In Memoriam: Baron Browne
Jazz bassist Baron Browne, who performed with Vital Information and Jean Luc Ponty, has passed away. He was 66 years old. Ponty remembered Browne on his Facebook page.
“Our super bass player Baron Browne passed away on Sept. 2nd,” the violinist wrote. “All my U.S. Band members, Rayford, Jamie, Wally, and I are extremely sad, we lost a great musician and one of our best friends. He toured around the world with us for many years and recorded on 4 albums: Fables, The Gift of Time, Storytelling, [and] Live At Chene Park. He also played with Billy Cobham, Steps Ahead, Gary Burton, Steve Smith / Vital Information, and many others.”
Browne was born in Georgia and took up music at just 7 years old. After playing drums, piano, and guitar, he took up the bass guitar. He studied at Berklee College of Music and soon began working professionally with artists like Kevin Eubanks, Mike Stern, and Bill Frisell. It was in 1983 that he linked up with Ponty, after which he toured with renowned jazz drummer Billy Cobham. He recorded two albums with the drummer: Warning and Power Play.
In 1997, he began working with Journey drummer Steve Smith in the band Vital Information. This led to a long working relationship as he became a full-fledged member, recording and touring with Vital Information as well as Smith’s other groups Buddy’s Buddies and Jazz Legacy.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Baron Browne.
I am extremely saddened to hea? òf Barry passing. We went to school together at Berklee, around 1977 to 1980. I was fortunate enough to have a couple of gigs with him.
Such a kind and generous player and person.
May he rest in peace and having just heard the news, a candle burns for him here in London for his memory, a really talented, beautiful man.
Sincerely,
Sandy Dillon, composer
I am extremely saddened to hea? òf Barry passing. We went to school together at Berklee, around 1977 to 1980. I was fortunate enough to have a couple of gigs with him.
Such a kind and generous player and person.
May he rest in peace and having just heard the news, a candle burns for him here in London for his memory, a really talented, beautiful man.
Sincerely,
Sandy Dillon, composer
I am extremely saddened to hea? òf Barry passing. We went to school together at Berklee, around 1977 to 1980. I was fortunate enough to have a couple of gigs with him.
Such a kind and generous player and person.
May he rest in peace and having just heard the news, a candle burns for him here in London for his memory, a really talented, beautiful man.
Sincerely,
Sandy Dillon, composer
Baron Browne – what an amazing player! He could do it all..
I first heard his playing on Billy Cobham’s album “Warning”, and I was absolutely floored; Baron’s sound, his pocket, his touch, his inventiveness…
It wasn’t till years later that I came to hear him flex his jazz chops, and he brought the aforementioned elements to that scene too, in spades; check him out on any Vital Information album of the last 20 years!
Vale Baron
~Kim