The Rotary Club of Akron had the privilege of hearing Theron Brown speak at our Tuesday, January 10, 2023, Club meeting. Click to view the presentation.Mr. Brown provided some personal information about his interest in music. Theron was born in Zanesville, Ohio. Theron told us that he was a “PK” (Pastor’s Kid). Theron’s first musical influence was discovered at church. He began playing the drums under his father’s pastorate at age five, followed by the piano at eight years of age.
Theron loved embracing the opportunities to learn from and play with other musicians that he met through church’s gatherings that he attended with his father. His talent flourished as he experienced more diversity.
Theron stated that the artist that first stimulated his interest in jazz music was pianist, Thelonious Monk. Monk’s genius was hard for Theron to digest at first. Through Monk’s music, Theron was inspired to seriously pursue jazz in his senior year of high school.
In 2005 Theron came to the University of Akron to study jazz. He later toured with the Glenn Miller orchestra and lived in New York for a brief period. He returned to Akron and the UA to get his master’s degree.
Theron currently is the artist coordinator for Curated Storefront, artistic director at I Promise School, and the founder and artistic director of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival which takes place annually. 2023 will be the 8th year for the Jazz and Blues festival.
In addition to all his musical endeavors, Theron is also working on several projects to establish a jazz museum on Howard Street. Howard Street played a significant role in history of jazz in Akron. He is also looking at ways to expand the Jazz Festival. He would like to establish a multi-disciplinary facility for programming, music, poetry, dance, history, etc.
You can see Theron regularly performing at many jazz clubs and theaters in northeast Ohio. Theron is immensely involved in promoting the arts scene in Ohio. To learn more about Theron, check out his website at www.theronbrownmusic.com.
Yours in Rotary Service
Terry Dalton
Club Secretary and Scholarship Chair
