Vernell Brown Jr - RIP

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Several musicians have posted on Facebook that pianist Vernell Brown Jr has died at the age of 50. I can find no other confirmation other than these FB posts but one was from bassist Corcoran Holt, who just returned from Europe with Kenny Garrett with Brown in the piano chair and another was from Kenny Garrett's wife. I saw this band last October at the Scullers Jazz Club and he was playing great.

Now playing in his memory...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I didn't realize that Brown was a child prodigy on the piano, making his recording debut at 18, "A Total Eclipse" featured none other than Herb Alpert on trumpet. The rest of the band was pretty good too. A little on the smooth side... Sounds like something that would have done well on the GRP label... much different from his work with Garrett.

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by bresna

[CJ Shearn]

RIP.  Last week, Bernard Wright now this.