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Andy Brown

Andy Brown is a guitarist based in Chicago. Born in New York in 1975, he has played professionally for over twenty five years. He has had a varied performing career that has included stints in Cincinnati and New York City.

Since coming to Chicago in 2003, Andy has been fortunate to work at many of the area's finest jazz venues with his own bands, as well as playing his unique brand of solo jazz guitar. He has backed visiting jazz names at places including The Jazz Showcase and Ravinia. Currently he plays solo guitar every Thursday at The Green Mill, leads his quartet twice a month at Andy's Jazz Club and performs with his trio bi-weekly at Winter’s Jazz Club.

As a sideman he has performed with internationally know jazz musicians including Scott Hamilton, Howard Alden, Harry Allen, Warren Vaché, Ken Peplowski, Hod O’Brien, Rebecca Kilgore, Judy Carmichael, Anat Cohen, Kurt Elling and many others. He has also worked with many names on the Chicago jazz scene including Russ Phillips, Don Stiernberg, Chris Foreman, Eric Schneider, Bobby Lewis and Judy Roberts.

His love of great tunes, as well as accompanying skills have made him a favorite with vocalists. Married to frequent partner vocalist Petra van Nuis, Andy has worked with many of Chicago's finest singers. Andy also had the good fortune to accompany Barbra Streisand when she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009.

Andy has made many festival and club appearances around the world. Highlights include Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Chautauqua Jazz Party, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Cleveland Jazz Party, as well as festivals in Rio de Janeiro, the Netherlands, Germany and throughout the United States.

Andy enjoys being a member of several bands besides his own. He works often with vocalist Petra van Nuis, either in duo or larger groups, including Petra's Recession Seven. They have worked together all over Chicago and in venues throughout the country, as well as tours of Europe and Canada.

Since 2009, Andy has co-led a two-guitar quartet with renowned guitarist Howard Alden. In 2013, Delmark Records released a CD of the group entitled "Heavy Artillery" which received four stars in Downbeat magazine and was featured in their annual Albums Of The Year issue. 

Andy plays regularly with jazz mandolinist Don Stiernberg's trio. They have worked at festivals in Germany and Brazil, as well as throughout the United States. He is also a member of trombonist Russ Phillips' group, both with Russ' Quartet and his Windy City All-Stars.

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Album Review

Petra van Nuis: Lonely Girl - I Remember Julie

Read "Lonely Girl - I Remember Julie" reviewed by Kyle Simpler


Julie London made a name for herself as an actress and a singer during the '50s and '60s. Today, however, her legacy as a singer overshadows her acting career. During her lifetime, she released around thirty albums, and several of the recordings still continue to influence jazz performers. Chicago-based singer Petra van Nuis is among these, and Lonely Girl--I Remember Julie is her tribute to this legendary performer. Judging from the title alone, it might be tempting to ...

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135

Recording

Vocalist Petra Van Nuis & Guitarist Andy Brown to Release Their First Duo CD, "Far Away Places," March 30

Vocalist Petra Van Nuis & Guitarist Andy Brown to Release Their First Duo CD, "Far Away Places," March 30

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Since settling in Chicago in 2004, vocalist Petra van Nuis and guitarist Andy Brown have established themselves as artists of note in a variety of musical settings. Petra has recorded two well-regarded albums of her own and gigs regularly with a trad jazz band, while Andy, a top-call sideman, has released an album documenting his artistry in both trio and solo contexts. Van Nuis and Brown have also long worked as a duo, but only in the last four years ...

"One of Chicago’s most appealing jazz guitarists…uncounted Chicago jazz artists have collaborated with Brown on club dates and recording sessions, and they know better than anyone the depth of his work and unpretentiousness of his manner…for all his easygoing virtuosity, he places the emphasis on musical phrase rather than pyrotechnics." - Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

"An uncommonly good player, with a modesty that brings to mind the fine Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert and a warmth suggestive of Joe Pass...has a gift for melody and plenty of rhythmic confidence...projects a naturalness when phrasing, and his overall intelligence makes understatement and subtlety virtues." - Frank-John Hadley, Downbeat Magazine

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Jared Forth
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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Lonely Girl - I...

String Damper
2022

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America the...

Late Nite Records
2021

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America the Beautiful...

Late Nite Records
2020

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