OSCAR DERIC BROWN BIOGRAPHY Oscar Deric Brown is a world-renowned pianist, composer, producer and arranger. He first cultivated his love of music as a piano prodigy at the early age of three. Highly regarded for his compositions, film scoring and animation work, Oscar has also collaborated and performed with great musicians of every conceivable genre, notables such as Celia Cruz, Ray Charles, Gil Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Santana, Chuck D, Bjork, Mongo Santamaria, Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Rasheed Ali, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, Nona Hendryx, Youssou N’Dour, Debbie Harry, Bad Brains,Michael Urbaniak, David Sanborn, Abby Lincoln along with countless others. He performs currently with the Oscar Deric Brown Quartet, featuring saxophonist Azar Lawrence, drummer Derek Roberts and bassist Edward Livingston. His jazz roots run deep, with early exposure to influences such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. At the age of 16, Brown became apprentice to world-renowned composer Oliver Nelson and he also studied piano with jazz legends Horace Silver and Walter Bishop, Jr. In the fall of 1975, Brown re-located to San Francisco, where he worked with significant members of the Bay Area jazz scene, including Pharoah Sanders, Julian Priester, Michael White, and Dr. Eddie Henderson. After touring with Santana, Brown moved to New York, where he played with countless musicians, including David Sanborn, Michael Shrieve, Michael Urbaniak, Narada Michael Walden, and Rashied Ali. In 1978, Brown was hired by the legendary Dizzy Gillespie to play on his world tour. Not content with being confined to one genre, Brown pursued his love of composing and conducting symphonies by enrolling in Juillard’s conducting program. In 1981, Brown’s 2nd symphony, “Peace To One,” a collaborative work with sculptor/painter Daniel LaRue Johnson, was commissioned by the United Nations and funded by the Yamaha International Foundation, the Tony Goldman Foundation, and the Phelps-Stokes Foundation. In 1997, he was commissioned to compose music for the opening ceremony of the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. His skill at painting pictures with music led to scoring for film and television. In 1988, he composed music for director Joel Freedman's documentary film, “To Protect Mother Earth.” In 1990, he was asked by director Wim Wenders to compose music for three films: “Till the End of the World,” “Dream Island,” and “Electric Paintings.” The following year, Brown performed the three film scores on a solo tour of Japan. In 1996, Brown composed music for Michael Fazwa's controversial film, "Storybook Red," and began composing for Fox Television's "New York Undercover" (1996-1998). Brown relocated to Los Angeles California to compose music for the animated television series "Rugrats" and "Zip & Terri." As CEO of Brilliant ColorWorks, Mr. Brown elevates the transformative power of music through A Better Dream Project, a global initiative promoting social and cultural dialogue. In 1995, Brown partnered with Kenny Inaoka and artist Kenji Koga to raise funds for victims of the Hanshin earthquake by producing the World Music Festival in Kobe. Brown brought together artists such as Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny, Jack DeJohnette, and more. He continues a global dialogue and is currently focusing the same resources to help benefit the victims of the 3- 11 tsunami in Japan.
Read more
His family moved to Los Angeles n 1962 where Oscar began his studies with the Great Classical Pianist Johana Harris & Composition with the Composer Roy Harris. Oscar’s influence in Jazz would come from his father, but it was his teacher Johana Harris who took Oscar to see the Grate Brazilian Composer Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Backstage, Oscar asked Mr. Jobim about his influences. Jobim replied, “why Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane”. This had a very big impact on Oscar because his dad always played Miles’ & Dukes’ music, and had told Oscar, this is sacred music.
In 1967 Oscar’s dad took him to see the Miles Davis Quintet where he was introduced to Herbie Hancock. Hearing the harmonic approach to Miles’ music and how Herbie voiced chords left a lasting impression on Oscar. And that is the direction he wanted to go. Not play like Herbie, but to find the voice inside himself.
In 1969 he was apprenticed to the Composer Oliver Nelson and studied jazz piano with Horace Silver, Walter Bishop Jr., and in 1971 Joe Zawinul & Wayne Shorter during the west coast Weather Report Tour. In the fall of 1975 Oscar re-located to San Francisco to work with the Jazz Violinist Michael White and later on with Trombonist Julian Priester, Dr. Eddie Henderson, and Pharoah Sanders.
