Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, actor, and civil rights activist (Brown was African-American). Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully for office in both the Illinois state legislature and the U.S. Congress. Brown wrote many songs (125 have been published), 12 albums, and more than a dozen musical plays.

Early life and education

Brown was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Helen (née Clark) and Oscar Brown Sr., an attorney

During Brown's twenties, he worked as the "world's first Black newscaster" for Negro Newsfront, a Chicago radio program that he co-produced with Vernon Jarrett. He worked briefly in real estate and public relations before running for political offices: for the Illinois Legislature in 1948 through the Progressive Party, and for the U. S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 1952. During this period, 1946 to 1956, he was a member of the Communist Party USA; he quit when he decided that he was "just too black to be red". Later he served two years in the U. S. Army.

Career

Radio

Brown was a contributor to the weekly WMAQ Chicago radio series Destination Freedom (written by Richard Durham) both during its early years (1948–1949) and in the 1950 revival.

Music

Brown's father intended for him to follow in his footsteps and become a practicing lawyer. While Brown did help his father at his practice, he ventured off into other careers such as advertising and served in the US Army in the mid-1950s. He also wrote songs.

In the early 1950s, Brown was hired as a copy-writer

In January 1961, Brown released his first LP, Sin & Soul, for openly tackling the experiences of African Americans with songs such as "Bid 'Em In" and "Afro Blue". Sin & Soul is also significant because Brown took several popular jazz instrumentals and combined them with self-penned lyrics on songs such as "Dat Dere", "Afro Blue" and "Work Song". "Work Song" and Herbie Hancock's, "Watermelon Man". Another notable musical show, Joy, saw two incarnations (in 1966 and 1969) and again addressed social issues. Appearing with Brown were his wife, Jean Pace, and the Brazilian singer/accordionist Sivuca. RCA released the original cast recording around 1970; it is long out of print. In 1962, Brown worked on the Westinghouse syndicated television program Jazz Scene USA, produced by Steve Allen. Brown was the show's presenter and it featured a new musical guest each week. Brown sang the theme for the 1970 drama series Bird of the Iron Feather, the first all-Black television soap opera.

Personal life

Brown was married to Jean Pace, the elder sister of actress Judy Pace. He was the father of seven children. His son Oscar "BoBo" Brown III was a bassist and musical arranger who died in a car crash in August 1996. His daughter, Maggie, is a singer. A Chicago musical review referred to the trio as "The First Family of Swing". They were joined by the youngest daughter, Africa Pace Brown, in an effort to popularize his music. Brown's first son, Napoleon "David" Brown, inspired the song "Brown Baby" and helped his father promotional appearances and business. The remaining family members consist of Donna Brown Kane, Joan Olivia Brown, and Iantha Brown Casen, who participated in some of her father's production.

On May 29, 2005, Oscar Brown died in his hometown of Chicago from osteomyelitis at the age of 78.

Humanitarian work

Brown founded the Oscar Brown Jr. H.I.P. Legacy Foundation to continue his humanitarian work. He participated in an anti-apartheid protest rally in Compton College in 1976.

Brown wrote the vocalese lyrics to the Duke Pearson melody "Jeannine" as sung by Eddie Jefferson on the album The Main Man recorded in October 1974 and covered by The Manhattan Transfer on their 1984 album Bop Doo-Wopp. "Somebody Buy Me a Drink", a track from Sin & Soul, was covered by David Johansen and the Harry Smiths on their eponymous first album. "Hymn to Friday" from Between Heaven and Hell is played on jazz radio stations such as WDCB. Pianist Wynton Kelly recorded "Strongman" with his trio in the late 1950s. Nina Simone popularized Brown's lyrics to "Work Song", "Afro Blue", and "Bid 'Em In".

Brown's lyrics to "Afro Blue" have been performed by Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Lizz Wright. Vocalist Karrin Allyson cited Brown as an inspiration and has performed his compositions on several of her albums. Brown was scheduled to contribute lyrics to Allyson's 2006 album Footprints before his death; instead, she recorded his songs "A Tree and Me" and "But I Was Cool" as a tribute.

Brown was the subject of a 2006 tribute album by cabaret singer Linda Kosut, entitled .Long As You're Living - The Songs & Poetry of Oscar Brown Jr.

Published works

Books

  • What It Is: Poems and Opinions of Oscar Brown Jr. This book includes lyrics to some of Brown's better-known songs, as well as lyrics to songs he never got to record.

Discography

  • Sin & Soul (Columbia, January 1961)
  • In a New Mood (Columbia, 1962)
  • Between Heaven and Hell (Columbia, 1962)
  • Tells It Like It Is! (Columbia, 1963)
  • Mr. Oscar Brown Jr. Goes to Washington (Fontana, 1965)
  • Finding a New Friend, with Luiz Henrique (Fontana, 1966)
  • Joy, with Jean Pace, Sivuca (RCA Victor, 1970)
  • Movin' On (Atlantic, 1972)
  • Fresh (Atlantic, 1974)
  • Brother Where Are You (Atlantic, 1974)
  • Live Every Minute (Minor Music, 1998)

Musicals

  • Kicks & Co.
  • Oscar Brown Jr. Entertains (one-man show in London, England, 1963)
  • Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow
  • Summer in the City
  • Opportunity Please Knock
  • Joy '66; Joy '69
  • Big-Time Buck White (starring Muhammad Ali, featuring song "We Came in Chains")
  • Slave Song
  • Oscar Brown Jr.'s Back in Town

Songs

  • "The Snake"
  • "Work Song" (lyrics to Nat Adderley's music)
  • "All Blues" (lyrics to Miles Davis' music)
  • "Dat Dere" (lyrics to Bobby Timmons' music)
  • "Afro Blue" (lyrics to Mongo Santamaría's music, sometimes recorded by others without crediting the lyricist)
  • "The Lone Ranger" (Billboard, No. 69 – peaked on June 15, 1974)
  • "Signifyin’ Monkey" (recorded on Sin & Soul)
  • "Forty Acres and a Mule"
  • "Brother Where Are You"
  • "Brown Baby"
  • "World Full of Gray"
  • "But I Was Cool"
  • "The Tree and Me"
  • "A Ladiesman"
  • "A Young Girl" (lyrics to French song "Une Enfant", by Charles Aznavour)
  • "Long As You're Living" (lyrics to Julian Priester & Tommy Turrentine's music)

Media appearances

  • Negro Newsfront (1940s), radio show
  • Tonight Starring Steve Allen (c. 1960)
  • The Today Show with Dave Garroway (c. 1960)
  • Jazz Scene USA (1962), television show – host
  • The Dick Cavett Show (1970), with Jean Pace and Sivuca from the Broadway musical Joy
  • Stony Island (1978 film) – actor
  • From Jump Street: The Story of Black Music (early 1980s) – 13-part public TV series, USA [host]
  • Def Poetry Season 2 (2002) [poet]

References

  • Oscar Brown, Jr. website produced by his daughters
  • Donnie L. Betts' documentary on Oscar Brown
  • Oscar Brown Jr's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project
  • Oscar Brown photographs, essays, poems, curated by his daughters at The University of Chicago Press Journals
  • Brown, Oscar Jr. at Encyclopedia.com