Alex Brown

Artist Information

Biography

EMOTION. SPACE. VISION. GROOVE….

The understated virtuosity of pianist Alex Brown is a clear indication that reports of jazz music’s demise are greatly exaggerated. Fast emerging at the forefront of a new generation of artists, Brown is mightily armed with the technique of jazz tradition, reinvested with fresh curiosity and vision for what jazz is, and can be.

Featured in the January 2010 issue of Keyboard Magazine, Alex Brown’s reputation continues expanding via his notable performances with everyone from innovative saxophonist Miguel Zenon to the legendary Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. “A really fine record that leaves you wanting more,” said DownBeat magazine of Pianist, Alex Brown’s 2010 debut CD (Sunnyside), further emphasizing “…and Brown can play!” That is something jazz audiences throughout the world have been discovering since 2007, when he joined the group of the renowned Paquito D’Rivera, sharing in the ensemble’s 2010 Grammy nomination as a part of D'Rivera's album, "Jazz-Clazz."

In addition to touring with D’Rivera, Alex Brown performs regularly as the leader of his own jazz ensemble. “There are those who only play what audiences like,” says Alex. “Then there are those who only play what they want. I’m drawn to music that has complexity but that anyone can enjoy.” Classical, rhythm & blues, hip-hop, Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian styles all co-mingle – naturally and infectiously – in Brown’s music, reflecting his unique path, and the continued evolution of the genre.

It was D’Rivera’s bassist, Oscar Stagnaro, who was among the first to recognize Alex Brown’s special gifts, and began to gig with the young student around Boston. Stagnaro also hipped Brown to the depth and breadth of Latin-American rhythms. “He really expanded my conception of Latin music beyond ‘Afro-Cuban’,” says Brown. “Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Puerto Rico… each has their own rich, complex rhythmic traditions. And a lot of those rhythms don’t incorporate piano, so it becomes a slightly different thing, when you translate it into jazz.” During an impromptu 2007 performance at Washington DC’s Bossa Lounge as part of the DC Jazz Fest, Stagnaro invited Brown’s soon-to-be mentor, Paquito D’Rivera, to hear him for the first time. “He stayed for the first half of the gig, and then gave me his card,” says Brown. “Then… Nothing.” Thinking he’d blown it, Brown received a call from the jazz icon about a month later. “You sounded pretty good,” said Paquito, “even on that plastic piano!” And so began his professional career.

Now in Alex Brown’s rear-view mirror are appearances at some of the worlds top jazz venues, including Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland and the Blue Note in New York (and Tokyo), Blues Alley in Washington DC, and Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes. His festival appearances include the Heineken Jazz Festival, Israel’s Red Sea Jazz Festival, the Panama Jazz Festival, and the Curacao Jazz Festival. In addition, he teaches and has led master classes at such institutions as the University of Panama.

In 2009, Brown graduated with a Bachelor of Music from New England Conservatory where he studied with Danilo Perez and Charlie Banacos, among others. His collection of notable awards began well before graduation, however, starting with ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards in 2003 and 2004. In 2007, Alex was a winner as a pianist in the Jazz Soloist category of Downbeat Magazine's Student Music Awards (his first of five honors from the storied jazz chronicle). In 2009, the group LaTimbistica, which he was a part of while at NEC, won for best college group. Also an accomplished classical musician, Alex has recorded and performed with the group Imani Winds as well as with the clarinetist Sabine Meyer, and has performed with major orchestras in the United States, Mexico, Chile, and Spain.

Looking ahead, Alex Brown’s horizon is one devoid of hard and fast barriers – musical or otherwise. “The internet is changing things and opening things up so quickly,” says Brown. “You don’t have to wait for the record to come out. As soon as something happens, it’s out there.” Having recently completed his first commission for full concert orchestra (of a salsa hit, no less), Brown plans on doing more large-scale arranging and composing.

As for the rest of what’s next, Alex Brown knows precisely where he’s going but, as with most artists, he prefers to let his music tell the story. “I have a lot of trouble coming up with a title,” says Brown. “That’s one of the reasons I write music. I get these feelings that I can’t put into words.” Clear and inviting, Alex Brown’s music gives eloquent voice to a singular talent on the move.

Instrumentation

Alex Brown, Piano
Alex performs with groups of all sizes.

