Cameron Brown (musician)

{{short description|American jazz double bassist|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Cameron Brown

| image = Cameron Brown Unterfahrt 2010-01-19-001.jpg

| image_size =

| landscape =

| caption = Brown at the jazz club Unterfahrt, Munich, January 20, 2010

| birth_name = Cameron Langdon Brown

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|12|21|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, United States

| genre = Jazz

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Double bass

| years_active =

| label =

| associated_acts = Don Pullen, George Russell, George Adams, Dewey Redman, Joe Lovano, Art Blakey, The 360 Degree Music Experience, Dannie Richmond, Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, Mal Waldron

| website =

}}

Cameron Langdon Brown (born December 21, 1945) is an American jazz double bassist known for his association with the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet.{{cite web|title=Cameron Brown {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cameron-brown-mn0000645255|website=AllMusic|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-date=14 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414173703/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cameron-brown-mn0000645255|url-status=live}}

Biography

Cameron started studying music at age 10, first on piano, later on clarinet. But, drawn to the bass, he found himself playing a tin bass in a student dance band. As an exchange student in Europe, he worked with George Russell's Sextet{{Cite web|title=Review: At Beethoven Hall|first=Scott|last=Yanow|publisher=Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r146741|access-date=2010-09-18|archive-date=2023-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110192633/https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-beethoven-hall-mw0000867173|url-status=live}} and Big Band for one year and played with Don Cherry, Aldo Romano, Booker Ervin, and Donald Byrd. In 1966 he returned to graduate at Columbia College, Columbia University (1969, B.A. in Sociology).{{Cite web|last=Katz|first=Jamie|date=Summer 2012|title=The Jazzman Testifies|url=https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/may_jun09/cover_story|access-date=December 12, 2020|website=Columbia College Today|archive-date=September 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916105308/https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/may_jun09/cover_story|url-status=live}}

In 1974, Brown met Sheila Jordan, gigged with free jazz pioneers Roswell Rudd and Beaver Harris, joined Archie Shepp's quintet in 1975, and recorded with Harris' and The 360 Degree Music Experience around that time.

The famous Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, with him and drummer Dannie Richmond,{{Cite web|title =Don Pullen: Mosaic Select 13|first =Nils|last =Jacobson|publisher =All About Jazz|url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=16221|date =2005-01-18|access-date =2010-09-18|archive-date =2013-05-23|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130523233033/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=16221|url-status =live}} developed into an intense and rewarding partnership which lasted during the 1980s. In addition to this quartet, Brown played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and various groups led by Shepp, Cherry, Rudd, and Richmond. He has also performed and recorded with Ted Curson, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Joe Lovano, Mal Waldron, Ricky Ford, Steve Grossman, Betty Carter and the John Hicks Trio, Etta Jones and Jane Ira Bloom.

Brown has appeared on more than 200 recordings. His first recording as a leader, after nearly 40 years of performing, was published in 2003 with his group The Hear and Now featuring Dewey Redman.{{Cite web |title =Here and Now: Credits |publisher =Allmusic |url =https://www.allmusic.com/album/r662013/credits |access-date =2010-09-18 |archive-date =2023-11-10 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20231110192634/https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-and-how-mw0000693883#credits |url-status =live }}

In addition to playing gigs and touring nationally and internationally, Brown is currently teaching jazz double bass at Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, New York, as well as offering private lessons. The musician also substitute teaches music theory classes at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.

Discography

=As leader=

  • Spring Cleaning (VKH, 1992)
  • Here and How (Omnitone, 2003)
  • Celebration: Live at the Triad (HighNote, 2005)
  • Here and How, Vol. 2 (Omnitone, 2008)
  • Black Nile (Radiosnj, 2011)
  • Is That So? (Stunt, 2014){{cite web|title=Cameron Brown {{!}} Album Discography {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cameron-brown-mn0000645255/discography|website=AllMusic|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-date=19 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119120459/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cameron-brown-mn0000645255/discography|url-status=live}}

=As sideman=

With Archie Shepp

  • A Sea of Faces, 1975
  • Montreux Two, 1975
  • Montreux, Vol. 1, 1975
  • Montreux, Vols. 1 & 2, 1975
  • U-Jaama (Unite) (1975)
  • Steam, 1976
  • The Rising Sun Collection, 1977
  • Parisian Concert, Vol. 1, 1996
  • Tomorrow Will Be Another Day, 2003
  • Gemini, 2007

With Dannie Richmond

With Connie Crothers

  • New York Night 1989
  • In Motion 1991
  • Love Energy 1992
  • Jazz Spring 1993
  • Session 1997

With George Russell

With George Adams & Don Pullen

With Houston Person

With Dewey Redman

With Mal Waldron

With Jack Walrath

With Joe Lovano

With Jon Lucien

  • Mind's Eye 1974
  • Song for My Lady 1975

With Sheila Jordan

  • Confirmation 1975
  • I've Grown Accustomed to the Bass 2000

With Salvatore Bonafede

  • Actor Actress 1990
  • Plays Gershwin 1993

With Steve Slagle

  • Reincarnation 1994
  • New New York 2000

=With others=

References

{{Reflist}}