by Angel Park
If there’s one thing to be made clear about Aaron Brown, it’s that he loves his jazz music.
“I started playing the trumpet in elementary school,” he recalls, “That’s when I realized I really had a knack for playing. I also grew up on singers like Miles Davis and The Rolling Stones , so that also inspired me a lot.”
Since that time, Brown has not only found a band to call his own (Aaron & The Spell), but has a full length album to his name as well. Despite the upbeat tone that makes up the album, Sing couldn’t have come from a more emotionally raw place.
“I had just moved and ended a long relationship,” Brown says. “I knew I needed time to heal and writing songs really helped me do that.”
What resulted from Brown’s weeks of recording were nine tracks, brimming with soul and the power of being able to let go of all the negativity in his life. Things had really started to turn around at this point, and people took notice. While performing a spot at WXPN’s summer festival last year, he was described as a “modern age Stevie Wonder,” by a critic in attendance.
“After being called something like that, I figured why not make that the tour?” he laughs, “I’m a huge fan of Wonder to begin with so it seemed like the perfect idea to cover Innervisions live.”
On November 20th, Brown will be performing Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions live at World Cafe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album. The following night, he’ll do the same at The Cutting Room in New York City. Despite all the praise, Brown still acknowledges the pressure that lies with performing Wonder’s songs. Covers can be tricky and it’s hard to please all ears.
“I like sticking close to the original songs,” he says, “but, I also want to put my own spin on things. Either way, I’ve got my own musical style that I’m comfortable with and that’s not gonna change.”
The Innervisions tour will be held during national hunger and homeless awareness week. All proceeds will be donated to the city’s Pathway organization, which offers support to the homeless and individuals battling severe mental illnesses.
