Lawrence Brown (August 3, 1907 – September 5, 1988) was a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

from

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

best remembered for his work with the

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

orchestra. He was a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

throughout his career, and also recorded albums under his own name.

Early life

Lawrence Brown was born on August 3, 1907, in

Lawrence, Kansas Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, Douglas County, Kansas, United States, and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas River, Kansas and Waka ...

. When Brown was about six or seven years old in 1914 his family moved to

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the ...

. He began playing the violin at a young age, but quickly grew tired of it and turned to playing the tuba in his school's band. Brown came from a musical background. His father was a preacher at the

African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

, where he often sang as a part of his sermons. Brown’s mother played the organ and the piano. Brown discovered the trombone while doing janitorial work at his father’s church. He stated that he wanted to replicate the sound of cello on a trombone.

Career

Brown began his career with

Charlie Echols Charlie Echols was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He led several California-based dance bands in the 1930s that featured a large number of important early jazz and swing sidemen. Almost nothing is known of Echols's own life, includin ...

and Paul Howard. In 1932, Brown joined

's band. His great technical command of the instrument, with its "creamy tone, neurotic

vibrato Vibrato ( Italian, from past participle of " vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms ...

and range" was featured with Ellington's band every year in compositions such as "Blue Cellophane" and "Golden Cress." He left Ellington's band in 1951 to join a band led by former Ellington

sideman A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform live with a solo artist, or with a group in which they are not a regular band member. The term is usually used to describe musicians that play with jazz or rock artists, whether solo ...

Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...

, where he stayed until 1955. After leaving Hodges, Brown took a position for five years with

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

as a

session player Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a t ...

. In 1960, he rejoined Ellington and stayed with him until 1970. After leaving Ellington's band the second time at the age of 63, Brown stopped performing. He fulfilled many roles in the Ellington Orchestra—as a

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

eer, technical soloist, and section leader. His highly melodic ballad playing as well as his fast technical style inspired trombonists from

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...

to Bill Harris.

Personal life

Brown was married to Dorothea Bundrant and actress

Fredi Washington Fredericka Carolyn "Fredi" Washington (December 23, 1903 – June 28, 1994) was an American stage and film actress, civil rights activist, performer, and writer. Washington was of African-American descent. She was one of the first black American ...

. He died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

, at the age of 81.

Discography

As leader

* ''Slide Trombone Featuring Lawrence Brown'' (

Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines, which defines the pitc ...

, 1955) * '' Inspired Abandon'' ( Impulse!, 1965)

As sideman

With

* '' Side by Side'' (Verve, 1959) * ''

The Nutcracker Suite ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikov ...

'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''

Paris Blues ''Paris Blues'' is a 1961 American musical romantic drama film directed by Martin Ritt, starring Sidney Poitier as expatriate jazz saxophonist Eddie Cook, and Paul Newman as trombone-playing Ram Bowen. The two men romance two vacationing America ...

'' (United Artists, 1961) * ''

Piano in the Background ''Piano in the Background'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1960.Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins'' (Impulse!, 1963) * '' Afro-Bossa'' (Reprise, 1963) * '' The Great Paris Concert'' (Atlantic, 1963

973 Year 973 ( CMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – The Byzantine army, led by General Melias (Domestic of the S ...

* '' The Symphonic Ellington'' (Reprise, 1963) * ''

Ellington '65 ''Ellington '65'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1964 and released on the Reprise label in 1965.Ella at Duke's Place'' (Verve, 1966) * '' Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * '' The Popular Duke Ellington'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * ''

Far East Suite ''Far East Suite'' is a 1967 concept album by American jazz musician Duke Ellington, inspired by his group's tour of Asia. Ellington and longtime collaborator Billy Strayhorn wrote the compositions. Strayhorn died in May 1967, making ''Far Eas ...

'' (RCA Victor, 1967) * '' Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur'' (Verve, 1967) * '' ...And His Mother Called Him Bill'' (RCA 1968) * '' Second Sacred Concert'' (Fantasy, 1968) * '' Yale Concert'' (Fantasy, 1968

* ''

70th Birthday Concert 70th Birthday Concert may refer to: * 70th Birthday Concert (John Mayall & the Bluesbreaker album) * 70th Birthday Concert (Duke Ellington album) {{dab ...

