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Welcome to the Mel Brown Quartet
information web page at tonypacini.com:
your best online source for scheduled
performances, bio and CD info. Buy the
new Mel Brown Quartet CD here at
tonypacini.com
"If mainstream jazz is your bag,
the Mel Brown Quartet brings
you bop, ballads, blues and scintillating originals
making you glad you have ears!
With over 100 years of
collective experience, here's a group
that knows the tradition and brings it boldly to the
bandstand on every gig" -George
Fendel
(George Fendel is a jazz historian &
columnist
for
JazzsceneMagazine
who can be
heard weekly on jazz
radio
KMHD 89.1 FM).
"The Mel Brown Quartet came
together in the fall of 2002 at Jimmy
Mak's, a popular jazz club in Portland,
Oregon. All seasoned jazzmen the group
has become a mainstay in the Portland
jazz scene playing to enthusiastic, full
capacity crowds at every appearance. The
quartet, Tony Pacini on piano, Ed
Bennett on bass, Dan Balmer on guitar
and legendary drummer Mel Brown present
on this recording a variety of tasty
original compositions and fresh takes of
time-honored standards in the jazz
tradition.
The band
members, all bandleaders in their own
right, look forward to Wednesday night
when the quartet performs at Jimmy Mak's.
Pianist/musical director Tony Pacini
sets the stage for us: "Dan shows
up with his guitar, Ed with his bass,
Mel with his stickbag and I show up with
my music and piano mic. Tonight the room
looks full. Dan tells me he would like
to play Ed's tune Waltz For Theo
(written for Ed's youngest son). A fan
comes up to me and asks how was my
weekend. In response I pull from my book
Girl Talk, a popular tune from the 60's
I had arranged that Sunday. Next I
select Oldest Son, an original
composition written for Mel by Dan. The
band takes the stage. Bartender J.D.
welcomes the audience promising an
evening of world-class jazz. One of us
counts the tune off; the band hits and
here we go."
-Marci W. Maitland
The quartet is currently enjoying
critical
acclaim in response to their CD "Girl
Talk"
released on the Saphu label. Read what
the critics say:
"High energy bop played with unbridled
enthusiasm.
"
-George Fendel, Jazzscene May 2005.
"An exemplary set of tastefully
swinging straight ahead jazz and tender
ballads."
-The Oregonian April 2005.
"Impeccably recorded and expertly
delivered."
-
Willamette Week May 2005.
"Relentlessly swinging."
-Victoria Times April 2005.
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Click here to buy the CD $12.99
Download
and listen to: " Brown Baggin'
"
(streaming audio)
Download
and listen to: " Brown Baggin' "
(MP-3)
NEW CD Released!
August 2nd, 2006
"LIVE AN
EVENING WITH
THE MEL BROWN QUARTET"
Instead of our
regular performance at Jimmy Mak's on March 1st, the Mel Brown Quartet spent an
exciting evening in the recording studio performing / recording our new CD in
front of a live audience. Many, many thanks to our fans who joined us in the
studio in March, and at our recent release event on August 2nd; your enthusiasm made the music
flow. Thank you Tiffany and Classic Pianos
of Portland for providing us
with a beautiful sounding new "S" series Yamaha
piano for our CD release event. The Quartet and audience were truly inspired by
such a wonderful instrument.
Click
here to buy the CD $14.99
Click CD cover above to enlarge
picture.
CLICK
HERE TO LISTEN TO "Dandyish"
written by Tony Pacini.
Mp3: Be patient, this takes a
while to load. (6436kb)
NEW REVIEW: AUGUST 2006 read below.
"LIVE: AN
EVENING WITH THE MEL BROWN QUARTET”
Saphu Records
*****
(5 stars)
"The Mel Brown
Quartet" — with pianist Tony Pacini, guitarist Dan Balmer, bassist Ed
Bennett and Brown on drums — has become a Wednesday night mainstay at
Jimmy Mak’s in the Pearl District.
This CD will explain
the band’s continuing popularity over the long haul. It opens with the Pacini
composition, “Dandyish,” a sprightly piece with an easy-to-remember theme.
Duke Ellington’s “Prelude to a Kiss” gets an unfamiliar rapid-fire
treatment from both Pacini and Balmer, which the live audience loved,
interrupting with cheers and applause.
Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite” is beneficiary of Pacini’s piano with
a nice share of block chords and his usual sparkling right hand. Ed Bennett
contributes a melodic bass solo, followed by the swinging Balmer. It’s great
to see and hear Balmer’s straight-ahead chops.
Balmer shows the
band’s appreciation of club owner Jimmy Mak with his tune, “One for Jimmy
Mak.” Brown leads off with a very brief drum roll, and then it’s an
off-and-running.
There is no weak link
in either the band or the recording. It is solid through all 10 cuts, some of
which include “Smile,” “Gone With the Wind,” “Ticondeep,” “May
Song” and more."
-BY DICK BOGLE,
The
Skanner
NEW REVIEW:
OCTOBER 2006 read below.
