Mel Brown (drummer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mel Brown
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| Born | July 25, 1944 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Portland State University |
| Occupation | Musician, drummer |
| Years active | 1967–present |
Mel Brown was born on July 25, 1944. He is a famous American jazz drummer. Many people know him as one of the most important jazz musicians in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.
Mel Brown's Early Life
Mel Brown was born in Portland, Oregon in 1944. When he was young, he had a paper route. He delivered newspapers in the area known as Portland's Jazz district.
In high school, Mel was very active with the Portland Junior Symphony. He also went to Portland State University. While at college, he spent a lot of time playing in local jazz clubs. He even played and recorded with a group called "Billy Larkin & The Delegates."
After graduating from Portland State University, Mel moved to Vancouver. There, he got a regular job playing music with guitarist Tommy Chong. One day, the famous singer Martha Reeves saw him play. She hired him in 1967 to join her band, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Mel played with them for a couple of years. Martha even mentioned him on one of her live albums! After that, Motown Records hired him. He became a studio musician and traveled with other Motown artists.
His Amazing Music Career
Working with Martha Reeves led Mel to a contract with Motown Records. After that, Mel recorded with some of the biggest stars in music. These included Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Marvin Gaye. Back in the 1970s and 80s, drummers like Mel were called session musicians. They played on recordings or with bands on stage. But they were not officially part of the band. So, their names were not usually printed.
In 1973, Mel Brown moved back to Portland, Oregon. He made it his permanent home. Six years later, in 1979, Mel started his own trio band. He played with piano player George Mitchell and bass player Phil Baker.
From 1978 to 1980, Mel toured with the superstar Diana Ross. He toured with the trio band he had created. Mel also owned and ran The Mel Brown Drum Shop until 1984. After that, he opened a bookkeeping business. He called it Metropolitan Accounting and Tax. Even with his businesses, he kept playing music. He performed many shows in the Portland Jazz District.
Mel created another group called the Sextet. They played every week at The Hobbit in southeast Portland. Mel also got to record and play with Leroy Vinnegar. The two of them started a special Hammond B-3 organ quintet. In the 1990s, Mel joined the board of directors for the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival. He also started the Mel Brown Jazz summer camp workshop. It is located at Western Oregon University. In 1999, Mel Brown was honored. He was added to the Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, he also played with the Oregon Symphony.
Mel Brown still lives in Portland today. He continues to run his accounting company during the day. For many years, he had regular shows at Portland's Jimmy Mak's club. He played weekly with his Septet, Quartet, and B3 Organ Group. That club closed in 2016. Now, he still plays regularly with his B3 Organ Group at the Jack London Revue. He also plays with his trio at Salty's on the Columbia in Portland, Oregon.
Selected Music Recordings
Here are some of the albums Mel Brown has played on or released:
- 1989: Mel Brown Sextet - Plays Music By Gordon Lee: Gordon Bleu
- 1994: Jessica Williams and Leroy Vinnegar with Mel Brown - Encounters
- 1999: Mel Brown [B3 Organ] Quintet - Live at Jimmy Mak's
- 2000: Mel Brown [Sextet] - Mister Groove
- 2003: Mel Brown B3 Organ Quartet - Live at the Britt Festival
- 2005: Mel Brown Quartet - Girl Talk
- 2006: Mel Brown B3 Organ Group - Smokin' at Jimmy's
- 2014: Gordon Lee with the Mel Brown Septet - Tuesday Night
- 2014: Mel Brown B3 Organ Group - Ticket To Ride: 16th Anniversary Show, Vol. 1
- 2019: King Louie Organ Trio (featuring Renato Caranto, Edwin Coleman III and Mel Brown + guests: Bruce Conte and Dan Faehnle) - It's About Time
With Billy Larkin & The Delegates
- 1964: Billy Larkin & The Delegates
- 1965: Blue Lights
