CV
Stuart Brown is a drummer, percussionist, composer, music producer and educator with 20+ years professional experience who has performed throughout the U.K., Europe, U.S.A, New Zealand and India and has played on over 50 commercial recordings. Alongside his prolific freelance career he is well established as a band leader, having released two critically acclaimed albums with his cartoon music ensemble, Twisted Toons, which made The Times and Mojo Magazine’s Top 10 Jazz Album of 2009 and 2016. He is particularly interested in intercultural and inter-disciplinary collaboration, having spent time on funded residencies with local musicians in India and Brazil and has created music for dance, theatre, film, visual art and multi-media performance. He currently specialises in hybrid electroacoustic drumming and creates live reactive audiovisual drum performances under the moniker MNDMTH, a practice which he devised and developed during his time as one of Sound and Music’s 15 funded New Voices composers in 2018-2019.
Education
1998: Performance Diploma, Berklee College of Music, Boston, U.S.A
1993-97: 1st Class Honours B.Eng in Electronics with Music, Glasgow University
Performance Experience
Bands/Ensembles: Stu Brown’s Twisted Toons, MNDMTH, Herschel 36, Blue Rose Code, Rab Noakes, Horse, Jill Jackson, Future Pilot AKA, Simon Thacker’s Ritmata, Brian Molley Quartet, Mr McFall’s Chamber, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, Trio Magico, Sugarwork, Orquestra Scotland Brazil, Martin Kershaw’s Hero As a Riddle
Freelance Work: Craig Armstrong (film composer), David Byrne (Talking Heads), Niki Haris, Tom Jones, Rab Noakes, Horse, Tina May, Barbara Morrison, Dave Gordon (SunRa Arkestra), Bill Carothers, Gilad Atzmon, Bruce Adams, Evan Parker, Fred Frith, George Lewis,, The Rat Pack Live, Niki King, The Nimmo Brothers
Selected Cross Disciplinary Work:
2020 MNDMTH:Convergence audio visual collaboration with digital artist Steve Curtis
2016 Cottiers Dance Project: Underhand Dance & Allon Beauvoisin
2014 Carrie Fertig, Le Sirenuse (Glass Percussion live performance and film)
Grants/Awards
2018 Sound and Music “New Voices” composer development grant/commission
2016 Top 10 Jazz albums of 2009 in The Times and Mojo Magazine (Twisted Toons Vol. 2)
2014 Creative Scotland funding for Stu Brown’s Twisted Toons Vol.2 album recording
2012 Jazz Services Rural Touring pilot scheme (29 gigs throughout U.K.)
2010 Scottish Arts Council Creating New Music funding for Stu Brown Sextet
2009 Top 10 Jazz albums of 2009 in Mojo Magazine (The Stu Brown Sextet - Twisted Toons)
2009 Nominated for Best New Project in Scottish Jazz Awards
2008 Scottish Arts Council Recording funding to record The Stu Brown Sextet album
Commissions
2020 MNDMTH:Convergence AV performance piece at TEFOS for Sound and Music, New Voices
2016 Wunder Der Schöpfung Silent film score commission for Hippfest with Herschel 36
2014 Music/sound for Mary’s Meals “Saving Grace” online campaign video
2012 GI Festival, Collaboration with Damien Marchal, piece for drums and computer printers
2010 Edinburgh Jazz Fest “Naturally Inspired” joint commission with John Hollenbeck
2010 Scottish Arts Council “Creating New Music” commission for Stu Brown Sextet
Residencies
2020 Cove Park residency as part for Sound and Music New Voices programme
2017 Chennai, India, Brian Molley Quartet/ Krishna Kishor collaboration
2015/16 Jodhpur RIFF, Rajasthan, India, Brian Molley Quartet/Asin Langa group collaboration
