Norman Brown

Guitarist Norman Brown has earned recognition for his gentle and amorous playing style, creating music that merges contemporary jazz with R&B. His breakthrough arrived via the 1992 release Just Between Us, which prompted parallels to his influences George Benson and Wes Montgomery. Brown has consistently appeared near the summit of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart through projects such as 1994’s After the Storm, the 2002 Grammy-winning Just Chillin’, and 2012’s 24/7 alongside Gerald Albright. He secured back-to-back number-one placements on that tally with 2017’s Let It Go and 2019’s Highest Act of Love. Beyond his individual output, he performs as part of the smooth jazz supergroup BWB together with Kirk Whalum and Rick Braun. In 2022 he honored Montgomery with Let’s Get Away, then issued It Hits Different in 2024.

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1970 and raised in Kansas City, Brown first picked up the guitar at age eight after developing an affinity for his brother’s acoustic six-string. Early inspirations included guitar-driven groups such as Jimi Hendrix and the Isley Brothers, yet discovering Wes Montgomery, one of his father’s preferred players, redirected his path toward contemporary jazz standards and originals. After completing high school he relocated to Los Angeles and, during the mid-’80s, pursued formal training at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. Upon graduation he taught for a short time before joining Motown’s Mo Jazz imprint, where 1992’s Just Between Us introduced him to the soul-jazz audience. Reviewers quickly noted resemblances to earlier standout jazz guitarists including George Benson and Wes Montgomery, elevating Brown within that community.

His second album, 1996’s After the Storm, nevertheless propelled him into the upper ranks of smooth jazz artists. Gavin and Soul Train both designated it Jazz Album of the Year, and the project stayed on the charts for more than two years. Capitalizing on this achievement, Brown sustained momentum with Better Days Ahead, which received the 1997 American Jazz Award for contemporary guitar; its title track also set a record as the most-added single in NAC history up to that moment.

After several successful releases on Mo Jazz, Brown transferred to Warner Bros. and delivered further well-regarded recordings such as 1999’s Celebration and 2002’s Grammy Award-winning Just Chillin’. That same year he launched the smooth jazz supergroup BWB with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and trumpeter Rick Braun on the album Groovin’. Solo efforts resumed with 2004’s West Coast Coolin’ and, two years later, Stay with Me on the Peak label.

He subsequently joined the Concord roster for 2010’s Sending My Love. Two years afterward he teamed with saxophonist Gerald Albright for the Concord album 24/7. In 2013 he reunited with BWB for Human Nature.

During 2016 Brown issued a third BWB project while also delivering his first Shanachie solo album, the chart-topping contemporary jazz release Let It Go. The Highest Act of Love appeared in 2019 and featured contributions from Deniece Williams, Baby Lee, and longtime producer Paul Brown, again reaching number one on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. He continued working with Brown on 2020’s Heart to Heart, which also included guitarist Peter White, pianist Jeff Lorber, keyboardist Chris “Big Dog” Davis, and saxophonist David Mann. Another Paul Brown production, Let’s Get Away, surfaced in 2022 and contained the Wes Montgomery tribute “Wes Side Story.” The guitarist returned in 2024 with his fourteenth album, It Hits Different, whose single “Anything” and guest spots from Wirlie Morris, Lil’ John Roberts, Tom Schuman, and Paul Brown, among others, marked the latest chapter.