Marion Brown

An essential, albeit gentle, voice in the 1960s free jazz movement, alto saxophonist Marion Brown was known for his lyrical and thoughtful approach to the avant-garde. After moving to New York, he became a key figure in the scene, famously participating in John Coltrane's seminal album Ascension and working closely with Archie Shepp. A trained ethnomusicologist, Brown's work was often deeply personal and reflective, notably in his acclaimed "Georgia Trilogy" of albums (Afternoon of a Georgia Faun, Geechee Recollections, and Sweet Earth Flying), which poetically explored his Southern roots and African-American heritage.