John Brown has taught at Duke University since the Spring of 2001. He started as the Double Bass Instructor in January of 2001, and applied for the position as Director of the Jazz Program upon the retirement of Paul Jeffrey in 2003. After completing a year as Visiting Director from 2003-2004, John began as the permanent Director of the Jazz Program in the Fall of 2004, and now also serves as an Associate Professor of the Practice of Music and a faculty resident. At Duke, he teaches lecture courses, directs the jazz ensemble, oversees the Duke Jazz Festival, the jazz combo course and engages students in a wide variety of performance opportunities. Students also perform under John’s direction in small combos in various configurations for events on and off campus. Select students perform with the Duke Jazz Ambassadors, which is a special group that creates opportunities for students and instructors to perform together. Regular performances for this group include services twice each year at the Duke Chapel, special events for university administration, and community events.

John also performs for the weekly jazz jam session at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. The jam happens almost every Wednesday night from 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. That schedule is available on the calendar to the right. All are welcome to attend free of charge!

Videos

Jazz @ the Mary Lou Williams Center at Duke University, led by John Brown

Duke Jazz Ensemble with Vincent Gardner

Photos

Duke Jazz Ensemble rehearsing with Jon Hendricks

The Duke Jazz Program is proud to bring 4 guests artists to campus each year for residencies and performances. Guests spend 3-4 days at Duke working with students in rehearsals, workshops, master classes and listening sessions, and the week ends with a concert where the students perform with our guests. Within the last few years some of our guests have been Nicholas Payton, Louie Bellson, Jon Hendricks, Joey DeFrancesco, Frank Foster, Johnny Griffin, Russell Malone, Randy Brecker, Lou Donaldson, Delfeayo Marsalis and Eddie Palmieri. Learn more about Jazz at Duke at www.dukejazz.org, and please visit the sites for the Duke Music Department and the Arts at Duke.

Duke Jazz Ensemble rehearsing with Delfeayo Marsalis

Duke Jazz Ensemble rehearsing with Frank Foster and Chris Murrell

Louie Bellson sharing his set-up with Duke student drummer Eric Bishop

Duke Jazz Ambassadors performing at the Duke Medical Center. Pictured are: Danny Fitzgibbons, Roger Diebold, Jonathan Pollard, Prof. Brown and Jules van Binsbergen

Duke Jazz Ambassadors rehearsing with the Duke Chapel Choir