2014 Lyth Arts Centre multi-media residency, with glass artist, Carrie Fertig
2010 “Naturally Inspired” residency on Islay for Edinburgh Jazz festival commission
2002 Orquestra Scotland Brasil: British Council collaborative residency, Sau Paulo, Brazil
Media Work
2017 Bailley Gifford Investment Fund promotional video (composer/performer/sound designer)
2016 Citizens Theatre “Trainspotting” trailer (composer/performer/sound designer)
2013 Kuoni Travel, Cuban holiday advertisement (composer/performer/sound designer)
2012 Citizens Theatre pantomime trailer (composer/performer/sound designer)
2012 “This Sucks”, short children’s film by Starcatchers (composer/performer/sound designer)
2008 Edinburgh Film Festival Cinematic Trailer (composer/performer/sound designer)
Film/ TV Work
2018 The Outlaw King Movie Soundtrack (soundtrack percussionist and on set musician)
2016 Wunder Der Schöpfung (live silent film score commission for Hippfest)
2004 Balamory (on screen appearance with The Black Star Steel Band)
2003 Young Adam Movie Soundtrack (drummer)
1997 STV’s High Road (actor/body percussionist)
Professional Teaching Appointments
2000-present Drum/percussion Instructor, Glasgow City Council
2018-present Part time drum tutor, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Junior School
2017-present Drum tutor at Annette Street Primary School for YMI/The Glad Foundation
2012-present Drum tutor, Glasgow Jazz Summer School
2003-present Drum tutor, Napier Jazz Summer School
2000-present Freelance workshop leader for New Rhythms For Glasgow, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils, NYOS, EMS, The Glad Foundation
Discography
2020
Simon Thacker's Ritmata - Tàradh
Blue Rose Code - With Healings of The Deepest Kind
2019
Herschel 36 - Astrophysik
Future Pilot AKA - Orkestra Digitalis
Mr McFall's Chamber - Born in Dirt an' Din
2018
MODUL3 - Self Titled
Rab Noakes - Welcome to Anniversaryville
Brooks Williams - Lucky Star
Jill Jackson - Are We There Yet?
Sugarwork - Self Titled
Drawn To Water - Self Titled
GlO - Parallel Moments Unbroken
2017
Brian Molley Quartet - Colour and Movement
GlO - GIOSevens
GIO - The Word For It Now
Rab Noakes - The Treatment Tapes
2016
Stu Brown's Twisted Toons Vol.2
2015
Scott Twynholm - Alasdair Gray, A Life In Progress
2014
Sophie Bancroft - Songs
Rab Noakes - I'm Walkin Here
2013
The Brian Molley Quartet - Clock
2012
The People's Voice - Celebrating the Janey Buchan Political Song Collection
GIO - Schweben, Ay but can ye?
GIO GN8 - Improcherto for HB
2011
The Northern Appointment - Good Times in Small Numbers
2010
Martin Kershaw - Hero as A Riddle
The DT6 - Donkey Chop
2009
GIO - GIOpoetics
The Stu Brown Sextet - Twisted Toons
The DT6 - Don’t Doubt Me/Open Your Eyes
The DT6 - The Baden Persuader/ Takes
GIO w. George Lewis - Metamorphic Rock
2008
GIO/LIO - Separately and Together
The Everything Treatment (TET Records)
2007
Waltzer - EP
2006
Horse - Red Haired Girl
Horse - Same Old Same Old (single)
The Everything Treatment - Frequent Flyer
The Everything Treatment - Club AB+ comp
The Everything Treatment - Sola
2005
GIO/Maggie Nicols - Which way did he Go?
2004
Horse - Coveted
GIO w. Evan Parker - Munich and Glasgow
2003
David Byrne - Lead us in to Temptation
Martin Kershaw Quartet - Fruition
2002
Yush 2K - Tales from the Greenyard
2001
Dr Honda - Don't Sleep Much
Rarefaction - Stormbird (Yush 2K EP)
1999
Tom Jones with Cerys from Catatonia - Baby It's Cold Outside official remix
1997
Toneburst Collective compilation