
Kristy – ‘My Romance’
Dana Lacroix – ‘Pride’
Kevin Laliberte – ‘Siesta’
Grit Laskin – ‘Earthly Concerns’
Frank Leahy – ‘Don Messer’s Violin’
Russ Little – ‘Snapshot’
Russ Little – ‘Footwork’
Russ Little – ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’
Russ Little – ‘Slow Burn’
Lisa Lougheed – ‘Evergreen Nights’
Bob Lucier – ‘Nerves Of Steel’
Guido Luciani – ‘A Taste Of Honey’
Guido Luciani – ‘Fishbone’
Guido Luciani – ‘Azucar’
Guido Luciani – ‘Gypsy Potion’
Guido Luciani – ‘Baja Cafe’
Guido Luciani – ‘Passion’
Cyril MacPhee – ‘When I Say I Do’
Natalie MacMaster – ‘In My Hands’
Natalie MacMaster – ‘No Boundries’
Rita MacNeil – ‘Flying On Your Own’
Rita MacNeil – ‘ Now The Bells Ring’
Rita MacNeil – ‘Reason To Believe’
Rita MacNeil – ‘Thinking of You’
Robbie MacNeil – ‘Pieces’
Lawrence Martin Wapistan – ‘Message’
Stephanie Martin – ‘April Snow’
Stephanie Martin – ‘Shape, Line & Harmony’
Aidan Mason – ‘Azania’
Michael Massaro – ‘It Takes Two’
Bob McBride – ‘Here To Sing’
Carol McCartney –‘Stop Fooling Around’
Keith McKie – ‘Gypsy Moth’
George Meanwell – ‘Another Street’
George Meanwell – ‘Late’
Mister E – ‘Dear Joe’
Jean-Pierre Manseau – ‘Jean-Pierre Manseau’
Stephanie Martin – ‘Shape, Line, Harmony’
John McDermott – ‘Images of Christmas’
John McDermott – ‘A Day To Myself’
John McDermott – ‘A Time To Remember’
John McDermott – ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’
John McDermott – ‘Stories Of Love’
John McDermott – ‘My Forever Friend’
Debbie McLean – ‘Take This Heart’
Scott Merritt – ‘Violet & Blue’
Frank Mills – ‘Sunday Morning Suite’
Matt Minglewood – ‘The Promise’
Billy Misner – ‘Night Fire’
The Monoxides – ‘Galaxy of Stooges’
Anne Murray – ‘County Croonin’
Anne Murray – ‘What A Wonderful Christmas’
Anne Murray – ‘What A Wonderful World’
Anne Murray – ‘Croonin’’
Anne Murray – ‘All Of Me’
Anne Murray – ‘Anne Murray’
Anne Murray – I’ll Be Seeing You
Patricia Murray – ‘Primrose’
Lyle Muscat – ’88 Floors’
Myles & Lenny – ‘Myles & Lenny’
Myles & Lenny – ‘It Isn’t The Same’
Fred Napoli – ‘Pieces Of Dreams’
Don Neilson – ‘Or Is It Just Me’
Don Neilson – ‘The Other Side Of You’
Olivia Newton-John – ‘Grace & Gratitude’
Patrick O’Sullivan & Lina Jeong – ‘Don’t Let Us Be Misunderstood’
Overholt, Tate, Philips – Kiras
Mike Pedersen – ‘Change In The Weather’
Jim Pirie – ‘Love The World Away’
Jim Pirie – ‘Up Where We Belong’
Louise Pitre – ‘All My Life Has Led To This’
Joel Plaskett – ‘Make A Little Noise’
The Planet – ‘Music From The Films of David Lickley’
The Pursuit Of Happiness – ‘Where’s The Bone?’
