Jewel Brown

Jewel Brown
Brown c. 2004
Background information
Born (1937-08-30) August 30, 1937
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres Jazz, blues
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active Late 1940s–present
Associated acts Louis Armstrong

Jewel Brown (born August 30, 1937) is an American jazz and blues singer. She is primarily known for her work in the 1950s and 1960s. Before a retirement period she was part of Louis Armstrong's ensemble. She is currently part of the Heritage Hall Jazz Band.

Life and career

Her first professional performance was at the age of 12 in the Manhattan Club in Galveston, Texas. Before she graduated from high school, Lionel Hampton offered the opportunity to tour professionally in Europe. She graduated from Jack Yates High School.[1]

In 1957, on a vacation to Los Angeles, California, she sat in with organist Earl Grant at the Club Pigalle. Grant hired her that night and she continued performing with him for a year. She went on to work for Dallas, Texas nightclub owner Jack Ruby.[1] In the next decade she was offered singing positions with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. She chose Armstrong, and appeared with him in the films Louis Armstrong and All Stars and Solo.[1]

She retired in 1971 to care for ailing members of her family, and later established a hair salon in Houston. In recent years she has revived her career, singing in the Heritage Hall Jazz Band.[1]

In 2013, Brown was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)' category.[2]

Discography

As leader/co-leader
  • 2012: Milton Hopkins & Jewel Brown – with Milton Hopkins (Dialtone)[3]
As guest

With Louis Armstrong

  • Best Live Concert 1: Jazz in Paris (Verve). The fact her soaringly triumphant rendition of the memorable 'Time After Time' on International Joker Records ('81) with Armstrong was uncredited made it hard to track down this artiste. The song has been done in many ways but this is unarguably the most life-affirming.

With Arnett Cobb

Videos

  • With Louis Armstrong: Louis Armstrong - Live in Australia (DVD) (Euroarts)

There is also a DVD with her and Louis Armstrong in former East Germany. The DVD dates back to 1965 and also mentioned that the tour visit more countries in East Europe that time. But there is one discrepancy, on the DVD inlay, she is called June Brown, but I think it is the same artist.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Jewel Brown". Allaboutjazz.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
  2. ↑ "Blues Music Awards Nominees - 2013 - 34th Blues Music Awards". Blues.org. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
  3. ↑ "Milton Hopkins & Jewel Brown - Jewel Brown, Milton Hopkins : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
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