Jazz Guitarist and Session Player Dean Brown Dies at 68
- “He was a powerful life force, totally committed to his art,” David Sanborn says
Dean Brown, the jazz guitarist, in-demand session player and solo artist, has died after battling cancer, his wife said.
“Dean's life was a vibrant tapestry of passion, innovation and boundless creativity,” Ruth Brown wrote on the GoFundMe page set up for her husband.
“His departure leaves a void that can never be filled, and my soul aches with the loss of a musical genius, an extraordinary partner and a loving companion. His music was not only a reflection of his talent but also a soundtrack to our shared life.”
Brown died Jan. 26; he was 68.
“I’m heartbroken,” David Sanborn said on the loss of his “dear friend and musical compatriot” Brown.
“He was a powerful life force, totally committed to his art,” Sanborn said. “I feel grateful to have known him.”
In addition to Sanborn, Brown’s credits include appearances on “hundreds of recordings” by the likes of the Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham, Roberta Flack, Bob James, George Duke and many others.
Brown was “one of the baddest guitarists and stage performers ever,” Randy Brecker said. Ray Fuller, meanwhile, remembered his fellow axeman as “an amazing guitar legend” and “one of the kindest people on Earth.”
Brown released his solo debut, Groove Warrior, in 2004 and went on to issue four more LPs while backing others and fronting his own bands.
“May Dean Brown rest in peace and love,” Todd Rundgren’s Spirit of Harmony Foundation said.
1/28/24