"LIVE: AN
EVENING WITH THE MEL BROWN QUARTET”
Saphu Records
*****
(5 stars)
"This group just
keeps getting tighter and tighter. After a sizzling opening set at the Mt. Hood
Jazz Festival, it's only a matter of time before they're in demand in New York
and beyond. Brown's buoyant rhythms propel this energetic and well planned live
disc which was thoughtfully recorded with an audience in the studio at Kung Fu
Bakery. The result captures the same intimate immediacy as they have at Jimmy
Mak's every week, but with better recording capabilities, so we get to hear the
tick of Mel's high hat, the intricate picking by bassist Ed Bennett, the chordal
punch of Tony Pacini's piano, and the fluid, melodic guitar lines by Dan Balmer
all with studio crispness. It starts with the heavy swing of Pacini's
"Dandyish" and goes on a journey through the band's favorites,
including the rapid-fire arrangement of "Prelude to a Kiss," and other
originals by Balmer, Bennett and Pacini, including the freewheeling "Ticondeep"
by Bennett. It's a fantastic album."
-BY KYLE O'BRIAN, JAZZSCENE
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Upcoming Performances:
PLEASE NOTE:
For the first time
in 5 years, the Mel Brwon Quartet will be off on two Wednesdays this
month;
No performance:
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008.
No performance:
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008.
Wednesday,
April 23rd, 2008
The
Mel Brown Quartet with special guests.
(read
below for more)
Please
join Portland's hardest swinging rhythm section
(The
Mel Brown Quartet; Tony Pacini-piano, Ed Bennett-bass, and Mel
Brown-drums),
for
an evening of exciting jazz with special guests Mark Sherman (vibes), and
Joe Magnarelli (trumpet).
@
Jimmy
Mak's
221 NW 10th Avenue
Portland,
Oregon 503-295-6542
8:00pm-11:00pm
For reservations and/or ticket info call: 503-295-6542
Jimmy
Mak's Website
All
ages welcome for the first set (8:00pm-9:30pm)
Jimmy
Mak's-Portland's premiere
jazz club now boasts the best piano in town (Yamaha C3 -permanent resident)
thanks to Classic Pianos of Portland.
Thank
you Classic Pianos.
(2007)
Catch the Mel Brown Quartet:
EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT:
Jimmy Mak's
221 NW 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
503-295-6542
8:00pm-11:00pm
Tony Pacini-piano, Dan Balmer-guitar,
Ed Bennett-bass, Mel Brown-drums.
Featuring the music and
arrangements of: Tony Pacini, Dan Balmer & Ed Bennett.
All ages welcome for the
first set
(8:00pm-9:30pm)
NEW:
Jimmy Mak's-Portland's
premiere jazz club now
features the best piano
in town (Yamaha C3
-permanent resident)
thanks to Classic Pianos of
Portland. Thank
you Classic Pianos.
Click logo below to go to Jimmy
Mak's online:
Jimmy
Mak's
221
NW 10th
Portland OR 97209
503-295-6542
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BIO:
The Mel Brown Quartet came together in
the fall of 2002 at Jimmy Mak's, a
popular jazz club in Portland, Oregon.
All seasoned jazzmen, the group has
become a mainstay in the Portland jazz
scene playing to enthusiastic, full
capacity crowds at every appearance.
Guitarist-Dan Balmer:
Considered the finest jazz guitarist in
Oregon, Dan was the first guitarist and
youngest individual to be inducted into
the Jazz Society of Oregon's Hall of
Fame. Dan has performed or recorded with
jazz legends Joey DeFrancesco, Airto,
Red Mitchell, Bill Mays, Steve Smith,
Pat Martino, Bud Shank and Joe LaBarbara.
As a popular bandleader and sideman Dan's
unique guitar sound graces over 70
recordings.
New:
Bernie Knab interview with Dan Balmer. Click
here to read it. ( From The Jazz
Society Of Oregon's online magazine ).
Bassist-Ed Bennett:
Long considered one of the West Coast's
premiere string bass players Ed has
worked, toured and recorded with
numerous legendary jazz figures
including Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt,
Ritchie Cole, Ernestine Anderson, Joe
Henderson and Pete Cristlieb. Ed has
been featured on two Grammy nominated
recordings; Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew
Tabackin Big Band "Tanuki's Night
Out" and Carmen McRae "At The Great
American Music Hall."
Pianist-Tony Pacini:
The jazz piano artistry of Tony Pacini
has been enthusiastically enjoyed by
nightclub and festival audiences
throughout the West Coast as well as in
his hometown of Portland, Oregon. In
addition to his own trio, Tony has
performed with Harry Allen, Dan Faehnle,
Ritchie Cole, Dick Berk, Chuck Israels,
Hadley Caliman, and Nancy King. An
arranger and composer Tony is the
musical director of the Mel Brown
Quartet.
Drummer-Mel Brown:
Mel performed with Motown legends Diana
Ross and The Temptations before applying
his distinctive style and consummate
skill to the jazz idiom. In addition to
leading several high profile combos,
Mel's
rock-solid time and high-energy solos
have made him the drummer of choice for
jazz superstars Leroy Vinnegar, Monty
Alexander, Teddy Edwards, Lou Donaldson
and Joey DeFrancesco. While on tour in
Portland, visiting musicians from jazz
to pop to rock find their way to Jimmy
Mak's where Mel rules the room three
nights a week.
For additional press-kit materials
please email
your request to:
info@tonypacini.com
Include the name of your concert/venue
in your email heading.
Links & Sources:
tonypacini.com
edbennett.net
danbalmer.com
jimmymaks.com
NEW WEBSITE
from Saphu Records:
SaphuRecords.com
JazzsceneMagazine
AllAboutJazz.com
Classic Pianos
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