Butcher Brown
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Butcher Brown

| Established. Jan 01, 2012 | INDIE

| INDIE
Established on Jan, 2012
Band Jazz Hip Hop

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Art of Cool Fest 2014 - The Rundown"

Once you're done marvelling over their incredible funky sound, the next thing that must astound about Butcher Brown is their incredible output of material. Last year, this quartet released two beloved EPs and an album (all of which are available for free at their website), yet half their set at the Hayti was yet to be released work. Despite this, their performances of these new songs show just as much polish and seamless navigability as songs months older. The greatness of this band isn't only in drummer Corey Fonville's expansiveness, Devonne Harris' Stevie-like feel on the keys in tandem with his limited but perfectly appropriate vocals (imagine all the commentary about Irish folkster Damien Rice except about a really soulful black dude), Keith Askey's pure tone on the guitar, or Andrew Randazzo's ability to hold things down on the bass along with a sense of whimsy (dude totally played "The Lick"), but in how they just never seem to stop. Just as there seems to be no shortage of compositions from these guys, their whole set hardly glanced at the idea of playing a ballad. The throttle was thrown forward and there it stayed for the hour. When trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah guested on "Country Boy" (yet another new song), it seemed almost impossible for the energy to build even higher, until it did. It would be clear that I would have an extremely overt bias talking about this set, but judging from the reaction of those catching this kickoff set at the Hayti on the festival's first proper day, I'd like to think Durham learned a little something about believing the hype (and subsequently copping all they free music these guys have released shortly thereafter, it's the kind of music you want around you all the time). - NextBop.com


"Anthony Dean-Harris' Favorite Jazz Albums of 2013"

If there was a group that seemed to arise inexplicably from a cloud of smoke this year, it would be Richmond, Virginia's Butcher Brown. Of course, the group consisting of drummer Corey Fonville (Christian Scott [aTunde Adjuah] Quintet, the ever-contentious Nicholas Payton), the multi-talented instrumentalist Devonne Harris on keys, guitarist Keith Askey, and bassist Andrew Randazzo didn't truly come from nowhere. Based on the strength of their releases this year (including the just dropped Backtracks LP), these dudes seemed to have been laying in wait, honing their fuzzy, funky sound for just the perfectly chill moment. However, if they were just looking to make a splash with their dual EPs, A-Sides and B-Sides, they overshot the mark a tad, ultimately releasing the best joint album this year. You've heard me say it all before-- they're like if Madlib's Yesterday's New Quintet sprouted four more heads, they're like a jam session in a cloud, they're almost too cool. All these praises apply and more. - NextBop.com


"NPR - A Blog Supreme: The Art of Cool - Five Bands at the Borders of Jazz"

Two hours up the Interstate from Durham is Jellowstone, the Richmond, Va., home recording studio of Butcher Brown. The young quartet traffics in loose, groove-based instrumentals, often laid-back and with a healthy dose of boom-boom-chick. Perhaps the '70s movie-soundtrack vibes come from the fact that Butcher Brown is a rhythm section, with drums (Corey Fonville), bass (Andrew Randazzo), guitar (Keith Askey) and a keyboard player (Devonne Harris) who moonlights as a hip-hop producer (a.k.a. DJ Harrison). The band has a recording with trumpeter Nicholas Payton in the can; it also has an album it's offering as a free download. "Linen Suits" is a song on that record, Backtracks, featuring trumpeter-turned-saxophonist Marcus Tenney and NO BS! Brass Band co-founder Reggie Pace playing auxiliary percussion. - NPR


"Inaugural Art of Cool Fest Enlivens Durham, N.C."

The Virginia-based group Butcher Brown was the first of many acts to perform in the recently restored Hayti Heritage Center, a former AME church that retains its rows of pews and stained glass windows. On Friday night, the group’s original, groove-based compositions like “Georgia Avenue” pushed the boundaries of jazz.

Butcher Brown is comprised of musicians Devonne Harris (aka DJ Harrison) on keyboard, guitarist Keith Askey and Andrew Randazzo on bass. Rounding out the quartet is drummer Corey Fonville, known for his work with trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, who sat in with the group as a guest. His siren trumpet calls were a powerful addition to the group’s sound. - DownBeat Magazine


Discography

A- Sides (2013) - butcherbrown.com

B-Sides  (2013) - butcherbrown.com

Backtracks (2013) - butcherbrown.com

Numbers by Nicholas Payton (2014) - Backing Band - Nicholas Payton Sound Cloud

All Purpose Music (scheduled release - fall 2014)

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Bio

Butcher Brown — the Richmond, VA, quartet of multi-instrumentalist Devonne Harris AKA DJ Harrison on keys here, Keith Askey on guitar, Andrew Randazzo on bass and Corey Fonville on drums (who is as great here as he is with Christian Scott’s quintet) — is one of the most uproariously good bands to break onto the scene in recent memory. Their free EPs, a & b-sides, have a replay value that two works gotten for free from the internet just shouldn’t sensibly have. This group is good, too good, like if Madlib’s solo-jazz project, Yesterday’s New Quintet, suddenly sprouted three more heads. They’re cool without trying. They’re funky but not cheesy. They sound like a jam session in a cloud. – Anthony Dean-Harris (Nextbop.com)

Band Members