Discography

"Clazz Continental Latin Jazz" Paquito D'Rivera and Madrid Big Band (2011)
"Terra Incognita" Imani Winds (2010)
"Paquito Presents: Alex Brown - Pianist" Alex Brown (2010)
"Mi Alma Mexicana (My Mexican Soul)" Alondra De La Parra (2010)
"Jazz - claZZ" Paquito D'Rivera (2009)
"Songteller" Nick Grondin (2009)
"Jazz Clarinet Now" Joseph Howell (2008)
"Como un Aguila en lo Alto" Eleonora (2008)
"The Mark Zaleski Band" Mark Zaleski (2007)
"Montrose Towing" Alex Brown (2006)
"Introducing Alex Brown" Alex Brown (2004)

Links

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Audio

• Prologue
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• The Wrong Jacket
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• Lamentos
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• Just One of Those Things
  Listen  

Video

Blue Note NYC - Just One of Those Things (Cole Porter, Arr. Brown)

Telluride Jazz Celebration - Lamentos (Pixinguinha, Arr. Brown)

Photo Gallery

Press

• "Alex Brown - Pianist" Review from All About Jazz [+ Show ]
  

  By EDWARD BLANCO, Published: October 1, 2011 With a little help from Cuban-born saxophonist Paqui...By EDWARD BLANCO, Published: October 1, 2011
  
  With a little help from Cuban-born saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera the jazz world heralds the entrance of 22 year-old Alex Brown, capturing but a glimpse of his talents on a monster recording debut simply entitled Pianist. It was actually D'Rivera's bassist, Oscar Stagnaro,who began to gig with pianist around the Boston area, ultimately introducing Brown to D'Rivera, and the rest is history. Taken with Brown's skills on the instrument and his understanding of Latin music beyond Afro-Cuban rhythms, D'Rivera took him under his wing and presents the pianist's solo flight with this album.
  
  Never in awe of his mentor—always respectful and very expressive in his play—Brown emerges from the shadows with a clear message that he has, indeed, arrived. Though he shares the studio with seven veteran professionals, Brown demonstrates a commanding presence and rarely relinquishes it. Recorded in a two-day date in 2010, Brown presents eight blistering originals and throws in the Pixinguinha Brazilian choro cover "Lamentos," as well as Cole Porter's classic "Just One of Those Things," to cap what is truly an exciting selection of music.
  
  Featuring hollow marimba sounds from Warren Wolf,, the percussive "Prologue" opens the set in hard-driving fashion, presenting changing grooves that do not quite develop into a definable melody, but remain interesting nevertheless. "Warm Blooded" is a soft-toned piece with rhythms drawn from an unnamed rap song that Brown composed as a school assignment. There is absolutely no resemblance to rap here, however, which was the intent; instead, the piece is warm-natured and highlights flugelhornist Vivek Patel.
  
  Producer D'Rivera appears on three pieces, blowing his alto saxophone on the high-octane, Latin-tinged "The Wrong Jacket"—the album's defining piece featuring, percussionist Pedro Martinez—as he lends his instrument and vocal accompaniment against the crashing cymbal accents from drummer Eric Doob. D'Rivera, Martinez and Wolf come out swinging on Brown's "Buleria," a fiery Spanish flamenco reinterpretation that matches the energy of "The Wrong Jacket." D'Rivera and the pianist are simply superb on the spicy "Lamentos," as D'Rivera wields his high-pitch clarinet to better bring out the Brazilian ragtime flavor of the piece.
  
  Composed and dedicated to jazz icon and pianist Chick Corea, "Elektric" provides the kind of charge that allows Brown to showcase a measure of his piano chops. With a melody containing a strong jazz influence, "Leaving" is another Latin piece penned using the danzon rhythms from Cuba its the foundation. Brown is especially expressive on "Waltz" and "Just One of Those Things," the pianist appearing a trio format setting with Doob and bassist Ben Williams
  
  Brown is indeed fortunate that D'Rivera recognized the potential of his talents and produced this stunning debut.

• "Alex Brown - Pianist" Review from Keyboard Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Alex Brown, Paquito D'Rivera Presents Alex Brown, Pianist by Jon Regen This album is a veritable...Alex Brown, Paquito D'Rivera Presents Alex Brown, Pianist
  by Jon Regen
  
  This album is a veritable master class in the art of modern jazz piano. From the scintillating first track “Prologue,” which pits Brown against the nimble marimba of Warren Wolf, to the angular intro chording on “Elektric,” (his recorded tribute to Chick Corea), Brown unleashes a torrent of musical tenacity across this impressive disc. He’s a young piano lion poised for great things. (Sunnyside, alexbrownmusic.com)

• "Alex Brown - Pianist" Review from All About Jazz [+ Show ]
  

  By RAUL D'GAMA ROSE, Published: October 29, 2010 Even for a pianist with as prodigious a talent a...By RAUL D'GAMA ROSE, Published: October 29, 2010
  
