alexander Brown

Alexander Brown BiographyAlexander Brown Cabrera was born in Camaguey, Cuba to a family of world reknowned musicians . His relatives include the legendary shekere player Don Pancho Terry, and both Yosvany and Junior Terry, whom have made a very strong impact in New York’s jazz scene in recent years. He attended the Instituto Superior de Artes de Cuba (University of Arts), Cuba’s most prestigious institution of its kind. Since his arrival on the vibrant Havana music scene, he became one of the city’s most sought after musicians. In 1997, he was asked to join Otra Vision, the band of the influential flutist, composer and arranger Orlando Maraca Valle. With this group, Brown toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States and virtually performed at every major jazz festival. In 1997, Brown joined another group of great importance in the history of Cuban music: Havana Ensemble. Lead by saxmen and former Irakere bandmember Cesar Lopez, Havana Ensemble was part of a group of Cuban bands that changed the sound of Cuban music once again in the late 90’s. With this band he also had the chance to tour worlwide and was part of a project created to pay homage to one of Cuba’s most well known sons, the late great conguero Chano Pozo. In 2001, Brown started to appear as a special guest with Cuban Jazz pianist Ernan Lopez Nussa. This gave him the opportunity to play with the likes of Changuito Quintana and Tata Guines, both legendary percussionists that have developed the sound of Cuban music for half a century. With this group Brown continued to perform at jazz festivals outside and in Cuba. In 2002 Alexander is invited to play on saxophonist Dave Murray’s c.d “Now is Another Time”, which has gathered great reviews and once again exposed Cuban artists to audiences across the globe. Besides being a very active presence in the Havana jazz scene in the last few years, Brown was also very busy as a studio musician, recording for the likes of Havana Ensemble, David Murray (he recorded on another Murray album entitled “David Murray and The Gwo-ka-Masters” to great critical acclaim), Manuel Ceruto, Orlando Maraca Valle, etc. He now resides in Toronto where he continues to compose and perform with many of Toronto’s finest musicians.