Raymond Lee Brown

For other people named Ray Brown, see Ray Brown (disambiguation).

Raymond Lee Brown is an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist who, from 1975 to the mid-2000s, was active as a session musician in Southern California — primarily in Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. Brown was a trumpeter and horn section leader with Earth, Wind & Fire from 1987 to 2004. Brown joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 1987 when the band returned from a four-year break. In 2004, he retired from the band and was replaced by Robert (Bobby) Burns, Jr. Before joining Earth, Wind & Fire, Brown was a member of the soul group, Madagascar.

Influences

Brown grew up in South Central Los Angeles. In high school, Brown was pals with Gary Bias, Gerald Albright, Patrice Rushen, and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler. Brown, in the mid 1980s, had been a member of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra ("the Ark"), of South Park, Los Angeles. Brown and two other Ark members, Gary Bias (saxophonist) and Reggie Young (trombonist), together, joined Earth, Wind & Fire.[1] Before Earth, Wind & Fire, Brown was a member of Madagascar, a group composed of session musicians that recorded one album — Spirit of the Street — under the Arista label in 1981.

Selected performances

In 1997, Brown was a member of Whitney Houston's band on her Pacific Rim Tour.

Selected discography

Earth, Wind & Fire

Sideman with Patrice Rushen (jazz)[2]

Sideman with jazz artists[2]

Sideman with funk, soul, and R&B artists

Notes

  1. ↑ Songs of the Unsung: The Musical and Social Journey of Horace Tapscott, by Horace Tapscott, edited by Steven Isoardi, Duke University Press (2001)
  2. 1 2 Tom Lord, The Jazz Discography Online, Lord Music, (accessed 10 December 2013; subscription required; accessible at many libraries); OCLC 690104143 (subscription fee required; accessible at many libraries)
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