  Even for a pianist with as prodigious a talent as Alex Brown, having a heavyweight in the music pantheon such as Paquito D’Rivera produce his debut album, must have largely been a dream. However, to pull off a debut as fine as this is a feat in itself. As a pianist, Brown has remarkable technique. Although he may still be searching for his true voice and that may take time, he appears to be closer than most. He is truly expressive and has an expansive sense of time. Brown’s sense of the acute and obtuse accents of a melody is rivalled only by his sense of how to lay down a surprising harmony. With his strong left hand, playing seemingly every kind of rhythmic figure almost at will, Brown can create memorable phrases, sometimes surprising the listener with classic Afro-Cuban tumbao, as much as he can by conjuring up a contradanza, or even a valse. And then he can swing and bop too…
  
  On the album, simply entitled, Pianist Brown serves notice that he is well on the way to being a leader that musicians will rally around. He is never overawed especially by the presence of such mighty musicians as Paquito D’Rivera, whose classically sharp alto and woody clarinet graces several tracks and he even gives the breathtaking percussionist, Pedro Martinez good reason to believe that he can shuffle that rumba tempo with swaggering confidence. Latin American musical idioms seem to be Alex Brown’s strong suit here and his gentle Bossa Nova swing that he introduces in “Lamentos” with seeming casual grace is, indeed a perfect example of how proficiently he captures the idiom, before he breaks up the song midway, only to return it to if much brisker samba rhythms. Of rhythms it appears Alex Brown appears to be a special kind of maestro.
  
  Then there is the devastatingly beautiful drama of his “Buleria,” a crackling chart written in the style of that memorable dance form from Cadiz, Spain. The manner in which he lets his hands chase one another as he hammers out melody and chords as he recreates the spirit of Cadiz, Spain. The manner in which he lets his hands chase one another as he hammers out melody and chords as he recreates the spirit of Chick Corea’s rapid modal moves in “Elektric” is extraordinarily precise and controlled. “Waltz” pirouettes with classic grace as the all-too-alive characters glide eloquently across the floor.
  
  There is a back-story here and it is one of great promise. Not only does Brown rally his musicians, especially the young ones, trumpeter Vivek Patel, bassist Ben Williams, drummer Eric Doob and marimba player Warren Wolf, but he also draws experienced men like D’Rivera and Martinez into his compositions that are compact, yet roomy enough for galactic leaps as the men improvise. It appears that not only is Alex Brown the pianist about to arrive, but the Brown the composer is not far behind at all.

• Editor's Picks [+ Show ]
  

  By FRANK ALKYER Alex Brown, Pianist (Paquito Records/Sunnyside) The cover of this recording says, ...By FRANK ALKYER
  Alex Brown, Pianist (Paquito Records/Sunnyside)
  The cover of this recording says, “Paquito D’Rivera Presents” in small type, “Alex Brown, Pianist” in headline type. That’s all I needed to throw open the jewel box and slide it into the CD player. First, if D’Rivera is stepping out, it must be good. Second, Brown’s not a total newcomer. He’s been developing a name as a sideman with the likes of Jon Faddis, Jane Bunnett, Slide Hampton and D’Rivera. I was not disappointed. Pianist is a great collection of very hip, very modern, Latin jazz, and Brown can play. The first tune, “Prologue,” pulls you in with smokin’ piano and marimba work by Brown and Warren Wolf, respectively, as well as Pedro Martinez on percussion, Eric Doob on drums and Ben Williams on bass. “The Wrong Jacket” has some nice touches with D’Rivera on sax and Vivek Patel on flugelhorn before Brown digs in to show off his chops. “Lamentos” is a sweet choro by the Brazilian composer Pixinguinha. In the liner notes, Brown points out that the choro is a precursor to the samba. Pianist also includes a tribute to Chick Corea, called “Elektric,” and an interesting take on “It’s Just One Of Those Things.” It’s a really fine first record that leaves you wanting more.

• "Alex Brown - Pianist" Review from AllMusic [+ Show ]
  

  Review by Michael G. Nastos New England Conservatory-trained acoustic jazz pianist Alex Brown ...Review
  
  by Michael G. Nastos
  
  New England Conservatory-trained acoustic jazz pianist Alex Brown crosses over into many forms of music on this, his debut album. Supported by mentor Paquito d'Rivera (on the Paquito subsidiary of the Sunnyside label), Brown weaves Latin jazz on occasion within a contemporary framework, reminiscent of his clear idol, Chick Corea. Brown is extremely talented, cramming many notes into each measure during the circular "Prologue" and the distinctly bouncy, quirky Corea-like "Elektric." Brazilian choro, neo-bop, ballads, and even churning true montuno-flavored music are here in different formats from trio to sextet, at times showcasing d'Rivera's alto sax, rising-star vibist Warren Wolf, or Vivek Patel on flügelhorn. Alex Brown's initial foray into the jazz world is an impressive one, with a high ceiling for things to come.

