PHIL BROWN

BROWN--Phil, 90, a musician and wine enthusiast, died unexpectedly in Forest Hills, NY, on March 9th. Phil's path in music was set as a young boy when his aunt bought him his first drum. In his early twenties, he played and recorded with Charlie Parker, Claude Thornhill, Red Rodney, Stan Getz and Roy Eldridge and, for a time, was Buddy Rich's right hand man. He studied classical percussion at the Manhattan School of Music where he received a master's degree. In the 60's, jazz led him to Paris. The Francophile within lured him to stay. He immersed himself in the French language, studying at the Sorbonne, and while spending the summer in Dijon, he found his next great love, Burgundy. As with all his passions, he developed an astute encyclopedic proficiency of Burgundian wine, which paved the way for a new career back in New York in the wine & liquor industry. He became a star salesman, and formed relationships with many of New York's top restaurants, hotels and clubs in a successful career that spanned decades. He was dedicated to fitness and health as well as the New York Yankees. In recent years, he held an ongoing informal jazz "seminar" for friends. Jazz was his passion, but he was also a fervent lover of opera and a discerning devotee of the written word. Phil leaves behind his wife of fifty-six years, Francoise, his son and daughter-in-law Danny and Audrey, and two beloved grandchildren.