Here in the Valley, we are surrounded by so many great musicians that it’s easy to take for granted the number of world-class artists that live in our area. One such talent is musician Wes Brown of Turners Falls.
Brown is a talented composer and multi-instrumentalist who has enjoyed a rich and varied 50-year career that has taken him all over the world. He plays piano, flute and African drums, but is best known as a skilled bass player who has played with numerous high-profile musicians. Brown performs in various musical genres, including jazz, Afro-pop, reggae, blues and gospel.
You can catch Brown performing for free at two upcoming shows at Peskeompskut Park in Turners Falls. The first show is Thursday, Aug. 20, when Brown will play his own compositions with his quartet.
On Thursday, Aug. 27, he returns to the stage with the Afro-jazz group Kwartetto Mambo. Both concerts, presented by the Montague Cultural Council and RiverCulture, start at 7 p.m.
Brown’s love of music dates back to his childhood.
“I had known that music would be my life when I was about 12 or 13, before my first lessons,” he recalled in an email exchange. “It was my strong connection to music, inspired by my mother’s singing and playing when I was a child.”
His father served in the Navy and was the first Black graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, so the family moved throughout the U.S. Brown later attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
“After graduation, I continued to live in Middletown for about 15 years and for nearly all of that time made my living exclusively as a performer,” he said. “I traveled internationally, mostly in Europe, to play at festivals.”
“A highlight of my career was the opportunity to tour with Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, one of the creators of jazz piano. That tour brought me to Asia as well as Europe, and throughout North America,” he added.
Brown has also played with acclaimed jazz musicians such as Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, Leo Smith, Anthony Davis and Ed Blackwell. He has been a member of reggae and salsa bands and spent years working with Talking Drums, a group featuring music and dance masters from Ghana, West Africa.
Family eventually brought Brown to western Massachusetts. In 1998, he and his partner moved to Northampton to raise their combined family of seven children. They later settled in Turners Falls in 2003.
After moving to western Massachusetts, Brown still traveled a lot, mainly with the innovative jazz quartet “blood drum spirit” and with several of Fred Ho’s Afro-Asian ensembles. These days, his traveling is limited to southern New England, but he still does the occasional tour.
“I occasionally do short stints in New York or further away,” Brown said. “I expect to return to China, Africa and perhaps the Philippines within the next few years.”
But there is no place like home, and these shows at Peskeompskut Park are special to him.
“Performing in Peskeompskut Park is a way for me to contribute to my local community,” he said. “I love that people can come downtown and share good times with their families and friends, and I love being part of a vibrant arts scene.”
He has done something different each year. Last year’s show focused on various 20th-century piano styles. “That show was a return to my first instrument, piano, and a way to honor my mother, who introduced me to music when I was very young.”
The Aug. 20 show will feature the Wes Brown Quartet performing 50 years of Brown’s compositions that reflect the diversity of his work. The band consists of accomplished musicians, including percussionist Royal Hartigan and saxophonist Temidayo Balogun, both from eastern Massachusetts, along with keyboardist Matan Rubinstein, Ph.D., from Turners Falls.
The concert will highlight Brown’s own compositions from different points in his long career.
“I wrote my first tune in 1971. My most recent was written this week,” he said. “The pieces are selected as those that will provide fun and interest for both audience and performers.”
Brown has played with both Royal Hartigan and Matan Rubinstein for many years.
“While I have played with each of them recently, the last time three of us performed together was before an audience of 35,000 at a major festival in China nearly three years ago,” he said. “I like to bring together musicians who will be musically compatible, so I’m happy to have this project to introduce Temidayo to Matan and Royal.”
The Aug. 20 quartet show is meant for listening, while the Kwartetto Mambo’s Aug. 27 show will include some songs you can dance to.
About 12 years ago, Brown began working with two Southern Vermont musicians: trombonist Dan DeWalt and percussionist Julian Gerstin. They started as a Cuban music mambo trio and became Kwartetto Mambo when horn player John Clark from Colrain joined. Their music mixes contemporary jazz, creative pop covers and improvisation.
Brown hopes everyone will come to both shows. “Audience members should know that they will experience a free performance by world-class, internationally known musicians and will be able to meet and speak to the artists,” he said. “The acoustics in the bandshell are good, there are restaurants and shopping nearby and local residents won’t need to travel far.”
So pack your picnic, grab your lawn chair and head to Peskeompskut Park.
The park is located at the corner of Avenue A and Seventh St. In the event of rain, the shows will be rescheduled. You can also find Wes Brown performing on the third Wednesday of every month at the Rendezvous in Turners Falls.
Whiskey Treaty Roadshow to perform at 108th Heath Fair
The Heath Fair is celebrating its 108th year this weekend, running from Friday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 23. While you’re there, make sure to check out the music. As always, the fair features a fantastic lineup of bands, and your admission covers all the shows.
Friday night is a perfect time to visit and catch the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, who are currently touring in support of their new album, “Kept Rising.” If you missed their album release show in Shelburne Falls back in June, here’s another chance to see them. Playing at the fair has become an annual tradition for the band, and it feels like a genuine homecoming since many members hail from the local Hilltowns. The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow will play three sets starting at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, enjoy a full day of music starting at 11 a.m. with the Snap Dragons, a rootsy band made up of students from The Academy at Charlemont. Later on, you can catch the eclectic sounds of Brook Batteau and the Party Emergency at 5:30 p.m., followed by the funky rhythms of Shokazoba at 7 p.m. to wrap up the evening.
On Sunday, don’t miss rocker Jax Hollow at 1:30 p.m. Jax is an alum of the Institute for the Musical Arts in Goshen and is originally from Montague, though she now lives in Nashville. She is a talented guitarist with a new album on the way, so be sure to catch her set.
These are only a few of the many acts you can experience at the fair. Visit heathfair.org to view the complete schedule and to purchase your tickets.
Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.