Rob Brown (born February 27, 1962) is an American free jazz saxophonist and composer.
Life and career Brown was born in Hampton, Virginia on February 27, 1962. He started playing saxophone at the age of 12. His first gigs were with a local Virginia swing band. He eventually studied at Berklee College for two years, and worked privately with both Joe Viola and John LaPorta. After a year on the west coast, Brown relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he met pianist Matthew Shipp. He moved to New York in 1985, where he enrolled at New York University, earned a music degree, and studied with saxophone masters such as Lee Konitz, but the teacher who had more influence on Brown conceptually was Philadelphian Dennis Sandole. Brown travelled to Philadelphia by rail once a week to study with him for a year and a half.
His first issued recording was the duet with Shipp Sonic Explorations (1988), and since then has been actively leading groups or working as a sideman with Shipp, William Parker, Whit Dickey, Joe Morris and Steve Swell.
He is a 2001 CalArts/Alpert/Ucross Residency Prize winner and has received many Meet The Composer Fund grants. In 2006, Brown was awarded a Chamber Music America New Works grant.
Discography As leader/co-leader Release yearTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1988Sonic ExplorationsCadence JazzDuo with Matthew Shipp (piano)1990Breath RhymeSilkheartTrio with William Parker (bass), Denis Charles (drums)1992YouniverseRitiTrio with Joe Morris (guitar), Whit Dickey (drums)1995IlluminateLeoQuartet co-led by Joe Morris (guitar), with William Parker (bass), Jackson Krall (drums)1996High WireSoul NoteTrio with William Parker (bass), Jackson Krall (drums)1997Blink of an EyeNo MoreDuo with Matthew Shipp (piano)1997OrbitMusic & ArtsCollaborative trio with Guerino Mazzola (piano), Heinz Geisser (percussion)1998Scratching the SurfaceCIMPQuartet co-led by Lou Grassi (drums), with Assif Tsahar (tenor sax), Chris Lightcap (bass)2000VisageMargeTrio with Wilber Morris (bass), Lou Grassi (drums, percussion)2000Jumping Off the PageNo MoreQuartet with Roy Campbell (trumpet), Chris Lightcap (bass), Jackson Krall (drums)2002Round the Bend Bleu RegardTrio with William Parker (bass), Warren Smith (drums)2003LikewiseRitiAs part of the band Stone House; trio with Luther Gray (drums), Joe Morris (bass)2004The Big Picture MargeQuartet with Roy Campbell (trumpet, flugelhorn), William Parker (bass), Hamid Drake (drums)2005Radiant PoolsRogueArtQuartet with Steve Swell (trombone), Joe Morris (bass), Luther Gray (drums)2006We Are Not Obstinate IslandsClean FeedAs part of the band The Diplomats; trio with Steve Swell (trombone), Harris Eisenstadt (drums)2007SoundsClean FeedTrio with Daniel Levin (cello), Satoshi Takeishi (percussion)2008Right Hemisphere RogueArtAs part of the band Right Hemisphere; quartet with Matthew Shipp (piano), Joe Morris (bass), Whit Dickey (drums)2008Live in ChicagoRuby RedDuo with Andrew Barker (drums, percussion)2008Crown Trunk Root FunkAUM FidelityQuartet with Craig Taborn (piano, electronics), William Parker (bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums)2009Live at Firehouse 12 Not TwoTrio with Daniel Levin (cello), Satoshi Takeishi (percussion)2010Natural DisorderNot TwoDuo with Daniel Levin (cello)2011Unexplained PhenomenaMargeQuartet with Matt Moran (vibraphone), Chris Lightcap (bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums)2011Unknown SkiesRogueArtTrio with Craig Taborn (piano), Nasheet Waits (drums)2014Day in the Life of a CityMultikultiTrio with Daniel Levin (cello), Jacek Mazurkiewicz (bass)2015Divergent PathsCipselaDuo with Daniel Levin (cello)
As sideman Release yearLeaderTitleLabel1998TransonicAUM Fidelity2000Big TopWobbly Rail2001Life Cycle AUM Fidelity2001Alan Silva & the Sound Visions Orchestra Eremite2002Prophet MoonRiti2004Coalescence Clean Feed2005In a HeartbeatClean Feed2006Sacred GroundClean Feed1999Many RingsKnitting Factory1994Flowers Grow in My RoomCentering1995In Order to SurviveBlack Saint1996Compassion Seizes Bed-StuyHomestead1997Sunrise in the Tone WorldAUM Fidelity1998The Peach OrchardAUM Fidelity1999Posium PendasemFMP2000O'Neal's PorchCentering2000Mayor of PunkvilleAUM Fidelity2002Raincoat in the RiverEremite2002Raining on the MoonThirsty Ear2002Spontaneous Splasc(h)2003Mass for the Healing of the WorldBlack Saint2005Sound Unity AUM Fidelity2005For Percy HeathVicto2007Corn Meal DanceAUM Fidelity2007Alphaville SuiteRogueArt2007Double Sunrise Over NeptuneAUM Fidelity2008Petit OiseauAUM Fidelity2012Essence of EllingtonCentering2013Wood Flute SongsAUM Fidelity1992PointsSilkheart1999MagnetismBleu Regard2009Planet DreamClean Feed
References
External links Official site Rob Brown: No More "Mr. Avant Garde" by John Sharpe at All About Jazz