Damon Brown

Jazz Hastings hosts Damon Brown

Damon Brown, one of Europe’s leading jazz trumpet players and composers, will be leading his Quintet at Jazz Hastings second October session on Tuesday, 17 October at the East Hastings Sea Angling Association on the Stade. Julian Norridge writes.

Damon Brown studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and although he is centred in jazz, his influences and his repertoire reflect his knowledge of many other forms of music, including classical, pop, contemporary dance, reggae and soul.

An accomplished composer, Brown has also played and recorded with a variety of different artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, Bjork, Paul Weller and Desmond Dekker.

Over the last 20 years he has led a variety of award-winning bands. His group ‘Killer Shrimp’, which he co-leads with saxophonist Ed Jones, was named as the 2007 Best Live Jazz Group at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Their first CD was also nominated for Best Jazz CD of the Year.

He continues to perform and teach all over Europe, Russia and the Far East, most notably in Japan and South Korea. This has led to many international collaborations, such as the regular quintet that he co-leads with iconic New York sax virtuoso, Steve Grossman.

At the Jazz Hastings performance he will be playing with South Korea’s leading drum and bass duo, Kim Minchan and Kim Daeho, who both feature on his most recent CD. He describes them as “fantastically swinging and creative”.

Also featuring will be veteran saxophonist and Stan Tracey collaborator, Art Themen and pianist, John Donaldson, who is no stranger to the Jazz Hastings audience.

Doors at the Angling association open at 7.45pm for an 8.30pm start. Admission is £10 on the door.

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