• "Alex Brown - Pianist" Review from JazzReview.com [+ Show ]
  

  I was concerned when I saw the front of the CD, "Paquito D'Rivera Presents Alex Brown, Pianist." It'...I was concerned when I saw the front of the CD, "Paquito D'Rivera Presents Alex Brown, Pianist." It's nice for a big-name musician to help out the new kid, but does he really need an endorsement? Is he that bad? Fortunately, I was dead wrong. Brown is one of the finest young pianists I've come across, and this debut album is nothing short of outstanding.
  
  Alex Brown has managed to get around, having worked with Rivera's band since 2007, but also performing with Miguel Zenon and Wynton Marsalis. He studied with Danilo Perez and Charlie Banacos at the New England Conservatory and won some Young Composer Awards. He sometimes fronts his own group, and is poking around in classical music on the side. So, he has no dust on him, but what does he sound like?
  
  The first word that comes to mind is "complex." His arrangements fill the ear, but not needlessly so. Brown plays fast, but can slow it down when he wants to. He works with a fair number of musicians, as you might expect when playing Latin jazz, but he puts them to good use with everything carefully constructed, while leaving plenty of room for improvisation. His choice of Latin styles range from Cuban to Brazilian, having absorbed a lot from his mentors. Forces vary on each track, and when Brown goes for a mainstream sound, he pares down to a quartet or trio. The second word is "strong." Brown has no timidity in his playing. He can be gentle, but that's very different from weak, and he knows where he is going and what sound he wants.
  
  Lastly, I would use the word "generous." The pianist is out front a substantial portion of the time, but so is Vivek Patel on flugelhorn, and Warren Wolf on marimba. D'Rivera makes an appearance on three tracks, "The Wrong Jacket," "Lamentos," and "Buleria," getting some time in on both alto sax and clarinet. Patel is often where D'Rivera is not, supplying different colors and variety to the tracks. Everybody gets solo time, but for much of the rest Brown has the musicians playing in combinations, trading phrases and keeping the music moving.
  
  The recording was produced in two days, with the larger group on Day One, the smaller quartet/trio work on the next day. The only musicians who play on every track are Brown, Ben Williams, and Eric Doob. The three are by themselves for two tracks, "Waltz," and "Just One of Those Things," the latter one of the two tunes not written by Brown. The first is a slower piece, contemplative and warm. The second starts in similar fashion, but speeds up quickly, with lots of fine work by Williams on bass. Days
  
  One and Two are mixed on the album, lending even more variety from track to track.
  
  As a debut album, this is as good as one is likely to find. The playing is superb, with Brown everywhere but not overwhelming. My interest never flagged, because with every minute came something new, a combination of instruments, a set of colors and tones, a new rhythmic direction. This is great Latin jazz combined with great mainstream jazz, and I recommend it highly.

• The latest crop of jazz 20-somethings [+ Show ]
  

  The latest crop of jazz 20-somethings I (CD reviews) By phum I received a little bit of heat...The latest crop of jazz 20-somethings I (CD reviews)
  
  By phum
  
  I received a little bit of heat this summer after I used the term "prodigy" in a post. Suitably chastened, I'll simply say that two 20-something musicians whose CDs I'll review below are very sophisticated and formidably powerful pianists who are well on their way.
  
  But before I get to the discs, I should recommend a 20-something band that plays tonight at Cafe Paradiso -- the Mike Ruby/Le Boeuf Brothers Quintet. Led by the tenor saxophonist Mike Ruby (A Torontonian now in New York) and the alto saxophonist Remy Le Boeuf and pianist Pascal Le Boeuf (two Californians now in New York) , the group played Paradiso almost a year ago, and my review of its show is here. If you prefer a video showing what the band is up to, here's one showing that the straight-eighths, odd-meter, alt-rock-influenced strain of contemporary jazz is a big part of what they do, and they do it well:
  
  
  
  The music tonight (Aug. 24) runs from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Cafe Paradiso (199 Bank St.) and there's a $10 cover.
  
  On to the CDs:.
  
