Brian Browne

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Brian Browne
Background information
Born(1937-03-16)March 16, 1937
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedJune 5, 2018(2018-06-05) (aged 81)
Kanata, Ontario, Canada
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1956–2018
LabelsCapitol, RCA Victor, JazzImage, Triplet
WebsiteOfficial website

Brian Browne (March 16, 1937 – June 5, 2018) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Browne moved to Ottawa as a teenager and was playing professionally by the age of eighteen. Though largely self-taught, Browne attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and later studied with Oscar Peterson at Peterson's Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto.[1]

Browne rose to prominence in the Canadian jazz scene in the early 1960s, performing in popular jazz venues in Ottawa and Toronto, and appearing in national weekly CBC Radio programs Adventures in Rhythm, The Browne Beat, Nightcap, Jazz Canada and others.[2]

His group, the Brian Browne Trio, performed as the house band on the CTV musical variety program The River Inn.[3] In 1969 Browne appeared as one of four featured pianists, including Bill Evans, Erroll Garner and Marian McPartland, on the CBC television special The Jazz Piano.[4]

He recorded with Canadian singer Anne Murray on her albums This Way is My Way and Honey, Wheat and Laughter and appeared on her subsequent CBC television special.[5] His original piece "Morning, Noon and Nighttime, too" was awarded BMI Song of the Year in 1971. The Brian Browne Trio has included other notable Canadian musicians Skip Beckwith, Donald Vickery, Paul Novotny, Barry Elmes, Michel Donato, and Archie Alleyne.[citation needed]

Browne has recorded 11 albums on Capitol Records,[6] RCA Victor, CBC JazzImage, and Sea Jam Recordings (now Triplet Records). He died of lung and tracheal cancer on June 5, 2018.[7]

Discography[edit]

Year recorded Title Label Personnel/Notes
The Toronto Scene RCA Victor Trio, with Pearson "Skip" Beckwith (bass), Donald Vickery (drums)
Listen, People! RCA Victor Trio, with Pearson "Skip" Beckwith (bass), Donald Vickery (drums)
1969? The Letter Trio, with Pearson "Skip" Beckwith (bass), Bruce Philp (percussion)
1970s Live at the Park Plaza Bread Trio, with Terry Browne (bass), Doug Johnston (drums)
Beatles Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Trio
1986 Odyssey Solo piano; in concert
2001? Tramps Trio, with Paul Novotny (bass), Barry Elmes (drums); in concert
Blue Browne Sea Jam Trio
Quiet Night Trio, with Paul Novotny (bass), Barry Elmes (drums)
Christmas Solo piano
The Erindale Sessions Trio, with Paul Novotny (bass), Daniel Barnes (drums)
Brian Browne Trio at the National Arts Centre Trio, with Paul Novotny (bass), Daniel Barnes (drums); in concert; DVD also released

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Opinion - Blogs - Our blogs have moved!". Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  2. ^ CBC Television Series, 1952-82 Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "River Inn" – via www.imdb.com.
  4. ^ "Opinion - Blogs - Our blogs have moved!". Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  5. ^ "Ottawa Citizen - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  6. ^ The 6000 Series Of 33 1/3 RPM (LP) Vinyl Discs (1960 through 1987) Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Canadian jazz 'original' Brian Browne dies at 81 - CBC News".