An Interview with Jewel Brown

On first impression, Jewel Brown might seem like an ordinary southern woman. She talks in a casual, friendly manner, explaining that she’s lived in the same house in Houston, Texas, for sixty-two years and that her next trip to Baton Rouge will be the first she’s taken there since the 1960s. “I ain’t nothing special; I’m just me,” she said.

Those are humble words. Jewel Brown is actually a jazz legend and the only surviving member of Louis Armstrong and his All Stars, whom she sang with from 1961 to 1968. Known for her powerful vocal talent, her bluesy style, and her captivating personality on stage, she had to place her jazz vocal career on pause for nineteen years to care for her ailing parents. But over the past six years, Brown has reentered the jazz scene, releasing the album Roller Coaster Boogie last spring and a joint album with Milton Hopkins in 2012. Her performance on June 24 as part of the LSU School of Music’s Hot Summer Nights, Cool Jazz lineup will undoubtedly be a sought-after ticket. In a recent phone conversation, she reflected on her career and future plans as an artist. 

On her introduction to jazz:

JB: This is the way it went: I first started off with a song called “Lonesome in Blue” by Linda Hopkins. I had always been in the church from five years old in the junior choir. After that my brother, Ted Brown, took note of the gift the Lord had given me, and he was playing with all the groups around town—Henry Hayes was his manager and saxophone player. He said to me, “Jewel, you need to learn how to do all this.” That’s when I got into Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, and Della Reese. I didn’t miss nobody. That’s what got me off into everything; I started performing. You did what you had to do to keep it coming in.  

On the circumstances that first connected her to Louis Armstrong:

JB: I wanted to finish school for my father and finished at 15. Then I left Houston and went to California and worked with Earl Grant. I worked with him for about a year and a half, then I went down to Dallas and worked for Jack Ruby. I then was heard by the manager of Associated Booking Corporation, and Tony Papa, their Dallas branch officer, recruited me. Papa told Louis Armstrong about me, and then Joe Glaser flew down to listen to me and came to one of my shows. Louis’ former singer had passed from a stroke. They said, ‘Ms. Brown, if we put a new singer with Louis Armstrong, it will be you.” Then [Glaser] called one morning in Dallas and said there’d be a ticket waiting for me in Houston at 3 pm. I wasn’t ready but made it to Houston for the flight in two hours driving one hundred miles an hour … The first gig we played was for George Wee in Storyville, MA.

[Louis and his band] accepted me as I was and with what I was already doing. I had some of everybody in me already, plus what the Lord gave me; but they took me as I was. [Louis] featured me every night wherever we went.  

On her vocal style and what she needs from accompanying musicians:

JB: You know, I don’t want to compare myself to anyone. Gladys Knight was the best at what she did. Tina Turner was the best at what she did. Mavis Staples was the best at what she did. Whatever I do, I try to do it good; I don’t try to compare. I’ve been in this seventy years now and have never missed satisfying an audience. When Mr. Brian [Shaw] told me I didn’t have to worry about a band, I said that’s all I want. I want [the band] to keep their ears and eyes open, and that’s all I need. I need musicians that don’t limit themselves like I don’t limit myself, and we will make it work. When I started with Louis Armstrong, we had never rehearsed or nothing, and we played like we’d been playing together for one hundred years. As long as they’re good musicians, we’ve got it going on.

On what makes jazz music still relevant today:  

JB: If you take note, [jazz] has steps, meaning, and a feeling. When you listen to Louis Armstrong, you can’t help but pay attention. He did “What a Wonderful World” back in ‘66 and ‘67, and people still want to hear it today. The man had something special going on. He’s respected and admired to this day all over the world. Working with him, it didn’t matter what color you were as long as you were a good musician and were on time and were an ambassador. There were no boundaries for Louis.