Donald Ray Brown (born March 28, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and producer., AllMusic.
Biography Brown was born in Hernando, Mississippi, and was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned to play trumpet and drums in his youth. From 1972 to 1975, he was a student at Memphis State University, by which time he had made piano his primary instrument. He was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1981 to 1982, then took teaching positions at Berklee College of Music from 1983 to 1985 and the University of Tennessee from 1988. Brown has recorded for Evidence, Muse, and Sunnyside.Yanow, Scott.
Discography As leader/co-leader Recording date Title Label Year releasedPersonnel/Notes1987–06Early Bird Sunnyside1988Sextet, with Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Donald Harrison (flute), Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Bob Hurst (bass), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums)1988–06The Sweetest Sounds Jazz City1989Quartet, with Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Charnett Moffett (bass), Alan Dawson (drums)1989–08Sources of Inspiration Muse1990Quintet, with Eddie Henderson (trumpet, flugelhorn), Gary Bartz (soprano sax, alto sax), Buster Williams (bass), Carl Allen (drums)1990–03People Music Muse1991With Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Vincent Herring (flute, soprano sax, alto sax), Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Robert Hurst (bass), Samurai Celestial (drums, vocals), Daniel G. Sadownick (percussion); Lenora Helm (vocals) added on one track1991–04Cause and Effect Muse1992With Joe Henderson (tenor sax), James Spaulding (flute), Steve Nelson (vibraphone, marimba), Ron Carter (bass), Carl Allen, Kenny Washington (drums), Rudy Bird, Donald Eaton (percussion), Marlon Saunders and Lenora Helm (vocals)1992–06Send One Your Love Muse1994With Steve Wilson (flute, soprano sax, alto sax), Tom Williams (flugelhorn), Charnett Moffett (bass), Eric Walker and Louis Hayes (drums; separately), Rudy Bird (percussion)1993–09Cartunes Muse1995With Don Braden (flute, tenor sax), Steve Wilson (soprano sax, alto sax), Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Carl Allen (drums, tambourine), Rudy Bird (percussion), Harold Mabern (vocals)1995–02Piano Short Stories Space Time1996 Live solo piano1995–03Wurd on the Street Space Time1998 With Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Manny Boyd (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute), Sam Newsome (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone), Essiet Essiet (bass), Billy Drummond (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)1997–07The Classic Introvert Space Time2004 Solo piano1998–01Enchanté! Space Time1998 With Stephane Belmondo (trumpet, flugelhorn), Bill Easley (alto sax, flute, clarinet), Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Essiet Essiet (bass), Billy Higgins (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)1999–03French Kiss Space Time2002 Quintet, with Jérôme Barde (guitar), Essiet Essiet (bass), Billy Kilson (drums), Angá Diaz (percussion)2000–05Autumn in New York Space Time2002Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Billy Kilson (drums)2000–05At This Point in My Life Space Time2001 Septet, with Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jean Toussaint (soprano sax, tenor sax), Jérôme Barde (guitar), Essiet Essiet (bass), Billy Kilson (drums), Angá Diaz (percussion)2008?Fast Forward to the Past Space Time2008With Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Steve Nelson (vibes), Danny Walsh (flute, alto sax, tenor sax), Jean Toussaint (soprano sax, tenor sax), Lionel Loueke and Mark Boling (guitar), Robert Hurst and Essiet Essiet (bass), Eric Harland and Kenny Brown (drums)2013?Born to Be Blue Space Time2013With Kenny Garrett (alto sax, soprano sax), Wallace Roney (trumpet), Ravi Coltrane (tenor sax, soprano sax), Emily Mathis (flute), Vance Thompson (flugelhorn), Mark Boling (guitar), Robert Hurst (bass), Marcus Gilmore and Kenneth Brown (drums; separately), Rudy Bird (percussion) Omnibus With Harold Mabern and Charles Thomas trios, A Season of Ballads (Space Time, 1997)
As a member Continuum (With Bill Mobley, Billy Kilson, Essiet Essiet, Gary Bartz and Jean Toussaint) Act One (Space Time, 2004)
As sideman With Art Blakey Killer Joe with George Kawaguchi (Union Jazz, 1981) Keystone 3 (Concord Jazz, 1982) Feeling Good (Delos, 1986)
With Donald Byrd Getting Down to Business (Landmark, 1989) A City Called Heaven (Landmark, 1991)
With others Ricky Ford, Tenor Madness Too! (Muse, 1992) Wallace Roney, Obsession (Muse, 1990)
As producer With Kenny Garrett African Exchange Student (Atlantic, 1990) Black Hope (Warner Bros., 1992) Triology (Warner Bros. 1995) Songbook (Warner Bros., 1997) Seeds from the Underground (Mack Avenue, 2012) Pushing the World Away (Mack Avenue, 2013) Do Your Dance! (Mack Avenue, 2016) Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue, 2021)
With others Scott Tixier, Cosmic Adventure (Sunnyside, 2016)
References