Multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, and educator Christopher Brown is a Portland native who returned home after 17 years between the Marine Corps and the NYC Jazz scene back in 2012. And since then he has not only retired from the military (Army National Guard), but both he and his band have helped to set a very strong precedent for excellence among bands of any genre throughout the state of Oregon, becoming Portland's busiest Jazz group as of January 2017. Currently Christopher leads the Metropolitan Youth Symphony's (MYS) Jazz program, in addition to serving as the drum instructor within Portland State University's Jazz department. And as of January 2023, Christopher has helped to co-create and teach a new course offering within the MBA program at PSU entitled "Business Innovation Through Jazz Improvisation." 

 

Notable performances include work with artists such as: Beyoncé, Branford Marsalis, Delfeyao Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Dave Liebman, John Pattitucci, Gary Bartz, Esperanza Spalding, Paquito D'Rivera, Gerald Clayton, Sean Jones, Ralph Bowen, Vincent Herring, George Colligan, Darrell Grant, Mel Brown, Conrad Herwig, David Sanborn, Don Alias, Geoff Keezer, James Genus, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Stanley Cowell, Vic Juris, Bobby Watson, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Steve Turre, Ronnie Mathews, Antonio Hart, Don Braden, John Lee, Chuck Israels, Aaron Goldberg, Ben Williams, Kamasi Washington, Victor Goines, Lonnie Plaxico, Orrin Evans, Randy Brecker, Charles Fambrough, Javon Jackson, Marquis Hill, Cyrus Chestnut, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Ben Wolfe, and many more.

 

Outside of music, Christopher serves on the Ambassador Council board for Portland's Habitat for Humanity, as well as a board called TASTE: United for Equity, which is an organization that exists to highlight and financially support businesses and organizations throughout the Portland Metro area that excel within their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. And lastly, Christopher owns an ecommerce health and wellness business called Kono Solutions, which exists to help equip musicians with useful strategies and products for responding to the physical and mental stressors often associated with such a lifestyle.