Mel Brown is a bassist who can do it all. This personable, Arizona-based 5-stringer has just about done it all, too! He’s been involved in world-class touring, recording, television, movies, endorsements, and teaching at the college level for over 20 years, though you’d never know it by talking to him. Behind his friendly smile, relaxed demeanor, and easy-going personality is a highly skilled, motivated, and innovative musician.

               

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Mel got his first big break courtesy of the Arsenio Hall show. Mel sent a videotape of himself playing the show’s theme song, and asked if he could sit in with Hall’s band for a night. Hall, who was known for helping folks along in their careers, obliged and flew Mel to LA for the taping, where he performed with smooth jazz saxophonist Everette Harp, actor Jamie Foxx, and the house band.

               

Armed with his new credentials, Mel landed a gig in Denver, recording and touring with a local smooth jazz saxophonist, and used the opportunity to network himself into the New York music scene, where he met and recorded with Chuck Loeb on his first #1 Single, “The Music Inside.” In 1996, Mel planned his move to Los Angeles. With the help of some friends, Mel documented his work experience in an innovative multi-media CD-ROM called a “Profile”. He predicted that using the device would shorten the time between meeting contacts and actually doing business with them. Mel’s belief in the device was so strong that he staked his livelihood on it. He relocated to LA in 1997 and used the Profile to introduce himself. It worked, and soon Mel was a well-respected and sought-after bassist in the Los Angeles metro area. Major trade magazines documented Mel’s approach to self-promotion using the Profile.

 

Mel left the road and LA in 2003 and moved to Arizona to focus on recording sessions over the internet, collaborating with long-time friend (Artist, Saxophonist, and Producer) Darren Rahn and a new friend - Artist, Keyboardist, and Producer Michael Broening. Since the move, Mel’s contributed to two Grammy Award-winning projects: Best Pop Instrumental in 2006 (George Benson & Al Jarreau) and Best R&B Album in 2009 (Jennifer Hudson), as well as another Grammy nomination with Dave Koz’s 2013 Summer Horns project. Brown recently celebrated his 103rd Top 10 Billboard Smooth Jazz single, 82 of which made it to the Top 5, and 47 that went all the way to the coveted #1 spot. The ever-growing hit list of tracks reads like a who’s who in Smooth Jazz: Wayman Tisdale, Dave Koz, Nick Colionne, Blake Aaron, Tim Bowman, Marion Meadows, Adam Hawley, Steve Cole, Lin Rountree, Randy Scott, Nils, Steve Oliver, and fellow Bassist Julian Vaughn, to name a few.

 

Lately, Mel is making his way into the publishing business and lecture circuit. His 2007 self-published book, "From Zero to Sideman in 5 Steps," is a groundbreaking five-step instruction manual for becoming a professional musician, scheduled for release as an online video masterclass in August 2025. Educators and the industry are adopting the book at large as the definitive guide on the subject. 

 

Mel’s latest musical endeavor is Embassy, a collaboration with Broening. The pair has collaborated on more than 25 songs, with over 1 million streams each, most notably Marion Meadows' “Suede,” which has garnered over 27 million streams and counting.