1976-77 Oscar toured with The Santana One Truth Band, and at the end of that tour moved to New York. In that 1st year, Oscar did many short stints with musicians such as David Sanborn, Michael Shrieve, Michael Urbaniak, Narada Michael Walden, and Rashied Ali.
In 1979, Oscar decided to drop out of the music scene to further his classical studies and attend the Julliard School’s Conducting Program. This was to be Oscar’s Neo-Classic Period. It was during this time that Oscar became interested in the fusion of different types of music, keeping part of their ethnic origins but meta-morph sizing into new musical forms of their own.
Oscar’s early experiments with sound and color and later on with his Symphonic Works such as ‘Peace To One’ collaborative work with the well-known Sculptor/ Painter Daniel LaRue Johnson was Commissioned by the United Nations, and funded by The Yamaha International Foundation, and The Tony Goldman Foundation. It also was funded by The Phelps -Stokes Foundation as a commemorative to the late Ralph J. Bunche. 1987-1998 Producer for Katsuhiko Nakagawa, Bad Brains Joseph HR “Human Rights” & “Singing In The Heart” 1988 Composed music for the Director Joel Freedman’s Documentary Film To Protect Mother Earth. 1988-1990 Oscar was asked by Producer/Promoter Bill Graham to Join The Amnesty International World Tour with headline artists such as David Bowie, Sting, Peter Gabriel, U2, and Youssou N’Dour.
1990-Solo Piano Midem International Festival Cannes France 1990-Japan Tour With Youssou N’Dour 1990-Oscar was asked to compose music for famed Director “Wim Wenders” Dream Images, fin 3 Films, Till The End Of The World, Dream Island, and Electric Paintings Winter 1991 Solo Tour Japan 1993 Solo Tour Japan Sponsored by “Dentsu & Mitsukoshi Arts” Duet’s With Painter Mark Kostabi & Oscar Deric Brown Improvisational Music & Painting 1994 Howard Rubinstein Oscar and the Renowned Artist Painter Mark Kostabi, collaborate on Oscar’s Brilliant Colors Works. 1995 OscarCO/Produced with Kenny Inaoka & Artist Kenji Koga to Produce The Rainbow Colored Lotus. This project was unique, as it brought together some of the top names in Jazz/World Music & Pop, Such as: Dave Holland, Gary Peacock, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett, Mino Cinelu, Miroslav Vitous, Pat Metheny, Sakamoto Ryuichi, and many others. For the great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe Japan, in October 1995, Oscar, Kenny & Kengi Produced The World Music Festival at the renowned World Memorial Hall, at Port Island Kobe, Japan. The success of the concert helped to replace musical instruments for thousands of young children.
CNN, Billboard & Variety Pro calmed this recording and concert as the most significant musical event of 1995.
1996 Composed music for Michael Fazwa Controversial Film “StoryBook Red” Fox TV Show New York Undercover, 1977 Commissioned to composed music for the Opening Ceremony at the 1998 XVIII Olympic Games in Nagano Japan.
1998 Relocated to Los Angeles California to Compose Music for Animation TV Series “Zip & Terri” 1999 Composed & Produced Artist/Vocalist”Nora Of World Famed Salsa Band Orquesta De Le Luz”
2000 Composed Music For The Virtual Exposition at the Millennium Dome Greenwich UK 2001 Musical Director For Latin Grammy’s for artist, Celia Cruz, Cyndi Lauper, and many others.
2002Composed & Produced Artist ” Ricky Bell” CDRacardo Campana 2003 Solo Piano Tour Japan, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagasaki, Takayama
2004 2005 Took time off to Compose New Works 2006 Recording Solo Performance Live At Steinway Hall 150-Year Anniversary 2007 Oscar Deric Brown Quartet CD “I Cant Cry For Love” CD
www.reverbnation.com/oscardericbrown
Awards
1977 Commissioned to composed music for the Opening Ceremony at the 1998 XVIII Olympic Games in Nagano Japan
1988-1990 Oscar was asked by Producer/Promoter Bill Graham to Join The Amnesty International World Tour with headline artists such as David Bowie, Sting, Peter Gabriel, U2, and Youssou N’Dour.
1976-77 Oscar toured with The Santana One Truth Band, and at the end of that tour moved to New York. In that 1st year, Oscar did many short stints with musicians such as David Sanborn, Michael Shrieve, Michael Urbaniak, Narada Michael Walden, and Rashied Ali.
Show less
