Chris Brown (born 1953) is an American composer,

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, j ...

and

electronic musician ''Electronic Musician'' is a monthly magazine published by Future US featuring articles on synthesizers, music production and electronic musicians. History and profile ''Electronic Musician'' began as ''Polyphony'' magazine in 1975, publis ...

, who creates music for acoustic instruments with interactive electronics, for computer networks, and for improvising ensembles. He was active early in his career as an inventor and builder of electroacoustic instruments; he has also performed widely as an improviser and pianist with groups as "

Room In a building or large vehicle, like a ship, a room is any enclosed space within a number of walls to which entry is possible only via a door or other dividing structure that connects it to either a passageway, another room, or the outdoors, that ...

" and the "

Glenn Spearman Glenn Spearman (February 14, 1947 – October 8, 1998) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was associated with free jazz and experimental music. Spearman was active in Oakland, California, in the late 1960s but moved to Paris in 1972 an ...

Double Trio." In 1986 he co-founded the pioneering computer network music ensemble "The Hub". He is also known for his recorded performances of music by

Henry Cowell Henry Dixon Cowell (; March 11, 1897 – December 10, 1965) was an American composer, writer, pianist, publisher and teacher. Marchioni, Tonimarie (2012)"Henry Cowell: A Life Stranger Than Fiction" ''The Juilliard Journal''. Retrieved 19 June 20 ...

, Luc Ferrari, and

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jazz ...

. He has received commissions from the Berkeley Symphony, the Rova Saxophone Quartet, the

Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio The Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio is a trio, formed in 1984,William Winant
, ''ArtSites.UCSC.edu' ...

, the Gerbode Foundation, the Phonos Foundation and the Creative Work Fund. His recent music includes the poly-rhythm installation "Talking Drum", the "Inventions" series for computers and interactive performers, and the radio performance "Transmissions" series, with composer Guillermo Galindo. His 1992 electroacoustic work "Lava", for brass, percussion, and electronics is produced by

Tzadik Records Tzadik Records is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a ...

. He teaches Composition and Electronic Music at

Mills College Mills College at Northeastern University is a private college in Oakland, California and part of Northeastern University's global university system. Mills College was founded as the Young Ladies Seminary in 1852 in Benicia, California; it was r ...

in Oakland, where he is co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music (CCM).

Discography

* 1980 "Earwig" with instrument builder Tom Nunn, cassette released by Essential Recordings, 16mm film by Eric Marin. * 1985 Wayne Horvitz: '' Dinner at Eight'' (Dossier) * 1989 "Snakecharmer" Live Electroacoustic Music by Chris Brown, Artifact Recordings, CD. * 1989 "Room", Sound Aspects, CD. * 1989 " The Hub: Computer Network Music" Artifact Recordings, CD. * 1991 "The Virtuoso in the Computer Age -- I: CDCM Computer Music Series, vol. 10", piano performance, Centaur Records, CD * 1992 Room: "Hall of Mirrors", Music and Arts. CD. * 1993

Double Trio: "

Mystery Project ''Mystery Project'' is the first album by American jazz saxophonist Glenn Spearman Double Trio, which was recorded in 1992 and released on the Italian Black Saint label. Background The concept of the Double Trio was born at Oakland Improvisers F ...

", piano and electronics performance, Black Saint, CD. * 1994 "Music from the CCM at

: CDCM Computer Music Series, vol. 17", Centaur Records, CD. * 1994

Double Trio: "

Smokehouse A smokehouse (North American) or smokery (British) is a building where meat or fish is cured with smoke. The finished product might be stored in the building, sometimes for a year or more.

", piano performance, Black Saint, CD. * 1994 The Hub: "Wreckin' Ball", Computer Network Music, Artifact Recordings, CD. * 1995 "Conductions #11" by Butch Morris, original instruments performance, New World, CD. * 1995 "In C" by

Terry Riley Terrence Mitchell "Terry" Riley (born June 24, 1935) is an American composer and performing musician best known as a pioneer of the minimalist school of composition. Influenced by jazz and Indian classical music, his music became notable for it ...

The 25th Anniversary Performance, keyboard performance,

New Albion Records New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

, CD. * 1995 "Lava" by Chris Brown, for brass, percussion and live electronics,

Tzadik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...

