Hugh Brown
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Hugh Brown

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"Full Circle Cd Review"

Artist:: Hugh Brown Album:: Full Circle Label:: Hugh Brown Music
Year:: 2003Review by :: Wes Gillespie
Canadian jazz guitarist Hugh Brown has been through the mill, around the track and back again, his arrival to the jazz genre was like the road of many artists via, pop, rock, classical but like many before him his musical ship docked and anchored in the most expressive sub genre of them all.
Hugh was always a musician first and began playing guitar at school in the Canadian Maritimes and spent 12 years playing as a studio musician for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Hugh has focused his study of jazz guitar since the early 90's homing in on the jazz guitar greats of Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and Mickey Baker but also with jazz à la carte courtesy of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and
the legendary Jim Hall.

'Full Circle' represents an album of original compositions which was released at the Club Cosmo, Moncton, New Brunswick in May 2003 with three long time musicians and is a culmination of experience, study and improvisation. I grew up listening to to the mainstream guitars of Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell and Mundell Lowe as well as the wonderful George Benson and O'Donnel Levy.
This album is straight from those wonderful heydays of contemporary recordings and the 'live feel' adds to the enjoyment with Hugh exchanging centre stage with trumpeter Roland Bourgeois, the listener can sit back and be taken to the venue and really 'feel' the experience.
From the opening 'Scat' which also offers the rhythm section of Marty Melanson on acoustic bass and Charles Goguen on drums the interaction that a quartet like this must have to retain a full sound. The freedom of the rhythm players leads to a dazzling interaction by all four musicians and they blend seamlessly like a velvet gown. Hugh is now an all rounded accomplished jazz guitarist playing beautiful chord progressions and riffs and 'Full Circle' is the perfect platform to listen to 'pure' jazz guitar. The mid tempo 'Trane Wreck' highlights his abilty to expand on a theme and improvise whilst Marty and Charles provide the creativity behind the scenes on a track which hits the preverbial venerable spot. Hugh and the band provide us with some Latin rhythms on the free flowing 'Spanish Samba' with the trumpet of Roland Bourgeois setting the scene for Hugh's Al di Meola styled interjection on this stunning cut. I particularly like his Barney Kessel / Mundell Lowe feel on tracks like 'Sympatico' and 'Expresso' which highlight's his penchant for freeform playing and offers a series of rhythmically succinct ideas. 'Something In Blue' is a tribute to Miles' 'Kind Of Blue' set and Roland's trumpet provides the melody line on this late night reverent tribute. 'Minor Steps' is right up the Kenny Burrell street and reminds me of those great albums he recorded with Jimmy Smith back in the late sixties and early seventies, it has a distinct blues feel to it and Hugh's previous experience with other musical genres is evident here as is the case in 'Funk To Go' which is a Johnny Guitar Watson / Curtis Mayfield excursion into that great seventies funk and soul era. Hugh Brown is a man on a mission and 'Full Circle' may have been a better title for his 20th CD in 40 years time but this one will do very nicely for now and will enchant any mainstream jazz guitar fans. Musicians : Hugh Brown - Guitar, Marty Melanson - Acoustic Bass, Charles Goguen - Drums, Roland Bourgeois - Trumpet Track Listing : 1. Scat, 2. Sky, 3. Trane Wreck, 4. Spanish Samba, 5. Sympatico, 6. Espresso, 7. Something In Blue, 8. Minor Steps, 9. Mozambacadian, 10,Funk To Go, 11. Pent Up Tonic, 12. 19 Years.

- EuroClubdeJazz


"From the Front - Grant Kerr"

Highlights of the weekend included Moncton jazz guitarist Hugh Brown at the 72-hour jam, playing a short but stunning set of standards and originals. special props to Hub City singer Kim Rayworth who joined Mr. Brown, drummer Charlie goguen and bass player Marty Melanson on an unforgettable version of the old chestnut, Misty, which was made brand new. - Telegraph Journal


"East Coast Music Awards- Grant Kerr"

Moncton jazz guitarist Hugh Brown wowed a small Dooley's crowd with his original compositions, beautiful fluid playing and swinging sound. - Telegraph Journal


Discography

Live @ Little Louis' released November 25, 2007. A collection of well loved standards, latin influenced instrumentals and romantic ballads both instrumental and vocal - recorded live on Feb 14, 2007. For more information on this release please go to www.cdbaby.com/hughbrown

Full Circle - 2003 Twelve original compositions ranging from latin to be-bop to modern to agressive jazz. Nominated for "Jazz Recording of the Year" for ECMA 2004.

.

Review:
Artist:: Hugh BrownAlbum:: Full Circle Label:: Hugh Brown Music
Year:: 2003Review by :: Wes Gillespie http://www.euroclubdejazz.com/contwesgillespie.htm

Canadian jazz guitarist Hugh Brown has been through the mill, around the track and back again, his arrival to the jazz genre was like the road of many artists via, pop, rock, classical but like many before him his musical ship docked and anchored in the most expressive sub genre of them all.
Hugh was always a musician first and began playing guitar at school in the Canadian Maritimes and spent 12 years playing as a studio musician for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Hugh has focused his study of jazz guitar since the early 90's homing in on the jazz guitar greats of Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and Mickey Baker but also with jazz à la carte courtesy of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and
the legendary Jim Hall.

