Paul H. "PB" Brown

Paul H. Brown, (PB) 82, of Hartford, CT, Jazz Bassist, local Hartford music legend and educator, passed away on Friday, May 6th in the company of his loving family. Paul was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 6, 1934. He was the Founder of Hartford's Monday Night Jazz Series and the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz and was a Co-founder of the Artists Collective. PB played trumpet early in his career and toured with rhythm and blues star Lloyd Price. He also subbed for brief periods with the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington after he made the decision to leave Johns Hopkins Medical School to exclusively pursue his passion for music. Upon switching from trumpet to the bass he began touring with the Baltimore-based group of Flink Johnson. Around this time he met and toured with saxophone great Jackie McLean. Paul's arrival in Hartford was the beginning of his 50 years of tireless efforts to bring Jazz and culture to the area. PB's desire to help squelch the civil unrest of the mid 60's began what is now the longest-running outdoor free Jazz concert series in the country. Greater Hartford was blessed with Paul's ability to bring in big name jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Jackie Mclean, Charles Mingus, and Thad Jones to name just a few. Paul taught at the University of Hartford as well as the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts for over 20 years during which time he and longtime friend Mr. Fujii collaborated on student exchange programs between Japan and Hartford. PB has recorded with multiple Jazz greats including George Benson, Mickey Tucker, Bill Hardman, Walter Bishop, Junior Cook, Freddie Hubbard, as well as releasing his own CD's featuring his friends George Coleman and John Stubblefield. Paul's meekness of spirit and devotion to the community has uplifted him to the beloved figure he remained until his all-too-soon death. Paul is survived by his daughter, Cherie C. Brown-Gonsalves of Buzzards Bay, MA. His grandchildren, Ashlee Cymone Brown, David Chambers Brown II, TaiMarie Gonsalves, and Torry Keith Gonsalves and his son Eric Preston Hall of Maryland. He was the brother of Charles Woodworth Brown, Kitty Katherine, and the uncle of Charles Woodworth Brown Jr, Damon Brown, Michael Brown and Tonya Brown Patton. He is also survived by many loving great grandchildren, great nieces, nephews, relatives, dear friends and fellow musicians and he was the father of the late David Chambers Brown. Gifts in memory of Paul Brown may be made in c/o Faith Congregational Church 2030 Main Street Hartford, CT 06120 or electronically via http://www.gofundme.com/238p69ks. A time of remembrance/visitation and jam session will be held Friday May 27, 2016 from 5-8:00 PM at Faith Congregational Church, 2030 Main Street, Hartford. The formal funeral service will take place at the church on Saturday May 28, 2016 at 10AM. Interment is private. Services by Henry L. Fuqua Funeral Service (A division of Howard K. Hill Funeral Services) 94 Granby St. Bloomfield, CT 06002. To leave a message of comfort to the Brown family, visit www.henrylfuquafuneralservice.com.