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Damon Brown is one of the UK’s leading jazz trumpet players and composers.

Born in Manchester (UK) he studied the trumpet at the Leeds College of Music and London’s Guildhall School of Music .
In the 90’s Damon played and toured with many pop and dance stars including: Paul Weller, Maxi Priest, The Specials, and The Pasadenas.  With the London Acid Jazz Group, Push and the DJ Gilles Peterson he made the first of many visits to Japan.

In the mid 90’s Damon formed his first jazz group, the Damon Brown Quintet, and toured the UK. In 1998 the Damon Brown Quintet appeared at the Red Sea Jazz International Festival promoting Damon’s debut album “A Rhythm Indicative” (ZahZah 1998).

Since this debut as composer, player and bandleader Damon Brown has confirmed his place in the UK jazz scene: he has played over the years at all the UK’s leading clubs and festivals and has also performed internationally, particularly in Europe and the Far East, with his own groups. His sideman credits include tours with international stars such as  Benny Golson,  Dave Liebman , Doug Raney , Big Jon Patten  and other luminaries. He has also performed with many of the UK’s leading players such as Peter King, Stan Tracey, Claire  Martin , Don Weller and Alan Barnes.

A string of successful recordings in the last decade have cemented his reputation further and his collaborations with iconic tenor sax player Steve Grossman  have been hugely popular with jazz audiences and critics alike . The Steve Grossman  / Damon Brown Quintet recorded their first CD ‘This Time The Dreams On Me’ in 2008. It was released in 2009 to considerable critical acclaim.

In addition to his work with his Quintet Damon has diversified his writing and playing into other formats. In 2007 the group Killer Shrimp, which he co-leads with Ed Jones, won the 2007 Best Live Jazz Group at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Their first CD, Sincerely Whatever,  was nominated for Best Jazz CD of the Year. 

The second album, Tales from the Baltic Wharf, was released in  2010 .

With Francesc Capella and Laia Porta he formed the Minimum Trio which has toured extensively in Europe and released two CDs.

Damon Brown continues to teach and perform in Europe and Russia and also in the Far East, most notably in Japan, where he has collaborated each year with the pianist Yutaka Shiina, Tim Armacost, tenor saxophone and Gene Jackson on drums.

 

Damon has appeared at many famous Jazz Clubs and Festivals including:

Le Duc des Lombards, The Sunside, the Marciac Jazz Festival ( France)

The Jamboree , Terrassa Jazz Cava , Cafe Central ( Spain )

Pizza Express Jazz Club, Ronnie Scotts, The London and Edinburgh Jazz Festivals, The Red Sea International Jazz Festival, Copenhagen Jazz House. Unterfarht and The Frankfurt Jazz Keller in germany ,

The Blue Note Jazz Clubs in Japan and many many more .