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Brew Moore

The tenor saxophonist Brew Moore (Milton Aubrey Moore) was born in Indianola, Mississippi on March 26th 1924. He showed musical prowess at an early age. As a child of 7 he started playing popular tunes on a toy harmonica that he had received as a gift for his birthday. After a few years he played in his junior high school’s band and after graduating he entered Mississippi University to study music but left after only one semester to pursue a career as a tenor saxophonist. He arrived in New Orleans nearly broke but was quickly hired by the Fred Ford’s Dixielanders. For the next six years he played with different local bands in both New Orleans and Memphis. In 1948 he moved north to New York and started his own quartet. Although this remained his favorite format through out his life, he also briefly played in Claude Thornhill’s orchestra in 1949. In addition he played with different sextets around town led by Kai Winding, Machito and Howard McGee to name a few. His first appearance on record as a sideman was with Howard McGee entitled Howard McGhee's All Stars. For the next few years he continued to record as a sideman with the different groups and sat in on jam sessions with Charlie Parker in New York. In 1953 Brew Moore moved to San Francisco. 


His firs record as a leader The Brew Moore Qunitet was released in 1955. 


In 1959 due to alcoholism he fell seriously ill but recovered and in 1960 went on a tour of the Far East. Shortly after that, in 1961, he permanently moved to Scandinavia and lived in both Sweden and Denmark. He remained there the rest of his life, except for a brief time spent in the Canaries, working regularly in local clubs, touring and recording; he led 9 recording session during his dozen years in Scandinavia. After finishing playing at a Copenhagen club on March 19th 1973, a few days shy of his 49th birthday, Brew Moore fell down a flight of stairs. He died on his way to hospital.

From the Jazz Profestional

Long after they die the majority of jazzmen are still remembered. Mention the names of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Lester Young, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton to the man in the street and he will more than likely reply "Jazzmen weren't they?" But ask the average jazz lover, "Who was Brew Moore?" and you'll probably receive a blank stare.

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Extended Analysis

Brew Moore: The Kerouac Connection

Read "Brew Moore: The Kerouac Connection" reviewed by Nic Jones


Brew Moore The Kerouac Connection Giant Steps 2007

Tenor saxophonist Brew Moore was one of the disciples of Lester Young whom Young himself referred to as “the greys." As a man who believed that anyone who didn't do it like Young was just plain wrong, Moore arguably hewed closer to the work of the master than any of the others. There were elements of his playing, however, that marked him out as a player ...

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Album Review

Brew Moore: The Brew Moore Quintet

Read "The Brew Moore Quintet" reviewed by Mike Neely


That Brew Moore was a disciple of Lester Young is a cliché ¢y now, but too few are aware of how good a saxophonist Brew Moore could be. The Brew Moore Quintet was originally recorded in 1956. It has been recently re-mastered, presenting Moore in a relaxed setting playing solo after solo of swinging, soulful jazz.

Moore is obviously very comfortable with this attentive San Francisco band. These musicians play a supportive role, highlighting Moore's extended solo work while adding their ...

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Video / DVD

Video: Brew Moore, 1961

Video: Brew Moore, 1961

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Many tenor saxophonists in the late 1940s and '50s played like Lester Young—once they figured out how to run alternate melody lines on the chord changes of standards and blues in the upper register. One of the San Francisco's foremost disciples of Young was Brew Moore. He was so enamored of Young, he held his saxophone off to the side just as Young did. But rather than mimic his mentor, he combined the Young approach with Charlie Parker's ferocity. Sadly, ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Brew Moore: The...

Unknown label
2008

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Zonky

SteepleChase Records
2005

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No More Brew

Debut Records
1981

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Brew's Stockholm Dew

Debut Records
1972

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Brew Moore

Fantasy
1958

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