Hugh Christopher Brown
Fifteen years ago, Chris moved into to the old post office on Wolfe Island, founding a recording studio in the building that never had running water and is heated by wood stove. ‘The Post Office’ and Wolfe Island Records would become the incubator for constant musical works, including the ground breaking Pros and Cons Prison Music Program Brown founded in 2012. “ Multi-instrumentalist and music producer Hugh Christopher “Chris” Brown has a real talent for writing thought-provoking political songs that somehow manage to keep the feet tapping and the mind racing at the same time” (All Music Guide). Beyond his own music, Chris has performed and recorded (usually organ, piano and clavinet – but sometimes trombone, tuba or other instruments) for many stellar artists including Ani DiFranco, Joan As Police Woman, Tony Scherr, Barenaked Ladies, Ashley MacIsaac, Crash Test Dummies and Jen Chapin, among others. Brown was one of the founding members of the alternative soul-rock band Bourbon Tabernacle Choir in the 1980s and 1990s and when that band broke up, he continued performing as a duo with his Bourbon bandmate Kate Fenner.
Chris currently spends his time producing albums, touring and performing solo or with many of his musical colleagues including Kate Fenner and his new trio, The Ropes. Chris is also a passionate and committed social justice activist volunteering at prisons where he continues to run music workshops with Pros and Cons. The “inescapably honest and sincere” (Exclaim!) album Chris recorded and produced with the prisoners Postcards from the County (available as a free download) and Chris’ ongoing work with the prisoners has been acknowledged and hailed by the Toronto Star, Truthout, Examiner.com, CBC (Canada), Sirius XM Canada and many others. Chris produces albums for Suzanne Jarvie (most recently ‘In The Clear’ which reached #1 on European/UK Americana charts) and David Corley (‘Available Light’ – 9/10 stars Uncut) which are both receiving international critical acclaim alongside his solo album ‘Pacem’ which he is following up with Pacem 2.
