“My dad would take me to see all the great drummers whenever Drummer Gerry Brown brings new meaning to the term “starting early.” they came to town. He would have to sneak me into the clubs, “M Y PARENTS USED TO GO TO THE SAVOY BALLROOM IN NEW YORK TO Brown went on to make seven albums with Clarke, discs that dance and hear great music,” says Brown, whose credits include helped define the emerging jazz-fusion style. “I was blessed to because I was underage” stints with Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Stanley have been there at a groundbreaking time in music, but I wasn’t Clarke, and Chick Corea. “It turns out, my mom was dancing at really conscious of that at the time,” he says. “Now when I hear the Savoy when she was pregnant with yours truly. Guess those the word ‘fusion,’ I think of how I had the YMS disease: ‘Young grooves and rhythms got through!” Man Speed.’” Less than five years later, Gerry found himself behind a real But, in fact, Brown balanced his showier jazz style with tight, drum kit. “My parents saw how fascinated I was by the drummer restrained R&B work. He says the best way to mentally navigate on the Arthur Godfrey Showon TV, so before I tore up the between the two approaches is to think of the players who most house beating on everything, they took me to a music school.” influenced him in each style. “If it’s a jazz gig, I think about Elvin It was just the beginning of a dream music education, one that Jones, Tony Williams, and Jack DeJohnette. If it's a groove gig, I might have been possible only in Brown’s hometown of think Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, Dennis Chambers, and Vinnie Philadelphia. Gerry was tutored by a series of classical percus - Colaiuta.” sionists, ultimately studying with the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Brown has played Yamaha drums since 1987. His main kit is a Alan Abels and performing in Abels’ own ensemble. “This foun - Absolute Birch Custom. “I wouldn’t say I necessarily prefer the dation of classical music has taken me to where I am,” states sound of birch over maple or beech,” he explains. “I might use Brown. “I’ll always have my appreciation and love for classical maple if I want something that really cuts, birch if I want a music.” smoother sound, and beech for something in-between. Yamaha Gerry Brown: Born to Groove But it was only part of the equation. Philadelphia in the ’50s and has been on top for so long that all their shells are happening, ’60s boasted not only one of the world’s finest orchestras, but and Yamaha’s hardware is the strongest and highest in quality. 1 1 also jazz and R&B scenes of legendary vitality. “It was a great My favorite snares right now are the copper 5 /2” and 6 /2” training ground,” says Brown. “One of our neighbors was models. I like how they let me dig in or finesse them, and they Howard Rice, a jazz drummer. And my dad would take me to see always respond.” all the great drummers whenever they came to town — Elvin Of the countless gigs Brown has played since the ’70s, which Jones, Joe Chambers, Max Roach, Tony Williams, and of course ones were the most memorable? “Definitely the Stanley Clarke Buddy Rich. My dad would have to sneak me into the clubs, gig where Jaco Pastorius sat in,” he recalls. “Also the Lionel because I was underage. I also heard a lot of blues growing up, Richie performance at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 and on Sundays our house would be filled with gospel music. Olympics. And the Music Magic gigs with Chick Corea. And any I learned from an early age that I should never limit myself to only Stevie Wonder gig! It's so unbelievable playing with him — he’s one style of playing. The more styles I could play, the more I’d be the Black Mozart. Can you imagine playing for someone who has in demand.” such a history? To be able to concentrate on someone who can't Everything started to coalesce by the time Gerry began per - see you, but whose other senses are so sharp? To understand forming at high school dances, often in tandem with his buddy, that you're playing timeless songs that so many people can bassist Stanley Clarke. “That’s when I really started to under - relate to? To know his material so well that a ‘set list’ is impracti - stand the concept of playing different styles,” says Brown. “We cal? He won't tell you what the next song will be — he just starts, learned to emulate the great rhythm sections we heard and saw.” so you'd better be aware!”

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