Clifford Brown III was born in Hayward, California, the grandson of legendary jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown & classical pianist La Rue Brown Watson. In addition to his grandparents, his family tree includes a parent and several cousins that have been recognized nationally and internationally for their contributions to music in general, and to jazz specifically. This lineage gave Clifford the unusual experience of being raised around some of the greatest musicians the world has ever known. Clifford began playing trumpet at the age of 3, and by the time he was in elementary school, he was winning awards at major jazz competitions against much older musicians. After a highly decorated high school music career, Clifford was unsure he wanted to pursue the life of a working musician. After all, he had seen so many great musicians struggle to make a living. So he concentrated on learning the I.T. field. However his passion for music never lessened, and after a couple of years, Clifford found that he terribly missed music and performing, so he rededicated his life to the arts. Clifford has played with some of the biggest names in jazz including Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, and Albert Tootie Heath. He has played on stage at major venues including Jazz At Lincoln Center in New York, Yoshi’s Jazz House in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Stanford Jazz Festival in Northern California. As to his concern about seeing so many great jazz musicians struggle to make a living, Clifford supplements his playing by being a working Audio Engineer (certified in both music production & post production) for recording studios and radio stations, as well as hosting his own jazz radio program entitled “What I Like!” He is also passionately involved in the Musicians Health Care Fund, helping raise money for musicians who are without health insurance. Clifford Brown III currently leads The Brewing Company and is an “in-demand” sideman.
