Suns of Sons Leonard Brown’s Joyful Noise Live at Bohemian Caverns, Washington, DC, July 6 & 7, 2008.
This live recording features five of Brown’s compositions – “Miss Ann”, “Samira’s Song”, “Suns of Sons” and “Pentatonia” - along with a splendid duo interpretation of the old spiritual, “When The Saints Go Marching In” that features the fine pianist, Allyn Johnson. Suns of Sons contains over an hour’s worth of exciting and moving performances in the traditions and continuum of African American creative improvisational music. Led by saxophonist Brown, also an associate professor of African American Studies and Music at Northeastern University/Boston, “Joyful Noise” is the real thing. This is music of integrity and worth. All the performers are accomplished musicians in their own right and Suns of Sons catches them in outstanding performance modes.
Enjoy listening to performance excerpts on this page. Purchasing instructions are below.
Excerpted Testimonials
Full testimonials are available Here
Mark Harvey composer/arranger/trumpeter MIT Music Professor and founder of the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra
"Suns of Sons is a wonderful testament to the power of music as a spiritual force. Leonard Brown has eloquently carried forward the essence of John Coltrane while staking out his own distinctive sonic language…This CD is a tour-de-force that will repay after many listenings."
Herman Gray Professor and Cultural Theorist, USC Annenberg School for Communication
"Recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington DC, saxophonist and composer Brown leads his quartet through a robust set of original compositions. Alternating between ballads and extended structures, the compositional range and emotional power of the playing on this live date is inspired, challenging and above all, deeply satisfying."
Reebee Garofalo Professor of Community Media and Technology at UMass/Boston
Leonard Brown extends our notions of music from the organization of notes and beats into the realm of organized noise -- a truly joyful noise. The album is at once highly structured and wildly improvisational; heady and cerebral, yet tactile and sensual; sweet and melodic one minute, aggressive and guttural the next. It is an assault on the senses that leaves you totally spent and still wanting more.
Sriram Gopal The DCist review, April 25, 2008
"Minutes into the first listen, it's clear that the musicians on the album love all of Brown's material. The recording features a rhythm section comprised of pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist James King, and drummer Nasar Abadey, all mainstays of the local jazz scene. The level of interaction amongst them is almost telepathic and everyone in the group receives ample opportunity to shine."
T.J. Anderson Fletcher Professor of Music, Emeritus, Tufts University, Ph.D, D.F.A., D.Mus.
"The influence of Coltrane is there, yet there is a consistent insistence of personality. A search for something different, re-discovery, drama and a world of total imagination. Leonard Brown engages his listeners."
Bob Blumenthal Grammy Award winning writer and recipient of Jazz Journalists Association's Lifetime Achievement Award
"Suns of Sons" is a recording filled with passion, tenderness and serious intent. Leonard Brown and Joyful Noise tap into the transcendent underpinnings of the music, reminding us that "When the Saints Go Marching In," as well as Brown's originals, deal in feelings of the spirit that unite us all. Brown has devoted much of his career to education, but demonstrates that he also knows how to teach - and preach - on the bandstand."
Suns of Sons is available for $10.00 as well as $3 for shipping and handling within the USA by clicking the Pay-Pal button above. Additional shipping fees may be charged for those outside of the continental USA.
You can also purchase via postal mail by sending your name and mailing address plus a money order or *bank cashier’s check (no personal checks or cash) made payable to Leonard Brown for $13.00.
*For USA customers, Bank Cashier’s check must include bank’s telephone number to verify authenticity. For international customers, only money orders (in USD) or Pay Pal are approved methods of payment – no checks or foreign currency of any type will be accepted or returned.
For USA customers, allow 10 days for delivery. For international delivery, allow 4 weeks.
Mail Order Address:
Suns of Sons c/o Leonard Brown
8 Kara Ann Drive
Framingham, MA 01701
leonard.brown@gmail.com
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