  Paquito D'Rivera Presents Alex Brown - Pianist (Sunnyside)
  Alex Brown
  
  Although pianist Alex Brown is just 23 and a recent graduate from the New England Conservatory of Music, he has already played with Toronto saxophonist Jane Bunnett, trumpeter John Faddis, and most notably, for several years with saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera. Here's a 2008 duet by the Cuban-American jazz icon and protege:
  
  At his young age, Brown has consolidated a whack of jazz and classical information so that -- as you would expect of D'Rivera's chosen accompanist, the pianist is a precise, modern mainstream player with plenty of rhythmic verve. One of the CD's stops-out tunes is Brown's composition Elektric -- a lean, jamming tribute to Chick Corea, and indeed Corea's affinity for long, crisply articulated lines and cleanly jabbed chords has rubbed off on Brown. (You can also hear Herbie Hancock's octave trilling on a few occasions -- Geoffrey Keezer recently quipped that every pianist does it -- as well as plenty of Latin-jazz piano savvy.)
  
  Seven of the disc's nine tracks are likable Brown compositions generally built for stops-out blowing. Generally, he tends to combine straight-eighths feels and occasionally Latin grooves with singable melodies. (Brown might be a touch to the right of the Le Boeuf Brothers in terms of where his music sits stylistically.) The disc's beginning (Prologue), middle (Elektric) and end (a razzle-dazzle, tricked-out trio version of Just One Of Those Things) provide the most striking impression of Brown as a dramatic, punchy, high-energy player.
  
  He's well-supported by fellow hard-hitting youngbloods Ben Williams on bass (who interacts gamely with him on Elektric) and drummer Eric Doob, who on several occasions unleashes a tumult of rhythms from behind the kit. Trumpeter Vivek Patel plays flugelhorn on four tracks and Warren Wolf plays scene-stealing marimba on two tracks, giving the disc added colour and personality. Finally, D'Rivera is a guest on two tracks that not surprisingly showcase Brown's Latin flair. Lamentos is a nice, stately recital of a Brazilian choro by the composer Pixinguinha with D'Rivera playing his trademark smooth and soulful clarinet; Brown sounds just a touch rushed when the tune kicks into high gear. Buleria, a Brown composition which he calls his take on flamenco, is driven by percussionist Pedro Martinez on cajon.
  
  A New Face (Avey Dell)
  Bobby Avey
  
  Pianist Bobby Avey, who is 25, has a slightly different set of interests than does Brown. He's at least as hard-hitting and complex, but his music -- influenced at times by the odd meters of Balkan music, the dense and dissonant harmonies of classical music and the force of rock -- is a bit to the left of Brown's, you could say. Avey's jazz is less song-based and romantic (in the musical sense), more knotty rhythmically, and more involved and "out" harmonically and melodically. Here's a clip of his quartet playing:
  
  By the way, the drummer in the clip is Colin Stranahan, who coincidentally will be playing tonight at Cafe Paradiso with the Le Boeuf Brothers -- small world, eh?
  
  The disc consists of eight Avey originals, of which four are for his trio and four feature saxophonist Dave Liebman, such that A New Face is a follow-up of sorts to the 2006 Liebman/Avey duo recording Vienna Dialogues, which consisted of adaptations of classical works by Schumann, Handel, Debussy and other composers.
  
  Avey's disc is a potent statement all his own. The disc's opening track for his trio, Late November, is a swirling fiesta of odd-meter, counterpuntal jousting and brash, crunching lines and chords. Bassist Thomson Kneeland and drummer Jordan Perlson who seem utterly fearless as they dive into this tune and the disc's other equally dark and daunting compositions. Insight drives mightily, and Half Is Less Than Half is especially epic, with Perlson offering a solo that is scary in its intensity. While I wouldn't call Avey's compositions singable, they are engrossing because their smart mix of complexity, precision and pounding is so authoritatively executed.
  
  Liebman's heavily chromatic, go-for-the-throat playing suits Avey's absorbing, intriguing material to a tee. His soprano saxophone provides the emotional climax to the slow, majestic In Retreat. Influence is a broad, mysterious and ultimately heated duet, with the young pianist showing all the poise and sensitivity he needs to keep up with Liebman on soprano. The fierce, disc-closing Time Unfolding finds Liebman on tenor, his sound wide and whinnying, ratcheting up the already considerable energy.
  
  Just as Brown's music should leave him in fine standing with Corea (and D'Rivera) fans, Avey's gutsy, intriguing fare should appeal to lovers of outward-bound jazz explorers such as Vijay Iyer and Jason Moran (and Dave Liebman).

Setlist

Typical music performed includes Alex's award-winning original compositions and arrangements.

Basic Requirements

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