'Full Circle' represents an album of original compositions which was released at the Club Cosmo, Moncton, New Brunswick in May 2003 with three long time musicians and is a culmination of experience, study and improvisation. I grew up listening to to the mainstream guitars of Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell and Mundell Lowe as well as the wonderful George Benson and O'Donnel Levy.
This album is straight from those wonderful heydays of contemporary recordings and the 'live feel' adds to the enjoyment with Hugh exchanging centre stage with trumpeter Roland Bourgeois, the listener can sit back and be taken to the venue and really 'feel' the experience.
From the opening 'Scat' which also offers the rhythm section of Marty Melanson on acoustic bass and Charles Goguen on drums the interaction that a quartet like this must have to retain a full sound. The freedom of the rhythm players leads to a dazzling interaction by all four musicians and they blend seamlessly like a velvet gown. Hugh is now an all rounded accomplished jazz guitarist playing beautiful chord progressions and riffs and 'Full Circle' is the perfect platform to listen to 'pure' jazz guitar. The mid tempo 'Trane Wreck' highlights his abilty to expand on a theme and improvise whilst Marty and Charles provide the creativity behind the scenes on a track which hits the preverbial venerable spot. Hugh and the band provide us with some Latin rhythms on the free flowing 'Spanish Samba' with the trumpet of Roland Bourgeois setting the scene for Hugh's Al di Meola styled interjection on this stunning cut. I particularly like his Barney Kessel / Mundell Lowe feel on tracks like 'Sympatico' and 'Expresso' which highlight's his penchant for freeform playing and offers a series of rhythmically succinct ideas. 'Something In Blue' is a tribute to Miles' 'Kind Of Blue' set and Roland's trumpet provides the melody line on this late night reverent tribute. 'Minor Steps' is right up the Kenny Burrell street and reminds me of those great albums he recorded with Jimmy Smith back in the late sixties and early seventies, it has a distinct blues feel to it and Hugh's previous experience with other musical genres is evident here as is the case in 'Funk To Go' which is a Johnny Guitar Watson / Curtis Mayfield excursion into that great seventies funk and soul era. Hugh Brown is a man on a mission and 'Full Circle' may have been a better title for his 20th CD in 40 years time but this one will do very nicely for now and will enchant any mainstream jazz guitar fans. Musicians : Hugh Brown - Guitar, Marty Melanson - Acoustic Bass, Charles Goguen - Drums, Roland Bourgeois - Trumpet Track Listing : 1. Scat, 2. Sky, 3. Trane Wreck, 4. Spanish Samba, 5. Sympatico, 6. Espresso, 7. Something In Blue, 8. Minor Steps, 9. Mozambacadian, 10,Funk To Go, 11. Pent Up Tonic, 12. 19 Years.

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Bio

Beginning in his early teens Hugh was in many bands playing the popular music of the day and loving it. He soon discovered jazz and found that for him, like one tuning fork setting off another, this music resonated in him as a world of expression he related to. Hugh still loves all kinds of music but if we must use boxes and labels, "jazz" is the one closest to his heart.

In the early '70's, Hugh and a group of like minded musicians formed the "All Jazz Quartet". They were fortunate that in an age when rock and pop were in vogue they were able to play the music they loved. Living in New Brunswick, not exactly being the "jazz mecca" of the world, necessitated Hugh playing professionally in many styles, pop bands, blues bands, country bands and Acadian traditional to name but a few. He played jazz when he could. Hugh was fortunate to be a studio musician for both radio and television with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Canada for a period of twelve years during the 70's and 80's.

He has been a professional musician all of his adult life and is frequently called upon for studio and special presentations. In early 2003 Hugh recorded his premier offering "Full Circle" which is comprised of 12 original compositions in styles ranging from latin to be-bop to modern to aggressive jazz. The recording was nominated for "Jazz Recording of the Year" for the 2004 East Coast Music Awards, a nationally broadcast and internationally attended event. He and his trio have just released their second recording, Live @ Little Louis' on November 25, 2007

In August 2004 and again in July 2006, Hugh was thrilled to be invited to perform for President Clinton during his brief stop in Nova Scotia. Hugh was again invited to perform in 2005 for the Canadian Ambassador to the US, Frank McKenna and his guest, the US Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins.

Festival appearances include 2006 Atlantic Jazz Festival with Georges Hebert in 2006, Festival ReFlux 2007, St John's Jazz Festival 2007 Atlantic Showcase and 2007 Harvest Jazz & Blues Espace Musique Backstage Jazz series. Hugh can be seen performing weekly with a variety of musicians at venues in Moncton, NB and is currently available for national and international bookings.

JAZZ STYLE
In Hugh's own words :-

" When I first began learning jazz and playing standards I would learn the head, melody notes alone, some chords with the melody on top, and chords comping in between. I had been doing this for awhile then I heard Ed Bickert. He did beautifully what I was aiming for. Then Jim Hall, Lenny Breau of course and also the piano players such as Bill Evans. I loved these styles but would not buy transcribed books to play note for note, chord for chord what they did. When listening, I would again close my eyes and be taken with the music alone and not let the technique or note selection be my focus. I would then sit down and work out a tune and my own ideas, influenced of course by these greats. I know many musicians learn transcribed solos by the greats as a learning tool but it never appealed to me. I wanted to get to the point where solos came from instantaneous ideas and bouncing them back and forth with other musicians.
What I did do was learn and practice all the scales, major & minor, melodic minor & modes, diminished, etc….all positions of the finger board and traveling from position to position. I finally got a decent grasp but this almost backfired to the opposite of what I had intended! I found myself turning into a scale machine, a glib change runner. I felt empty, I had left the searching for the right note behind somewhere. I went back to basing solos on chordal thinking and connections, along with the melody of the tune itself never being abandoned altogether. Anyway, I now play using a balance of all these things and beyond all the analysis of how I play. It boils down to what Bird said about just learn all your scales, chords and stuff…then just forget it all and play!

I close my eyes, get an idea and play! What style? I don't know! I think radio airplay calls it something between smooth, cool and modern jazz. I just play.