Judi Ann Brown

Metro Arts Feature – Judi Ann Brown

Performing  Romantic Homework, an original piece,  Judi Brown won the Bill Riley Talent Show in her hometown at age 13. This was the first step toward a desire to sing and play professionally.  The happy sounds of Patti Page, Doris Day, Glen Miller’s band, and other big bands often echoed through the old farmhouse in Carlisle, IA and have been an important influence and inspiration in Judi’s life. 

Judi went on to further study music and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in music and art education from Drake University. In between full and part-time teaching, performance opportunities developed for Judi including singing with Bob Weast’s group for outreach to prisons, nursing homes, and other venues. Judi has also performed a southern Tour with Split Decision Show Band, led by Del (Saxman) Jones (opening act for the Spinners and a New Orleans extended tour).

Being a bit of a home body, however, Judi was ready to settle in to continue working on her songwriting and began singing with Brian Tabach, singer-songwriter (collaborator/singer of Lovin’ Naturally, a Top 20 hit). They worked as a duo and band (JB Band), and were pleased to perform as opening act for a Lettermen concert at the Civic Center.  They collaborated on hundreds of songs written with children through the Iowa Arts Council’s Artist-in Schools program including Kid Komposers, a collection of Smoother Sailing songs based on inter-personal relationships and character building.  Judi eventually enjoyed the freedom as a single performer, singing mostly standards and some originals self-accompanied on grand piano at various hotel venues. 

When Judi began working with Mel Wheeler, a great jazz player from Minneapolis, a collaboration of children’s songs developed as a result of trying to find good children’s music for our young families.  They wrote Kids Are Beautiful People, a collection of songs celebrating the wonder of being a child.  They’re putting finishing touches on a project entitled Creation, a classical and jazz interpretation.

As a CHARACTER COUNTS! Through the Arts artist, she has collaborated with school children on many songs based on the six pillars of character, and a compilation is in the works.  A collection of original contemporary Christian songs continue to develop as well, and recording has begun on an EP of some favorites.  She has enjoyed sharing these at Amici’s Coffee House during the 2008 June Jam concert series.

For more than 20 years Judi has been associated with Metro Arts, and has enjoyed the professional development opportunities and collaborative events to join artists, community members and organizations together to create programs such as Green Arts, an exciting interactive arts program for students through 8^th grade focusing on teaching students to be good stewards of the environment. She is excited to present Prairie Prints, an interactive mono-print paint project discovering the importance of Iowa’s prairie habitat that follows a hands-on exploration of Iowa’s habitats (guided by Polk County Conservation naturalists).

She is now very pleased to be working with some of the best jazz musicians in the Midwest, including Bob Weast, 2007 Des Moines Jazz Hall of Fame recipient and have come back to the best-written music that started it all, the great sounds of jazz, swing, and standard classics.   Their band, Classic Jazz is proud to be part of the Metro Arts Jazz in July (Giants of Jazz) program again this year as we present the music of George and Ira Gershwin on July 21^st , 5:30 P.M. at the Shops of Roosevelt in the Roosevelt Cultural District.

You can find more information on Judi Ann Brown and Classic Jazz at www.judiannbrown.com