Donald Brown (musician) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Donald Brown Birth name Donald Ray Brown Born ( 1954-03-28 ) March 28, 1954 (age 64) Hernando, Mississippi, U.S. Genres Jazz Occupation(s) Music producer, musician Instruments Piano Years active 1972–present Labels Muse, Sunnyside, Evidence, Space Time Associated acts Kenny Garrett, Art Blakey, James Williams, Mulgrew Miller Website Official website Donald Ray Brown (born March 28, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and producer. [1] Brown was born in Hernando, Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned to play trumpet and drums in his youth. From 1972 to 1975 he was a student at Memphis State University, by which time he had made piano his primary instrument. He was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1981 to 1982, then took teaching positions at Berklee College of Music from 1983 to 1985 and the University of ...