Maurice “Mobetta” Brown started playing trumpet early in life. He quickly moved through beginning band into advanced band and then into performing on a professional level. His affinity for the trumpet helped him win the national Miles Davis Trumpet Competition at a very young age and lead him to study under the legendary clarinetist Alvin Batiste. His critically acclaimed debut album Hip To Bop recorded in New Orleans, foreshadowed Brown’s unique talent for creating fresh bop-inflected jazz. Yet, Hurricane Katrina’s devastation didn’t spare Maurice and he took his talent to Brooklyn.

Maurice reformed his own quintet, resurrected his underground hip-hop/funk combo, Soul'd U Out and recorded with Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, De La Soul, Macy Gray, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lettuce and The Roots.

In 2010 Maurice was invited to join the newly formed Tedeschi-Trucks Band where he created the horn arrangements on the band’s debut album, Revelator which won a 2012 Grammy for the Best Blues Album. Brown’s trumpet was a wailing counterpoint to Derek Truck’s searing guitar wizardry which lead Brown to stay with the group for 5 years and tour the world performing more than 250 dates a year.

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Brown is now embarking on a tour with his own band that will include stops in Australia, Japan, China among others. His latest release The Mood (Mobetta Music and Rope-A-Dope Records) showcases his constant evolution as a musician, MC, and producer.

In this interview Brown talks about his early up bringing in Chicago, how he started first playing trumpet, his strategy for contacting the legends of jazz that would play at the Jazz Showcase and much more.

We hope you enjoy watching and listening to Chicago Jazz Magazine’s June Feature interview with Maurice “Mobetta” Brown!