Quartet - ‘Work of the Heart’
Quartetto Gelato – ‘Espresso’
Quartetto Gelato – ‘Neopolitian Café’
Louis Quilico – ‘Recodi d’Italia’
Quintessence – ‘Quintessence’
Raffi – ‘In Concert’
Raffi – ‘Everything Grows’
Raffi – ‘One Light, One Sun’
Raffi – ‘Box Of Sunshine’
Ragtime – ‘Original Cast Recording’
Ralene Rankin – ‘Lambs In Spring’
The Rankin Family – ‘North Country’
The Rankin Family – ‘Fare The Well Love’
The Rankin Family – ‘The Rankin Family’
The Rankin Family – ‘Collection’
Rosanna Riverso – ‘The Gift Of Christmas’
Rawlins Cross – ‘Living River
Jimmy Rankin – ‘Song Dog’
Jimmy Rankin – ‘Handmade’
Cathy Rempel – ‘New Every Morning’
Betty Richardson – ‘Coming To You’
Betty Richardson – ‘Pulse Beat’
Jackie Richardson – ‘A Women’s View’
Doug Riley – ‘Mandragola’
Eric Robertson – ‘Midnight Blue’
Rousseau & Carlton – ‘Acoustic Café’
Rousseau & Carlton – ‘A Christmas Wish’
Rousseau & Carlton – ‘It’s A Mystery’
Aura Rully – ‘Special Way’
Tokito Saburo – ‘Saburo’
St. Michael’s Choir – ‘Shout For Joy’
Pete Schofield – ‘It’s A Sign Of The Times’
Pete Schofield – ‘Killing Me Softly’ – Do Something Nice Today
Eric Schultz – ‘Believe It Or Not’
Bob Seger – ‘Night Moves’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Mainly Mother Goose’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘One, Two, Three, Four, Five’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Happy Birthday’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Stay Tuned’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Great Big Hits’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Sing From A to Z’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Elephant Party’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Skinnamarink TV’
Sharon Lois & Bram – ‘Hello, We’re On The Air’
Shaye – ‘Bridge’
Gordon Sheard – ‘Romance of Rio’
Elaine Small – ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’
Elaine Small – ‘All Or Nothing At All’
Neil Smolar – ‘Neil Smolar’
Art Snider – ‘Corny Tunes I Play On My Organ’
Sound Odyssey Orchestra – ‘A Sound Odyssey’
The Spitfire Band – ‘First Flight’
The Spitfire Band – ‘The Spitfire Band Flies Again’
The Spitfire Band – ‘Flight ll’
The Spitfire Band – ‘Home For The Holidays’
The Spitfire Band – ‘In Flight’
The Spitfire Band – ‘Swings Down Broadway’
The Spitfire Band – ‘10th Anniversary’
The Spitfire Band – ‘Virtual Reality’
Ringo Starr – ‘Bad Boy’
Sunset Boulevard – ‘Original Cast Recording’
Chris Tait – ‘Hello My Name Is Chris Tait’
Alan Thicke – ‘Alan Thicke’
David Clayton Thomas – ‘Aurora’
Ian Thomas – ‘A Life In Song’
Tim Thorney – ‘Some Other Time’
Tim Thorney – ‘Extenuating Circus Dances’
T.H.P. Orchestra – ‘Theme From Swat
T.H.P. Orchestra – ‘Early Riser’
Mel Torme – ‘Mel Torme, Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass
Mel Torme – ‘Velvet & Brass’
Mel Torme – ‘Instant Party’
Tornader – ‘Hit It Again’
Trina – ‘Best Of My Heart’
Trio Notré – ‘Trio Norté’
True North Brass – ‘A True North Christmas’
Toronto Symphony Orchestra – ‘Prokofiev, Romeo & Juliet’
Sylvia Tyson – ‘Satin On Stone’
VanDyke – ‘Deal Me In’
Casandra Vasik – ‘Feels Like Home’
Casandra Vasik – ‘Wildflowers’
Casandra Vasik – ‘Different’
C. B. Victoria – ‘Dawning Day’
Gerry Wall – ‘World’
Joan Watson – ‘Songs My Mother Taught Me’
Brian Wray – ‘When Do You Go’
Carol Welsman – ‘Swing Ladies, Swing’
Carol Welsman – ‘Lucky To Be Me’
Carol Welsman – ‘Inclined’
Phil Woods & Rob McConnell – ‘Brass & Woods’
Roger Whittaker – ‘Imagine’
Roger Whittaker – ‘Celebration’
Roger Whittaker – ‘Living & Loving’
Roger Whittaker – ‘When I Need You’
Roger Whittaker – ‘Mirrors of My Mind’
Roger Whittaker – ‘Voyager’
Roger Whittaker – ‘With Love’
David Wilcox – ‘Schooled For You’
Raylene Rankin – Lambs In Spring
Peter Ustinov – ‘Orchestra’
IMAX – various artists – ‘Under The Sea’ soundtrack album
Various Artists – ‘Newfoundland Women Sing Songs by Ron & Connie Hynes
Various Artists – ‘In The Dawning: A Story of Canada’ Christopher Plummer with the London
Symphony Orchestra, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Bill Misner, Mark Jordan
Various Artists – ‘PEC Jazz Festival I’
Various Artists – ‘PEC Jazz Festival Il’
Various Artists – ‘Christmas With Friends’
Various Artists – ‘Vintage Christmas With A Jazzy Twist’
Various Artists – ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’
Various Artists – ‘Music For A Festival Gathering’
Various Artists – ‘Today’s Special’
Various Artists – ‘Digital Big Band’
Various Artists – ‘JJ’s, Brian Russell, Henry Young, Ron Johnston’ CBC
Various Artists – ‘Heading In The Right Direction’ – Jackie Richardson, Eric Robertson,
Nancy Dolman CBC
Various Artists – ‘Play A Simple Melody’ Jack Lenz, Dave McMurdo, John Allison
Various Artists – ‘Gypsy Moth’ – Anny Ryan, Ginni Grant, Keith McKie
Various Artists – ‘Yesterdays’ – John Capek, Bobby Edwards
Catherine Wilson – ‘The Music of Leroy Anderson’
Paul Zaza – ‘Contact’