Russell Brown

Russell W. Brown

(May 25, 1908 – March 6, 1993)

Russell W. Brown has been remembered as one of the most influential High School Band Directors and music teachers at Crispus Attucks High School by many of the legendary jazz musicians from Indianapolis. Born in Philadelphia, his early introduction to music was with his father, a barber and musician who played piano in clubs and at house parties in the area. In 1926, Brown graduated from John Bartram High School and went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University on the violin, his specialty. He financed his education serving in the music department of the Mother Bethel AME Church. 

Upon graduating, he auditioned and won a seat as a violinist in the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra but became disenchanted with the discrimination in the symphony and left to become a professor of music at Wilberforce University.  After several years, he moved to Indianapolis, performing as a pianist with groups playing on Indiana Avenue. He became music director at Witherspoon Presbyterian Church but then decided to pursue a teaching position at Crispus Attucks High School as director of instrumental music, a position he held for over 40 years.

At Attucks, Brown taught and mentored many of the most recognized jazz masters from Indianapolis including Reginald DuValle Jr., Slide Hampton, JJ Johnson, David Baker, Leroy Vinegar, Phillip Stewart, Al Coleman, Willis Kirk, Russell Webster, Bill Penick, David Young, James Spaulding, Virgil Jones, Clifford Ratliff, and others. Freddie Hubbard and Larry Ridley attended Brown’s summer school program for which they received his influence, although they both attended Tech High School.  David Baker claimed that jazz was not Russell Brown’s greatest strength as a musician, but Brown’s legacy will always be his incredible influence on a long list of Indianapolis students who went on to become jazz greats.