Brown, Charles

Brown, Charles 13 September 1922; Texas City, TX – 21 January 1999; Oakland, CA Pianist, vocalist, and bandleader Charles Brown pioneered an alternate style of singing and playing that proved blues and R&B could be delivered in a sophisticated, elegant fashion without sacrificing either soul or intensity. His piano work also had the fluidity, expressiveness, and dexterity more often associated with jazz, though it wasn’t quite as harmonically elaborate as bop. The style reflected his early…