Scott
McLaren, host of "THE
JAZZ JOURNEY" on CHRY radio writes:
"Born on the
small Caribbean island of Trinidad,
schooled in New York and now based in Toronto, Brownman
is one of the most in demand, young jazz studio trumpet players in Canada
today. At the age of 25, he is also an accomplished composer/arranger
and the recipient of the 2002
Canadian National Jazz Award (NJA) for "Jazz
Composer of the Year", also clocking in as first runner-up for "Jazz
Trumpet Player of the Year"; his highly acclaimed
latin-jazz group CRUZAO was
also nominated at the NJAs in 2002, 2003 & 2004 for "Electric
Jazz Group of the Year". 2001 saw him
win the coveted Montreal Jazz Festival's "General
Motors Grand Prix Du Jazz Award" which led to his being signed to the
prestigious
Justin
Time Records label. He was also the recipient of the 2001 CBC Galaxie
Rising
Star Award". 2004 would bring CRUZAO
a nomination at the Canadian Independant Music Awards for "Alternative
Latin Artist of the Year" and his 10-man salsa
outit - MARRÓN MATIZADO - would be honoured with the Silver Medal
by SalsaSPOT.com for "Toronto's Favourite
Salsa Band".
Brownman is one of the first calls for not only jazz and urban recording
sessions (having affiliations at both SONY & UNIVERSAL Recording Studios),
but also appears in the horn sections of countless latin groups.
His recording credits sit at just under 200 CDs (many nominated for Junos)
and he is currently composing and arranging actively for 6 groups of his
own, all of which have gained critical acclaim in their own diverse idioms
- the multi-award-winning latin-jazz unit CRUZAO,
jazz-hip-hop group
GRUVASYLUM,
mainstream NYC style hard-swinging trio & quartet The BROWNMAN
AKOUSTIC TRIO / QUARTET / QUINTET
respectively, the eclectic and electrified
modern improvising trio in the spirit Miles Davis' electric period BROWNMAN
ELECTRYC TRIO, the 10-piece Salsa powerhouse MARRÓN
MATIZADO, and the 15-man latin-jazz-urban orchestra CRUZAO
GRUPO MONSTRUOSO.
Testimony to his extreme versatility, his just over 300 CD studio recording
credits are in styles ranging from Be-bop to Acid-jazz to Hip-hop to Brazilian
Samba to Cuban Salsa as well as performing on a number of major motion
picture soundtracks, music videos and live television broadcasts.
His sound has been called Freddie Hubbard
meets
Randy
Brecker & Clifford
Brown
with hints of Woody
Shaw and is quickly becoming familiar to jazz,
latin & urban music fans in Toronto and across the country as recordings
he's appeared on spread. His movie credits also include a cameo appearance
in the Jennifer Lopez movie "Angel Eyes"
and the 2002 CBC pilot "In A
Jam"
Amongst a long list of mentors, Brownman has studied (and performed) with
multi-Grammy-winning recording legend
Randy
Brecker (of The Brecker Brothers)
in New York City, Brazilian samba master Claudio
Roditi, Canadian flugelhorn great Guido
Basso and with British jazz icon Kenny
Wheeler
while attending the prestigious
Banff
Center For The Arts 1995 International Jazz Workshop (one of only 3
trumpet players selected from world-wide auditions).
Brownman has performed (or recorded) with the likes of John
Scofield, Kenny Wheeler,
Randy
Brecker,
Wayne
Shorter,
Charlie Hunter,
Gary
Bartz,
Danilo Perez,
Gary
Thomas, Hugh Fraser, Norman Marshall Villeneuve,
Don
Thompson,
Kirk Macdonald,
Pat Labarbera,
Kelly Jefferson,
Mike
Murley,
Marc Rogers,
Daniel
Barnes,
William Carn,
Shelly
Berger,
Rita Di Ghent,
Gord
Webster,
Stich Wynston,
The Philosopher Kings,
Grüvoria,
John
Blackwell (drummer for Prince),
GURU
(of Gangstarr fame), Jay-z, Missy Elliot,
KRS-1,
DJ
Kool Herc,
Big
Daddy Kane,
Fito Blanko,
Divine
Earth Essence,
The Pocket
Dwellers,
Juke Joint,
Jason
Wilson & Tabarruk,
Chucho
Valdes & Irakere,
Dominicanada,
Maninho Costa,
Cruzao, Banda
Bella, Energia Latina, Bestial,
Ricky
Franco, Cimarron, Macondo, Pacande &
far too many more to list here.
As both sideman and leader, this fiery young musician has played every
major Jazz Festival and Latin venue in Canada, touring both this country
and the U.S. extensively, has represented Canada at the Havana Jazz Festival,
Cuba multiple times and is quickly becoming a known and sought after entity
in Europe. One of the hottest names in Canada today. Watch for him!"
Scott
McLaren,
host of "THE JAZZ JOURNEY",
CHRY radio (105.5FM)
"
One of the next voices in the new generation of jazz improvisors"
- Randy Brecker, multi-Grammy winning jazz trumpet legend
"
Remarkable writing and burning energy coming out of this young trumpet
player"
- John Scofield, multi-Grammy winning jazz guitar icon
"
... a truly gifted improviser with an original creative voice..."
- Gary Bartz, saxophonist with Miles Davis
"
... uniquely creative and fearless - like a young Miles Davis"
- Guru, legendary hip-hop icon from Gangstarr/Jazzmatazz fame
"
Energy is never in short supply in Brownman Ali's world. This Toronto/Trinidadian
trumpeter loves skipping from style to style almost as much as he digs
mixing it up with the jazz elite"
- NOW magazine, Toronto (cover
story)
"
Canada's preeminent jazz trumpeter"
- Village Voice, New York City
"
... a warm, personable soloist displaying an engaging mix or quirks and
lyricism."
- Mark Miller, Globe and Mail
"
Brownman... Ali... Marrón... this dynamic young trumpet player has
as many names as he has skills"
- Picante Xpress Latin Magazine
"
... deliciously quirky & invigorating... CRUZAO seethes with energy,
particularly showing off the skills of trumpeter Ali and his brother Marcus
on alto sax."
- Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star
"
Brownman & CRUZAO... the finest latin-jazz group Canada's ever produced"
- latinjazznet.com
"CRUZAO
breaks down the boundaries between latin, jazz and funk in the most innovative
way I've seen yet"
- New York University faculty member and Latin-jazz icon Memo Acevedo |