'' (Solid State, 1970) With

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

* ''Jackie Gleason Presents the Torch with the Blue Flame'' (Capitol, 1958) * ''Presents Opiate D'Amour'' (Capitol, 1960) * ''Jackie Gleason Presents Lazy Lively Love'' (Capitol, 1960) With

* ''Memories of Ellington'' (Norgran, 1954) * ''

Creamy Creamy were a Faroese-Danish teen-pop duo, composed of Rebekka Mathew and Rannva Joensen. Their 1999 debut album, ''Creamy'', made when the pair were just thirteen years of age, was composed of euro-pop versions of children’s songs. In 200 ...

'' (Norgran, 1955) * ''Dance Bash'' (Norgran, 1955) * ''

Ellingtonia '56 ''Ellingtonia '56'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Norgran label.In a Tender Mood'' (Norgran, 1956) * '' Not So Dukish'' (Verve, 1958) * '' Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra'' (Verve, 1962) * '' Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges'' (Impulse!, 1964) * '' Joe's Blues'' (Verve, 1965) * '' Wings & Things'' (Verve, 1965) * '' Blue Pyramid'' (Verve, 1966) * '' Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges in Atlantic City'' (RCA Victor, 1967) * '' Triple Play'' (RCA Victor, 1967) With others *

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

, ''What Is Jazz'' (Columbia, 1956) *

Ruby Braff Reuben "Ruby" Braff (March 16, 1927 – February 9, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Jack Teagarden was once asked about him on the Garry Moore television show and described Ruby as "the Ivy League Louis Armstrong". Braff ...

, ''Braff!!'' (Epic, 1957) *

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

, '' Once Upon a Time'' (Impulse!, 1966) *

Jo Jones Jonathan David Samuel Jones (October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was sometimes ...

, ''The Jo Jones Special'' (Vanguard, 1955) * Frankie Ortega &

Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his ...

, ''77 Sunset Strip and Other Selections'' (Jubilee, 1959) *

Rex Stewart Rex William Stewart Jr. (February 22, 1907 – September 7, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Career As a boy he studied piano and violin; most of his career was spent on cornet. Stewart drop ...

, ''Rex Stewart and the Ellingtonians'' (Riverside, 1960) *

Big Joe Turner Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American singer from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to ...

, ''The Boss of the Blues Sings Kansas City Jazz'' (Atlantic, 1956) * Big Joe Turner, ''Big Joe Rides Again'' (Atlantic, 1960) *

Guy Warren Guy Warren of Ghana, also known as Kofi Ghanaba (4 May 1923 – 22 December 2008), was a Ghanaian musician, best known as the inventor of Afro-jazz — "the reuniting of African-American jazz with its African roots" — and as a member of The T ...

, ''Themes for African Drums'' (RCA Victor, 1959) *

Cootie Williams Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams (July 10, 1911 – September 15, 1985) was an American jazz, jump blues, and rhythm and blues trumpeter. Biography Born in Mobile, Alabama, Williams began his professional career at the age of 14 with the Y ...

& Rex Stewart, ''

The Big Challenge ''The Big Challenge'' is an album by trumpeter Cootie Williams and cornetist Rex Stewart, recorded in 1957 and released on the Jazztone label.Porgy & Bess Revisited ''Porgy & Bess Revisited'', subtitled ''Played by a Very Unusual Cast'', is an album of jazz interpretations of songs from the George Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess performed by cornetist Rex Stewart and trumpeter Cootie Williams, with saxophonists ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1959)

References

External links

* Allmusic review of ''Slide Trombone''
Lawrence Brown recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Lawrence 1907 births 1988 deaths African-American jazz musicians American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Swing trombonists Jazz musicians from California Duke Ellington Orchestra members Impulse! Records artists American session musicians 20th-century American musicians 20th-century trombonists American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians