8 minute read
Norman Brown
from May 2018
GRAMMY-winning guitarist riffs on multiple touring ensembles and inspires a new generation of musicians globally
By Ken Capobianco
Jazz guitarist Norman Brown has been on a journey toward spiritual enlightenment over the past few years, and he is determined to take his listeners along as he continues to grow and learn more about the meaning of the universe and his place in it. His last album from 2017, Let It Go was a carefully crafted and executed song cycle about personal development and understanding. It featured Brown’s unmistakable lucid and breezy guitar work, fluid melodies and richly conceived songs. With guests Chante Moore and his daughters, collectively known as Sisters of Unbreakable Love (S.O.U.L.), Brown weaved together tracks that trace an individual’s spiritual development and movement toward greater self-awareness. It was an outgrowth of the guitarist’s own search for truth, purpose and spiritual renewal. “We all need to look within to find our truth and our spirit voice, which we often don’t pay attention to,” Brown said recently via phone. “It’s something I’ve been doing in my own life, and my music reflects this. It’s all part of a process, and the music is a product of what I’ve been thinking about over the past few years.” The 47-year-old GRAMMY winner, who also plays with Kirk Whalum and Rick Braun in the supergroup BWB, said Let It Go, his ninth solo studio album, had special meaning for him as he continues his quest for personal growth and spiritual insight. “Let It Go really was a pivotal record for me, and there’s a lot that went into it. Let It Go the title is based on the idea of sacrifice the lesser for the greater. There are so many little things going on, and we get caught up in that, and we find ourselves in a corner, so we need to concentrate on what is the greater or the bigger picture in our lives. We need to understand how we grow and develop, and part of that is by letting things go. We do that by listening to our spirit voice.” The voluble guitarist expounded enthusiastically about how important it is for each individual to pay attention to his or her spirit voice. Brown spoke with the same passion he pours into his music. He is one of the elite jazz guitarists of his generation and a genuine creative force to be reckoned with. As with most musical virtuosos, his music goes in the direction his muse takes him, and right now, he’s focused on continuing on the path set out on Let It Go. His next album, The Highest Act of Love, will be released
this summer (he believes in July), and it comes just a year after its predecessor. The guitarist sees it as part of a continuum as he works through themes and musical ideas that have preoccupied him since he discovered an ancient Egyptian religion to which he now closely adheres. “The new record will be an extension of the last one. It’s something I believe in, and I think fans will appreciate the direction,” he said before pausing to explain the foundation of the record’s philosophical themes.
His impressive knowledge and understanding of the concepts of his religious philosophy were so detailed and intricate, it should be interesting to hear how he translates some of them into the framework of jazz. No doubt if anyone can, it is Brown.
He explained that his new music will be accessible to his listeners despite the highly philosophical theories behind it. For him, the bottom line is connecting with his audience. “It’s a process of inspiration. My desire is to communicate in a way fans can relate. The idea is to strike a common chord— something we have or will experience. The goal is to bring comfort and joy with inspiration through the music that flows through me.” Brown added that part of the compositional process is conveying core emotions and feelings to listeners while tapping into our shared humanity. “I’ve always translated my feelings into music, even before I became a recording artist and was just a listener. By remembering how music made me feel as I listened to all types of music growing up, it helps to ensure the music is formatted in a way that can be understood.” Very few artists these days release backto-back records in such close succession. This is the kind of pace Elton John used to keep in his go-go ’70s days. Brown laughed in acknowledgment of the timeframe.
continued on page 16
continued from page 15
“The record company asked for the record really fast. They came to me in December and said, ‘We want a new record from you, and we want to have it out by May.’ I thought to myself, ‘OK, there’s just not enough time to write the material between January and May with all the traveling I’m doing.’ I did three cruises, concerts and my personal life. But I was prepared because I knew what I wanted to do after the last record. The music just came to me. The spirit comes through and manifests itself in these songs. It speaks through my music.” He stopped in mid-thought and let out another laugh. “I’ve been calling my guitar my ‘spirit catcher.’” Brown has a busy summer ahead. Along with the new record, he will be playing select shows with Richard Elliot and Rick Braun for the West Coast Jam (“I’m looking forward to that,” he said. “They are always a good time.”) and touring with vocalist Bobby Caldwell. “Bobby and I did a Christmas show and had a great time. It was a sold-out show, so we decided to extend that to the summer. I think that’s going to be a fun night for everyone. Fans will love it.” The duo is scheduled to perform at Brian Culbertson’s Napa Valley Jazz Getaway on June 10, in Napa, California. While there are no plans for a new BWB record, the band remains active. They recently played two shows in Africa, where they also did work with children from the local communities. The group played a show at Safari Com, an annual jazz festival in Nairobi, Kenya. Safari Com is a telecommunications company that sponsors the event. The trio participated in a program titled Ghetto Classics, which helps underprivileged children in the area. The students received instruction from the musicians and were able to perform at the festival. Brown taught them rhythm techniques and theory, as well as guitar, drums, bass guitar and vocal work. He is very proud of what the band accomplished with the children, and believes they made a difference. “The Ghetto Classics program is geared to keep underprivileged children off the streets, so we spent time with the children over two days and taught master classes with them. Each one of us did something based around our instruments. It was a great experience and so rewarding. It was important for the children because they got a chance to think about music the way we do—they were exposed to techniques and ideas to help them tap into their creativity. When you see these children it’s amazing because they are so inspired and excited by the music. It helps change their lives.” The guitarist, who loves to build model cars in his downtime and practices Tai Chi for relaxation, said he tries to give back as often as he can and lead by example. He wants to encourage more young people to pick up the guitar. “As a guitar player, I look at it as setting an example. We need more guitarists. We have too many sax players these days,” he said, laughing. “I’m on a mission to get more guitar players in the game. Guitar is not in the band class in school, so it’s not taught there. Most of us learn by ear. We hear the guitarists who inspire us and try to copy that. We then develop our own sound. I think more young people need to be pushed along the way, so I’m doing my part the best I can.”
For more information on Brown, including his complete tour schedule with his band—Gail Jhonson, music director, on keyboards and vocals; Rob McDonald on bass guitar and vocals; L.J. Holyfield on drums; and Travis Milner on keyboards and vocals—visit www.normanbrown.com.
ON TOUR
May 13-20 and May 20-27 Dave Koz and Friends at Sea: Scandinavia and the Baltic
Seven-day full-ship charter aboard Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas Ports of Call at Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland www.davekozcruise.com
June 10 (with Bobby Caldwell) Seventh Annual Brian Culbertson’s Napa Valley Jazz Getaway
Oxbow Commons Park Napa, California www.jazzgetaway.com
July 14 Lake Arbor Jazz Festival
Lake Arbor Community Center Mitchellville, Maryland www.lakearborjazz.com
Oct. 17 (plus a solo show on the weekend) Algarve Smooth Jazz Festival
Vila Vita Parc Algarve, Porches, Portugal www.algarve.smoothjazzfestival.de (+49) 821 2292711
Nov. 1-4 Life Luxe Jazz
Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort San Jose del Cabo, Mexico www.lifeluxejazz.com
Jan. 18-20, 2019 The Florida Smooth Jazz Weekend
The Plaza Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach’s Grand Resort Daytona Beach, Florida www.FloridaSmoothJazzWeekend.com 321-783-9004
