Damon Brown

b. 24 December 1965, Manchester, Lancashire, England. A skilled trumpeter, Brown studied at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Although centred in jazz, his influences and his repertoire display his awareness of many forms of music: classical, pop, contemporary dance, reggae, soul. Among artists and groups with whom he has worked, including in some instances making international tours, are Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker, Maxi Priest, Push, trombonist Rico Rodriguez and Paul Weller. At times, Brown’s playing suggests that he is essentially rooted in the hard bop tradition. He plays with a warmth and fluidity that allows him to find considerable variations from the norm, therefore making his work worthy of careful attention. His thoughtful and inventive playing always demonstrates his ability to find greater depths. This is especially noticeable when he plays flügelhorn, the slightly softer sound being admirably suited to his emotional reading of ballads. Brown’s playing skills are such that he is able to blend his seemingly disparate influences and create original and entertaining contemporary music that defies pigeonholing. A gifted composer, Brown’s own music forms a high proportion of his repertoire. In 2002, he toured with his International Quintet, the other members being American pianist Bruce Barth, fellow Briton Mark Hodgson on bass, drummer Stephen Keogh from Eire, and the Spanish saxophonist Perico Sambeat. He also plays with saxophonist Ed Jones in Killer Shrimp.