Samuel Pilafian

American tuba player and trombonist. Founding member of the Empire Brass, then left it to pursue jazz, co-leading Travelin' Light with guitarist Frank Vignola and also leading a band called The Pilafian Project. At the time of his death, Pilafian was a music professor of tuba and euphonium at Arizona University in Phoenix. Born October 25, 1949 in Miami, Florida; died April 4, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona.