Dean Brown

Dean Brown - Here - 2000 - ESC

Session guitar whiz Dean Brown steps out with his solo debut, a set of tightly played, nicely recorded jazz-funk fusion tunes. Brown's guitar work is undeniably tasty -- drawing equally, it seems, from Jimi Hendrix and Larry Carlton. For support he drafts the biggest of the big names: Michael and Randy Brecker, David Sanborn, Billy Cobham, Marcus Miller, George Duke, Christian McBride, and quite a few others. Brown's original music at times lapses into cliché, particularly on the soft jazz throwaway "Believe Me." The vocal cut "Tell It (Like It Is)" and the Beatles cover "Baby You're a Rich Man" also don't add up to much. But the album has its high points: the rocking 6/8 assault of "Solid"; the churning, laid-back syncopation of "The Clave Groove"; and Marcus Miller's fretless bass work on "Gemini." © David R. Adler © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/here-mw0000010799

With "Here", fusion fans are introduced to guitarist Dean Brown, an extremely gifted and versatile player that has released his first solo CD through Germany's ESC Records. Brown can claim mastery of a wide variety of styles (he's worked as a sideman for years), but always approaches his music with soul and, at times, controlled fury. "Here" also features an incredible array of guest musicians, including George Duke, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, just to name a few. Dean Brown will certainly make his mark in the world of fusion guitar, as he delivers music with punch, energy and integrity. Highlights include the opener "Take This!" and the ending track, a tribute to Jaco Pastroius, that is simply great. © 1996-2013 Guitar Nine All Rights Reserved http://www.guitar9.com/here.html

Good jazz funk/fusion album from one of today’s most in-demand session players. Twelve of the album’s fourteen tracks are instrumental. Vocals are included in Tracks 5 and 11. There are a couple of mediocre “smooth” jazz tracks, but overall a very strong album from an extremely talented guitarist and songwriter. Artists playing on this album include Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans, David Sanborn, and Michael & Randy Brecker. Listen to Dean’s great “Groove Warrior” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 155 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Take This! 6:31
2 Gemini 5:42
3 Back In The Day 4:57
4 Seven Groove Interlude 00:25
5 Tell It (Like It Is) 6:37
6 Big Foot 6:13
7 The Clave Groove 5:35
8 Billy Groove Interlude 00:31
9 Believe Me 6:01
10 Solid 6:05
11 Baby You're A Rich Man 4:37
12 Just For Kicks 4:48
13 Seven Groove Interlude (2) 00:36
14 The Battle's Over (For Jaco) 9:22

COMPOSERS

Track 1 composed by Dean Brown, Michael Bland, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Richard Patterson, Ricky Peterson: Tracks 2,3,4,6,7,9,12,13,14 by Dean Brown: Track 5 by Dean Brown, Jerry Barnes, Katreese Barnes: Track 8 by Dean Brown, Billy Cobham: Track 10 by Dean Brown, Gerry Etkins: Track 11 by John Lennon, Paul McCartney

MUSICIANS

Dean Brown - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Synth-Guitar, Parker Fly Guitar, Additional Electric Bass, Additional Keyboards, Horn Arrangements, Vocals, Background Vocals
Richard Patterson, Schuyler Deale - Electric Bass
Marcus Miller - Fretless Bass, Electric Bass Melody
Christian McBride, James Genus - Acoustic Bass
George Duke, Gerry Etkins, Bernard Wright - Keyboards
Deron Johnson - Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3
Ricky Peterson - Hammond B3
George Whitty - Grand Piano
Billy Cobham, Michael Bland, JuJu House, Rocky Bryant - Drums
Danny Sadownick - Percussion, Congas, Clave
Don Alias - Congas, Batas, Shakers, Bells, Clave
Bill Evans - Saxes, Tenor Sax, Arrangement of Sax Section on "Take This!"
Michael Brecker - Tenor Sax
David Sanborn, Andy Snitzer - Alto Sax
Randy Brecker, Tony Kadleck - Trumpet
Michael Davis - Trombone
Jason Miles - Synth Effects, Loop Design, Programming
Katreese Barnes, Jerry Barnes – Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

Dean Brown (born August 19, 1955) is an American jazz fusion guitarist and session musician. Dean Brown graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1977. During that time in Boston he performed with his own groups as well as Tiger's Baku, replacing Mike Stern in that group before moving to New York around 1980. Since 1982 Brown has recorded and/or toured worldwide with artists Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Eric Clapton, Billy Cobham, The Brecker Brothers, Roberta Flack, Bob James, Joe Zawinul, George Duke, Victor Bailey, Bill Evans, Steve Smith's Vital Information as well as with his own projects. Brown's guitar work can be heard on over 100 albums including four Grammy Award winners. Records such as The Brecker Brothers' "Return of the Brecker Brothers" and "Out of the Loop", Marcus Miller's "The Sun Don't Lie", Billy Cobham's "Warning", and Joe Zawinul's "Faces and Places" are just a few out of the long list. His live performances include DVDs with Marcus Miller, Billy Cobham, Gil Evans, David Sanborn and Friends, Louie Belson, Bob James, and Steve Smith's Vital Information. Brown has his original compositions and arrangements featured on albums for Les McCann, Dennis Chambers, Ricky Peterson, Steve Smith's Vital Information, and Billy Cobham among others. Brown has produced four solo CDs. His first titled "Here"(2001) on ESC records, is his all-star debut CD featuring jazz greats Michael Brecker, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Billy Cobham, George Duke, Randy Brecker, Christian McBride, Don Alias, Bill Evans, Bernard Wright and many others. His second record "Groove Warrior" (2004) on ESC records, features another all-star lineup with Lalah Hathaway, Marcus Miller, Bernard Wright, JuJu House, Poogie Bell, Schuyler Deale, Booker King, and Patches Stewart, just to name a few. His third "DBIII" (2009) on the BHM label features an all-star power trio with musical greats Dennis Chambers and Will Lee. And his fourth CD "Unfinished Business"(2012) featuring yet another all-star cast of musicians with Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Kirk Whalum, Dennis Chambers, Jimmy Earl, Gerry Etkins and Hadrien Feraud among others. As an educator Dean has also released an instructional/live DVD with Hal Leonard for Musicians Institute titled "Modern Techniques for the Electric Guitarist"(2008) and has had several articles in Guitar Player and Guitar World magazines. Dean Brown and Runfly Studios have developed and released an iPhone/iPad app called "Pickup Tunes". "The idea was to base a game on the ear training techniques that I use in teaching. We developed it to look and feel more like a game than an academic exercise." says Dean. Dean conducts clinics all over the world and teaches several classes of his own curriculum at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Brown continues to tour and sell out venues all over the world with his own all-star groups and recently returned to Japan for the third year with his trio DB III which has featured Billy Cobham, Dennis Chambers and Will Lee. He has artist endorsements with Roland, Parker and Fender guitars, as well as DV Mark, Paco Cases, Peavey and Fender amplifiers and Xotic effects.