Tom Browne
@ the PizzaExpresss Jazz Club
2 September 2016
Click an image to enlarge.
Biography
Browne began to carve a path for his musical future
early on, studying via scholarship under Murray Karpilovsky (principal
trumpeter with the NBC Orchestra directed by Arturo Toscanini.)
A student at the co-joined High School of Music and Art / Performing
Arts in New York (renowned courtesy of the motion picture entitled
"Fame,") Browne became a regular on the New York jazz
scene and had the fortune of learning first hand from masters like
Jimmy Nottingham, Richard Williams, Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard.
Browne soon played his first pro level performances as sideman to
jazz greats Weldon Irvine and Sonny Fortune for which he earned
domestic and international recognition. It was no surprise that
Downbeat Magazine would single out his ‘warm trumpet’
during the review of Fortunes' 1976 “Infinity Is” album.
Then in 1978, Browne led a traditional jazz quintet
at the Breezin’ Lounge, an uptown New York nightclub indirectly
affiliated with George Benson. Through contacts made by Jimmy Boyd
( Bensons’ former and Browne’s subsequent manager) and
guitar legend Earl Klugh, Browne was offered several solo recording
contracts and ultimately signed with Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen
on the newly formed GRP Record label. There he recorded six solo
projects including several hits. His debut release “Browne
Sugar” (1979) dominated the jazz charts for many weeks while
“Love Approach” (1980) and “Magic” (1981)
each earned gold album status and spawned hits like “Funkin'
For Jamaica,” “Thighs High” and “Secret
Fantasy.”
Browne went on to win prestigious Billboard honours
of Best Instrumentalist, Best Jazz Cross-Over, Best Jazz Artist-Trumpet
and Best Jazz Solo Album.
In 1986, Browne opted for a label change, primarily
because his new found walk as an evangelical Christian redirected
much of lyrical expression found in works on the previous labels.
A recording was produced for Malaco Records that reflected his inner
spirit. That CD was called “No Longer I.”
While still performing, Brownes primary career
path shifted towards another love; commercial aviation. Browne flew
for many years as a charter and airline captain, most recently with
a FedEx Feeder Company on ATR72 and Fokker F-27 aircraft.
Tom Browne re-emerged in a solid recording career
in 1994, recording for the Hip-Bop Record Label. There, He released
his first in a series of recordings for Hip Bop entitled “Mo'
Jamaica Funk.” Subsequent releases for the label include “Another
Shade of Browne” which features him in a ‘straight-ahead
jazz’ setting with Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad and Billy Childs
(1996) and “R & Browne” (1999) which received outstanding
‘Jazziz Magazine’ reviews. Tom performs here with label
mates Lenny White and Michael Urbaniak. In 2003, Hip Bop released
“The Tom Browne Collection” which let the listening
audience know that Browne is doing well and playing better than
ever! On August 31, 2010, Pony Canyon Records released his excitement
filled CD entitled “S’ Up” to the Japanese market
only. The recording features Fred Wesley and Groove Collective.
His new recording entitled “Legacy” is due out at the
end of 2015, and captures not only Browne’s fiery and funky
trumpet and horn section work, but also the sizzling vocals of talented
and beautiful Ms. Joyce San Mateo, a Netherlands based Filipino
singer.
Today, Tom Browne can be found on tour regularly
as a solo act, or packaged with artists like Roy Ayers and Boney
James.
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