Brown began his career with Charlie Echols and Paul Howard. In 1932 he joined Duke Ellington. His great technical command of the instrument, with its "creamy tone, neurotic vibrato and range" was featured with Ellington's band every year in compositions such as "Blue Cellophane" and "Golden Cress."
Brown left Ellington's band in 1951 to join a band led by former Ellington sideman Johnny Hodges, where he stayed until 1955. After leaving Hodges, Brown took a position for five years with CBS as a session player. In 1960, Brown rejoined Ellington and stayed with him until 1970. After leaving Ellington's band the second time at the age of 63, Brown quit performing completely.
Brown fulfilled many roles in the Ellington Orchestra—as a balladeer, technical soloist, and section leader. His highly melodic ballad playing as well as his fast technical style inspired trombonists from Tommy Dorsey to Bill Harris.
Discography:
1955: Slide Trombone Featuring Lawrence Brown (Clef Records)
1965: Inspired Abandon (Impulse! Records)
#2 - Lawrence Benjamin Brown (Jacksonville, Florida, August 28, 1893 - December 25, 1972) was an American composer, pianist and arranger. Paul Robeson was the first to use Brown's arrangements of spirituals.
Brown was raised by his father, Clark Benjamin Brown, son of a former slave, and his stepmother, Cenia. Brown's natural mother died when he was only
three years old.
While still a small child, Brown received his first music lessons under the instruction of William Riddick. EXhibiting remarkable talent, he was sent to Boston to study. In 1920, further studies took him to London's Trinity College. One of Brown's teachers in composition in London was Amanda Aldridge, daughter of the great tragedian, Ira Aldridge. Brown's natural abilities to compose and arrange, as well as sing and play the piano, made him an outstanding asset to the music world.
In 1916, Brown made his debut as accompanist to the famous tenor, Sydney Woodward. Soon after, Roland Hayes, another renowned tenor, selected Brown as accompanist, and the two toured abroad from 1918 to 1923. During their professional association, Brown was awarded as great an acclaim as Hayes. In April 1921, Brown and Roland Hayes appeared before the King and Queen of England at Buckingham Palace.
Brown spent the fall of 1925 in folksong research, delving into the history of black music. His research took him deep into the southern parts of the U. S. where he was so inspired by the songs of the workmen on the wharves and in the fields that he began to arrange numerous traditional spirituals. More than thirty of these arrangements have been published. Brown is known for seeking to preserve every detail of black music in rhythm and content. Spirituals arranged by Brown include "Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho," "Steal Away," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "L'il David," and "Ezekiel Saw De Wheel" which have become traditions in folk and religious lore.
In addition to the spirituals, Lawrence Brown also arranged compositions for cello and piano and violin and piano, as well as the voice. He played some of his arrangements with Beatrice Harrison, acclaimed cellist, at Wigmore Hall in England in 1923.
Paul Robeson was the first to use Brown's arrangements of spirituals at a recital in the Greenwich Village Theatre on April 19, 1925. This event marked the beginning of a long and successful association which lasted for over thirty-five years until 1968. The spirituals arranged and played by Lawrence Brown and sung by Paul Robeson, sometimes with vocal harmony from Brown, have become legend. The Robeson-Brown recitals were performed in New York, London, Paris and the British Isles. The pair appeared before royalty, including the King of Spain, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York.
Brown and Robeson also recorded together for RCA Victor records. And, in August of 1945, Brown and Robeson toured with u.s.O. Camp shows performing for troops abroad.
Lawrence Brown never married and died in Harlem Hospital on December 25, 1972 at 79 years of age. He had spent the last 47 years of his life in Harlem at 1BB West 135th Street.
On February 11, 1973, the Committee to Preserve the Lawrence Brown Collection presented a memorial concert at st. Martin's Episcopal Church.Brown was married to actress Fredi Washington. He died in Los Angeles, California.
For All We Know
Lawrence Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We may never meet again
Before we go
Make this moment live again
We won't say goodbye
Until the last minute
I'll hold out my hand
And my heart will be in it
For all we know
This might only be a dream
We come and we go
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Tomorrow was made for some
Oh, but tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know
Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know
The song For All We Know by Lawrence Brown encourages listeners to cherish moments and appreciate the present while acknowledging the uncertainty of the future. The lyrics suggest that the possibility of never seeing someone again is a reality that we should be mindful of as life is unpredictable. The song advocates for making the most of every moment, conveying a sense of urgency to hold out one's hand and keep one's heart in it. The lyrics suggest that the present is all we have and that we should not take it for granted. The song also emphasizes the importance of love in our lives, as it is a powerful force that can transcend time and space. The phrase "For all we know" is used as a reminder that we don't know what the future holds and that uncertainty can create a sense of urgency to live in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
For all we know
It is uncertain what will happen in the future
We may never meet again
It is possible that we may never see each other again
Before we go
Before we depart from each other
Make this moment live again
Let's make this moment memorable
We won't say goodbye
We will not part ways
Until the last minute
Until the very end
I'll hold out my hand
I will extend my hand to you
And my heart will be in it
I will put my emotions into it
This might only be a dream
This moment may not be real
We come and we go
We enter and exit people's lives
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
Just as ripples come and go in a stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Love me while we have this moment
Tomorrow was made for some
Some people are meant to live for the future
Oh, but tomorrow
However, the future
But tomorrow may never, never come
But we cannot be certain that the future will happen
Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
Indeed, the future may never happen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: J. COOTS, SAM M. LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind