Steve Brown (bass player)
Encyclopedia
Steve Brown was a jazz
musician
best known for his work on string bass. Like many of his fellow New Orleans, Louisiana
bassists, he played both string bass and tuba
professionally, as the two instruments fill similar roles in different types of bands.
Brown was the younger brother of trombonist Tom Brown
, and in his youth played with his brother's band in New Orleans. He was born with the name Theodore Brown, but acquired the nickname "Steve" for his devil-may-care personality, after Steve Brodie, a man who became famous for jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge
on a dare. Few of his fellow musicians knew that Brown's given name had not always been Steve.
Steve Brown first went north to Chicago
in 1915 with brother Tom in the first wave of jazz musicians to go to the city. He was a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings
in the early 1920s, where his early slap-style string bass playing attracted attention. Steve Brown was one of the important pioneers of the slap-style. According to one story, he was the originator of the slap-style when the drummer failed to appear for a show. Brown threw down his bow and slapped the beat with the strings. (There are other conflicting claims for originating the style as well, notably by Bill Johnson.)
In 1924 he joined Jean Goldkette
's Orchestra, with whom he remained until 1927 when he joined the top-paying band in the United States
, Paul Whiteman
's Orchestra.
About 1930 he settled in Detroit, Michigan
, which would be his home for the rest of his life. He led his own band there for a while, and continued playing with traditional jazz and Dixieland
bands there in to the 1950s.
Wellman Braud
, bass player with the Duke Ellington
orchestra, once called Brown "the greatest of all" bass players.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known for his work on string bass. Like many of his fellow New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
bassists, he played both string bass and tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
professionally, as the two instruments fill similar roles in different types of bands.
Brown was the younger brother of trombonist Tom Brown
Tom Brown (trombonist)
Tom Brown , sometimes known by the nickname Red Brown, was an early New Orleans dixieland jazz trombonist. He also played string bass professionally....
, and in his youth played with his brother's band in New Orleans. He was born with the name Theodore Brown, but acquired the nickname "Steve" for his devil-may-care personality, after Steve Brodie, a man who became famous for jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
on a dare. Few of his fellow musicians knew that Brown's given name had not always been Steve.
Steve Brown first went north to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1915 with brother Tom in the first wave of jazz musicians to go to the city. He was a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings
New Orleans Rhythm Kings
The New Orleans Rhythm Kings were one of the most influential jazz bands of the early-to-mid 1920s. The band was a combination of New Orleans and Chicago musicians who helped shape Chicago Jazz and influenced many younger jazz musicians....
in the early 1920s, where his early slap-style string bass playing attracted attention. Steve Brown was one of the important pioneers of the slap-style. According to one story, he was the originator of the slap-style when the drummer failed to appear for a show. Brown threw down his bow and slapped the beat with the strings. (There are other conflicting claims for originating the style as well, notably by Bill Johnson.)
In 1924 he joined Jean Goldkette
Jean Goldkette
John Jean Goldkette was a jazz pianist and bandleader born in Patras, Greece. Goldkette spent his childhood in Greece and Russia, and emigrated to the United States in 1911....
's Orchestra, with whom he remained until 1927 when he joined the top-paying band in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
's Orchestra.
About 1930 he settled in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, which would be his home for the rest of his life. He led his own band there for a while, and continued playing with traditional jazz and Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
bands there in to the 1950s.
Wellman Braud
Wellman Braud
Wellman Braud was a Creole American jazz upright bassist. His family sometimes spelled their last name "Breaux", pronounced "Bro"....
, bass player with the Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
orchestra, once called Brown "the greatest of all" bass players.