School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Oscar Brown Jr.

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Oscar Brown Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, actor and civil rights activist. He was born on 10 October 1926 in Chicago and died on 29 May 2005. He made his acting debut at fifteen in the Chicago radio programme Secret City. As a young adult he worked as the first Black newsreader in the world for Negro Newsfront, and later he worked in advertising and served in the American army. He ran for the Illinois legislature and for the American House of Representatives, without success. In total he wrote 125 published songs, twelve albums and more than a dozen musical stage plays.

Music and breakthrough

He focused on songwriting when Mahalia Jackson recorded his song Brown Baby. His first major contribution to a record was the collaboration with Max Roach on We Insist! from 1960, one of the first records to celebrate the Black freedom struggle. He then signed with Columbia and released his first album in January 1961, Sin & Soul. It is regarded as a classic because it openly addresses the experiences of African Americans, with songs such as Bid 'Em In and Afro Blue. He also added lyrics of his own to well-known jazz instrumentals, such as Dat Dere, Afro Blue and Work Song, an approach that other jazz singers would follow. Nina Simone later covered his Work Song. Tells It Like It Is from 1963 included The Snake, which in Al Wilson's version became a Northern soul classic. After that his contract with Columbia was not renewed.

Influence

Brown shows how jazz and protest found one another: he combined the freedom of jazz with lyrics about Black life in America.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Work Song from Sin & Soul and notice how the lyrics, the singing and the accompaniment evoke the rhythm of labour. Hear how the singing voice almost plays along like an instrument in jazz.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists