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Christopher W. Brown

The Couture of Music

About Me

Christopher Brown, who originally hails from Portland, OR and has spent the better part of his adult life living in the central NJ area, is now back in Portland, following a four-year enlistment in the Marine Corps as a drummer, two music degrees from Rutgers University, several adjunct teaching positions at his alma mater, and a slew of performances both within the states and abroad. Also, since 2001, Christopher has re-enlisted into the military where he currently serves as a member within the 234th Army Band in OR.

Since his enlistment in the Marines, and subsequent move to New Jersey, he has had the privilege of either performing and/or recording with people such as Beyonce, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Ray Charles, Roy Hargrove, Benny Golson, Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Ronnie Mathews, Ralph Bowen, Arturo O’Farrill, Claudio Roditi, Stanley Cowell, Jimmy Heath, Conrad Herwig, Ralph Peterson Jr., Steve Wilson, Gerald Clayton, Javon Jackson, Victor Goines, Gerald Cannon, Delbert Felix, John Benitez, Benito Gonzalez, Vic Juris, Antonio Hart, Vincent Herring, Don Braden, David Liebman, Lee Konitz, Paquito Di Rivera, Steve Turre, Craig Handy, Ben Wolfe, Charles Fambrough, Onjae Allen Gumbs, Geoff Keezer, Kenny Davis, Don Alias, James Genus, Lonnie Plaxico, Carla Cook, Roseanna Vitro, Sean Jones, David Sanborn, and Mel Brown, just to name a few.

In addition to his performance credits, he has also traveled to both Japan and Europe in support of both special performances, and tours in support of recent album releases. He has also been awarded the 2002 Pee Wee Russell scholarship by the NJ Jazz Society; chosen twice to perform as a member of the intercollegiate all-star big band for the NJ Music Educators Association annual convention (2003/2005); and was presented the 2007 Artist of the Year Award by Portland State University’s “Leroy Vinnegar Jazz Institute,” following Esperanza Spaulding the year prior. And most recently, Christopher has begun to embark upon the world of modeling/acting, with several commercials such as Master Card, and TV shows such as the History Channel and the Maury Povich show. Also, Christopher can be seen once again on the silver screen as a band member in the 2007 blockbuster movie American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe (following his first appearance in the 1995 movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” starring Richard Dreyfuss).