BREW MOORE

The tenor saxophonist Milton Aubrey Moore, best known as Brew Moore, was born on March 26, 1924 in Indianola, Mississippi. He showed musical prowess at an early age. As a child of 7 he started playing popular tunes on a toy harmonica that he had received as a gift for his birthday. After a few years he played in his junior high school’s band and after graduating he entered Mississippi University to study music but left after only one semester to pursue a career as a tenor saxophonist.

He arrived in New Orleans nearly broke but was quickly hired by the Fred Ford’s Dixielanders. For the next six years he played with different local bands in both New Orleans and Memphis. In 1948 he moved north to New York and started his own quartet. Although this remained his favorite format through out his life, he also briefly played in Claude Thornhill’s orchestra in 1949.

In addition he played with different sextets around town led by Kai Winding, Machito and Howard McGee to name a few. His first appearance on record as a sideman was with Howard McGee entitled Howard McGhee's All Stars. For the next few years he continued to record as a sideman with the different groups and sat in on jam sessions with Charlie Parker in New York.

In 1953 Brew Moore moved to San Francisco. 
His firs record as a leader "The Brew Moore Quintet" was released in 1955. In 1959 due to alcoholism he fell seriously ill but recovered and in 1960 went on a tour of the Far East.

Shortly after that, in 1961, he permanently moved to Scandinavia and lived in both Sweden and Denmark. He remained there the rest of his life, except for a brief time spent in the Canaries, working regularly in local clubs, touring and recording; he led 9 recording session during his dozen years in Scandinavia.

After finishing playing at a Copenhagen club on March 19th 1973, a few days shy of his 49th birthday, Brew Moore fell down a flight of stairs. He died on his way to hospital.

No more Brew, Brew Moore is no more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwHdrbHQUc

Reference - AAJ