Upcoming Clifford Brown Symposium and Concert Series

Clifford Brown passed over the rainbow at an early age in a year before I was born. His life was cut very short but his music remains and thankfully lives on. If you have not had the privilege to hear the magic he created with his horn, please give a listen to the MP3 I’ve inserted here. Of course, if you can attend the Symposium entitled, ‘Brownie Speaks’ which is being held in the Philadelphia area October 30th through November 1st, by all means please do!

“Brownie Speaks” is a symposium and concert series celebrating and documenting the life, music and legacy of Clifford Brown, the influential jazz trumpeter who died in 1956 when he was just 25.

The three-day event will feature performances by Terence Blanchard, Benny Golson, Lou Donaldson, Marcus Belgrave, the UArts Jazz Ensembles and many others. The Lars Halle Jazz Orchestra will premiere a new John Fedchock composition dedicated to Clifford Brown. 

“Brownie Speaks: A Video Documentary,” produced by UArts School of Music faculty member, composer, pianist, and recording artist Don Glanden, will premiere at the symposium. Brown’s son, Clifford Brown Jr. will serve as the symposium’s master of ceremonies. Participants will include Nat Hentoff, Lewis Porter, Don Glanden, Rick Lawn, Alan Hood, Nick Catalano, Phil Schaap, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Lou Donaldson, Geneva Griffin, and others.  There will be daily performances by jazz ensembles from The University of the Arts School of Music, Marc Dicciani, Director. 

Schedule of Events

For people interested in attending symposia events or evening concerts they have provided an online registration form and invitation providing further details regarding concert tickets and so forth. There is no cost to register for daytime symposia events!