Buford O’Sullivan is a trombonist and composer who has performed world-wide since the 1980’s.
His first band, ‘Big Noise’ traveled the Northeast Corridor playing the alt music circuit from NYC and Albany to Boston. Big Noise played regularly at CBGBs, The Cat Club, and the music strip of Bleeker Street. The pinnacle of this band's success was an appearance on The Joe Franklin Show, with a cut on a CBS/Epic comp called 'The Unsigned'.
In the 1990’s, Buford toured the 3rd wave ska craze extensively with The Scofflaws and The Toasters, traveling Europe, Canada, 49 states of the United States, and South America. The Scofflaws second release 'Ska in Hi Fi' featured several of his songs, including 'William Shatner' and 'Nude Beach' for which a video was made and aired on MTV. Both bands appeared simultaneously on USA Cable's 'Up All Night' with Gilbert Godfried. He contributed a drinking song 'Can I Get Another' to the Toasters' final Moon records release "Enemy of the System".
After the millennium, he joined The Easy Star All-Stars and his reach spanned the globe with performances at The Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, the Fuji Rock festival in Japan, Blues Festival in Australia, Moscow, Singapore, with countless tours of England, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and these international trips continue to this day. He has also worked with other bands such as Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Dave Hillyard and the Rock Steady Seven, The Brooklyn Attractors, and Dub is a Weapon. He continues to be the stand-in for Vin Gordon in the trombone chair for 'The Skatalites Band'.
On the home front, he keeps busy with the New York Ska Orchestra, Combo Lulo, and he has been a regular subbing for Smoota in The Reverend Vince Anderson and his Love Choir. He often plays with Gov’t Mule in their New Years’ Eve shows at the Beacon Theater, and appears several of their releases of these shows. He has also spent some time in the studio recording horn parts with the Chronic Horns as Warren Haynes produced. He performed in an all-star tribute with The Impressions at Lincoln Center, featuring members of the Dap Kings, with Sinaed O’Connor, and The Roots. As a recording artist, he appeared on Pharrell’s release “G-I-R-L” on the track ‘Brand New’ featuring Justin Timberlake.
He continues to write and produce his own music. In the '90s, he released his first 45 single titled 'I Can't Decide' on Moon Records. He has released three albums, and habitually posts on Bandcamp and Soundcloud.
His compositions have appeared on HBO and Turner Movie Classics, and several indie films. He loves beer, food, kitties, friendship, and world peace.
EXTRA BUNUS: Early in the 2000's, Buford decided to write a science fiction detective novel, just to prove to himself that he could finish one despite the many reasons not to do it. It is called 'Tranquility: An Optimist's Detective Novel'. It is self published and available here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/buford-osullivan/shop/buford-osullivan/tranquility-an-optimists-detective-novel/paperback/product-145nzkg.html?page=1&pageSize=4
