Died On This Date (October 10, 2010) Marion Brown / Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist
Marion Brown
September 8, 1931 – October 10, 2010
Marion Brown was an influential saxophonist who was closely associated with the avant-garde jazz movement of the ’60s. After settling in New York City during the early ’60s, Brown quickly began running in the same circles as Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp, and John Coltrane. He can be heard playing on the latter’s great 1966 album, Ascension. During the ’70s, Brown transitioned to education, holding positions at such prestigious colleges as Amherst, Wesleyan and Bowdoin. And during the ’80s, Brown became equally respected for his paintings and drawings. In poor heath in recent years, Marion Brown passed away in a Florida nursing home on October 10, 2010. He was 79.
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