When a real jazz fan has a chance to see a jazz show, chances are that Norman Brown will appear on the bill for the evening. But prior to an excellent show at the Birchmere, we decided to go behind the music with Norman Brown and see where Jazz has gone and what music means to him as a Grammy Award winner.
PM: Good evening
NB: How are you doing?
PM: Great and it's a pleasure to be here. Let me start off with my first question. How old were you when you starting playing the guitar?
NB: Oh man, I was young. I always had a love for jazz and coming from a large family with two brothers and eight sisters and as a family we always listened to music. My brother, Roy, played the guitar. By the way, we called him Popsicle, anyway he used to play the guitar, so one day I snuck his guitar out of the closet and starting playing around with it and I found that I loved playing this instrument. My brother Popsicle decided I could play his guitar and I just continued. It's sort of a tribute to my brother also as he is not with us anymore. I named my son after my brother Roy Brown Jr.
PM:Â Do you have children?
NB: Yes, I have three boys and three girls.
PM: That's a handful, are any of your children following in Dad's footsteps?
NB: My son is into making beats.
PM: How does the family handle you being away so often?
NB: My family understands my lifestyle and supports me.
PM: How do you feel about contemporary smooth jazz versus traditional jazz? Some jazz fans may feel contemporary jazz is hurting traditional jazz or they may say it's not really true jazz?
NB:I don't think smooth jazz or whatever people want to call it has hurt traditional jazz. There is a good and bad to everything. I am very thankful for smooth jazz because personally people can give it any title they want, I say give it a title everyone can relate to. Let's just enjoy the music.
PM: Do you feel Jazz music in itself is losing fans due to the age differences and the influence of rap and hip hop music?
NB: I look at it this way, the hip hop generation is getting older also, and as they progress they will gradually come over to the jazz side so smooth jazz will get the overflow of fans from another genre of music. To experience jazz you have to experience other types of music and continue to expand your horizons. Jazz music crosses all races and lifestyles. Im on a mission to expand this genre of music to anybody who will listen. I also feel that Jazz music is in a state of emergency. Jazz does not get the media and visual exposure that other genres of music receive. All the awards and accomplishments I have had in this business selling millions of records, television performances, interviews and the likes, a lot of people still have no idea who I am. But I love what I do. This is my passion. This is something I hope I can continue to do for a long time. The music industry overall is changing and I think its time for change. Progress is being made and everyone can benefit from this music.