, CD. * 1996 "Duets", by Chris Brown, with Tom Nunn, William Winant, Ikue Mori, and Tom Djll, Artifact Recordings, CD. * 1996 Larry Ochs "The Secret Magritte", piano performance in ensemble including the Rova Saxophone Quartet, Marilyn Crispell, Barry Guy, Lisle Ellis, and William Winant, Black Saint, CD. * 1996 Glenn Spearman '' The Fields'', Black Saint * 1997 Rova's 1995 Live Recording of

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and rai ...

's "Ascension", piano performance in large ensemble including the Rova Saxophone Quartet, Black Saint, CD. * 1998 "Cellule 75", piano performance with William Winant, percussion of Luc Ferrari's composition, Tzadik CD. * 1998 "Non Stop Flight", electronic performance with The Hub on this live recording by the

Deep Listening Band The Deep Listening Band (DLB) was founded in 1988 by Pauline Oliveros ( accordion, "expanded instrument system", composition), Stuart Dempster (trombone, didjeridu, composition) and Panaiotis ( vocals, electronics, composer). David Gamper (key ...

, Music & Arts, CD. * 1999 "New Music: Piano Compositions by Henry Cowell", piano performances by Chris Brown, New Albion Records, CD. * 1999 "Waves", composition and performance with Philip Gelb, shakuhachi on "between/waves", Sparkling Beatnik, CD. * 1999 Glenn Spearman's "Blues for Falasha", piano performance with the Glenn Spearman Double Trio, Tzadik, CD. * 2000 ''

Xu Feng Hsu Feng (born 17 December 1950) is a Taiwanese-born actress and film producer. In the 1970s she was one of the leading actresses of the cinemas of Hong Kong and Taiwan, particularly known for her roles in wuxia films and her work with direc ...

'', electronics performance with a sextet of

’s game piece, Tzadik, CD. * 2001 " fuzzybunny", live electronic improvisations with the trio by the same name which also includes Tim Perkis and Scot Gresham-Lancaster,

Sonore A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...

, CD. * 2001 "Oasis", opening track of a live computer music performance titled "knottyspine", on a compilation of music by composers from Mills College, including

Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock ...

Pauline Oliveros Pauline Oliveros (May 30, 1932 – November 24, 2016) was an American composer, accordionist and a central figure in the development of post-war experimental and electronic music. She was a founding member of the San Francisco Tape Music Ce ...

, Maggi Payne, John Bischoff, and Alvin Curran, CD. *2001 "Talking Drum", binaural recordings of live electronic installations, and location recordings of traditional music and environmental soundscapes,

, CD. * 2002 "Branches", recordings of "Invention#7", and "Alternating Currents", on Ecstatic Peace, LP. * 2002 "Transmission Temescal", binaural recording of installation of 20 boomboxes and clock radios on the decks of the Artship, the Artship Recordings, disc 47. * 2002 "Water", live electronics with Philip Gelb, shakuhachi, on "Visions: Performances form the EMIT series compilation CD. * 2003 "Headlands - Natto Quartet", extended piano improvisations with Philip Gelb, shakuhachi; Shoko Hikage, koto; and Tim Perkis, electronics, on 482 Music, CD. *''

Electric Ascension ''Electric Ascension'' is a live album by Rova::Orchestrova, the American ensemble Rova Saxophone Quartet along with additional musicians, performing an interpretation of John Coltrane's 1966 album '' Ascension''. The album was recorded in Califor ...

'' by Rova::Orchestrova, the Rova Saxophone Quartet augmented by a group of electronic musicians (Atavistic, 2005) * 2005 "Rogue Wave", by Chris Brown electronic and acoustic compositions "Rogue Wave", "Transmission Tenderloin", "Retroscan", "Flies", "Cloudsteams/Bellwethers" and "Alternating Currents" . With Eddie Def, William Winant, Julie Steinberg et al. * 2007 "Cutter Heads", Piano and Electronics; with

, acoustic and electric guitar, Intakt Records, CD. * 2016 "Six Primes", Piano, New World Records, CD.

References

Chris Brown
YBCA profile

Intakt Records short biography

External links

Official Website
* Golden, Barbara. “Conversation with Chris Brown.�

(April 2010). Montréal: CEC.
Once Upon a Time in CA.
A podcast, curated by Chris Brown fo
Ràdio Web MACBA
documenting the experimental music on the West Coast in the 1980s. {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Chris 1953 births 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 20th-century classical composers 21st-century American composers 21st-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century classical composers American classical composers American classical pianists American contemporary classical composers American electronic musicians American male classical composers American male classical pianists Contemporary classical music performers Intakt Records artists Living people Mills College faculty