Tom Browne R'n'browne

After his recent straightahead record, "Another Shade of Browne," trumpeter Tom Browne returns to the funky R&B he is best-known for with "R'n'Browne." Still, Browne solos all over the new disc with eyebrow-raising authority, combining a crackling fire reminiscent of Lee Morgan with Miles Davis' architecture.

Tom Browne returns to his R&B roots with this collection of favorites from the '70s through the '90s, including "Hanging on a String" and "Unbreak My Heart." Just as Browne's music fuses his love of soul and jazz, this collection brings together luminaries from both worlds as Browne's special guests Chieli Minucci, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride and KCB of Us3 all make contributions to R 'N' Browne's musical flavor. Smooth and soul-stirring, R 'N' Browne should please fans of contemporary jazz and R&B alike.

Straight fusion set by trumpeter Tom Browne, replete with double-tracked vocals and songs heavy on backbeats and light on solos. Everything is nicely played, and the album did do moderately well on charts and with Adult Contemporary audiences.

When trumpeter Tom Browne hit the Billboard charts in 1980, one would have thought that he was an overnight sensation. However, the licensed pilot had several years under his belt working with Weldon Irvine, Sonny Fortune, and others. His debut smash single, "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)," took the music industry by storm. Between Browne's piercing horn intro and his chilling riffs in the vamp, the New York native and his cohorts lay down one jammin' groove. From the thunderous bass of Marcus Miller and Browne's trumpeting trips to the salacious vocals of Toni Smith and the colorful conversation referencing Browne, this single was slick and exhilarating.

When trumpeter Tom Browne hit the Billboard charts in 1980, one would have thought that he was an overnight sensation. However, the licensed pilot had several years under his belt working with Weldon Irvine, Sonny Fortune, and others. His debut smash single, "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)," took the music industry by storm. Between Browne's piercing horn intro and his chilling riffs in the vamp, the New York native and his cohorts lay down one jammin' groove. From the thunderous bass of Marcus Miller and Browne's trumpeting trips to the salacious vocals of Toni Smith and the colorful conversation referencing Browne, this single was slick and exhilarating.

"Mr. Jamaica Funk" - Tom Browne, one of the great exponents of jazz-funk, is best known for his smash hit Funkin' For Jamaica. Born in New York in 1954 Browne was something of a musical prodigy, studying piano aged 11 before switching to trumpet and attending New York City's High School of Music and Art. After a passing interest in the classics, Browne discovered jazz after listening to Ornette Coleman while at college. He joined up with trumpeter Roy Eldridge and came to a wider audience with band leader Sonny Fortune. He moved from an initial 'hard-bop'style to a more commercial, groove-based jazz/funk crossover which emerged as a popular genre in the mid to late seventies. Browne signed to the GRP label, for whom he recorded three albums, moving to Arista at the beginning of the eighties.

Like Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, and George Duke, Tom Browne is a perfect example of a jazz musician who switched to R&B and was lambasted by jazz snobs for it. As jazz's hardcore saw it, the trumpeter was a sellout – a gifted Clifford Brown disciple who was shamelessly wasting his chops playing commercial music. But commercial music isn't necessarily inferior to jazz, and the fact is that much of Browne's soul/funk output was excellent.

Consider the songs in our hearts that inspire us toward uplifted continence; melodies that ring out in a manner that is soulful … even funky! Now think of an artist; an artist who George Benson describes as "joy filled in expressiveness" and "believable in any musical style," topping the jazz and adult contemporary / R & B charts with his kickin' trumpet and rich jazz melodies. That artist … is trumpeter Tom Browne. His new CD entitled "S' Up" features Fred Wesley and Groove Collective.

Consider the songs in our hearts that inspire us toward uplifted continence; melodies that ring out in a manner that is soulful … even funky! Now think of an artist; an artist who George Benson describes as "joy filled in expressiveness" and "believable in any musical style," topping the jazz and adult contemporary / R & B charts with his kickin' trumpet and rich jazz melodies. That artist … is trumpeter Tom Browne. His new CD entitled "S' Up" features Fred Wesley and Groove Collective.