Gambit Weekly, November 2004
40 Under 40

"Every time I play, I try to play like it's my last time playing," says jazz trumpeter Maurice Brown. With a fiery style that seamlessly meshes the swinging melodies of traditional New Orleans jazz, the avant-garde tendencies of his native Chicago and even the rhythms of hip-hop, Brown has caught the attention of top players, including Wynton Marsalis and Clark Terry, and jazz fans around the world. Brown first came to Louisiana to study with Alvin Batiste at Southern University. While many young jazz musicians head to New York, Brown found himself drawn to New Orleans. Since settling in the city three years ago, he has made it his mission to bring top musicians to New Orleans and let the rest of the world know that "the scene is hot down here."

Hip to Bop, Brown's first album, features the music he wrote for his jazz quintet, which performs to large crowds every Tuesday at Snug Harbor. Brown financed, produced and distributed the album, which has gotten play on jazz stations around the country and made inroads onto the jazz charts. Several major music labels have courted Brown, but for the moment he prefers to release music on his own label and maintain complete control of the final product. Currently, he is making plans to record his soul and funk group, Soul'd U Out. That album, which will feature some big-name guests singing and rapping, should be available before Jazz Fest. Brown has recently felt the pull of New York, where there are more opportunities to play and jazz reputations are made. He plans to keep his home in New Orleans, while spending a few months a year playing in New York. "I like the pace in New Orleans," Brown said. "I'm more creative when everything is not so busy. That way my mind can be more busy."