We recently connected with Melanie Brown and have shared our conversation below.

Melanie, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share a story that illustrates an important or relevant lesson you learned in school

One of my biggest lessons I actually learned while I was in grad school attempting to get my masters degree in jazz saxophone performance: Between the time I had graduated in 2017 to 2019 when I started grad school, I had already joined The Late Bloomer Band; a funk band, and begun working a 9-5 job. And during that time I had almost let my ambition for music slip away from me because I felt behind my peers who had begun pursuing careers in music, recording albums, starting their own groups, and getting their own gigs. I did a lot of comparing my experiences to others. During this time I was also felt that I wasn’t investing my time properly when it came to my musical endeavors because I was performing as a funk musician instead of pursuing jazz which I went to school for. I, for some reason, felt that there was something wrong with what I was doing because my journey looked different than the great musicians around me. So I enrolled in Howard University’s jazz program and told myself that I would strive to become a college professor because I thought that since I wasn’t as successful as my peers in performing, this was the next natural step towards success for me. I decided that I would pour my energy into my studies and that would somehow give me what I needed to do to be successful because surely the things playing in a funk band and teaching private lessons were not going to bring me success. When I started studying with my teacher, Charlie Young, we spent many weeks breaking down the mental barriers caging me as an artist. He helped me to unravel many of my limiting beliefs about what it meant to be a working musician. I began to understand that my journey with music was personal. There were no rules on how I approached it and no expectation on what to pursue. It was completely mine, not my families, not my teachers, it was completely mine and I could decide what I wanted to do with it. It did not matter if I started a group of my own or not, it did not matter if I recorded my own album or not. This understanding freed me and allowed me to pour my energy into the things I loved about music. I began studying things that meant something to me and as a result became a better player/ performer. I found myself able to express myself and feel confident in my current accomplishments and capabilities. I was able to be honest with myself and understand that my fears were the only thing holding me back and what I currently have going for myself was worth investing in because I loved it. And investing in the things I love and am passionate about will give me the success and fulfillment I am looking for. I wouldn’t have been able to reach where I am now if I had not taken lessons with Charlie Young who helped me to realize that my music, and the journey are all my own to define.

Melanie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am saxophonist and saxophone instructor based in Baltimore. My current brand is that of a performer and educator.I’ve performed in multiple cities with my band between New York and DC and sometimes as far out as West Virginia. I also am an instructor developing a private studio were I can teach other young musicians saxophone, music reading, and music theory. What I am most proud if is my funk band, Joe Keyes and The Late Bloomer Band. Our music is very raw and original and I’ve been blessed to be able to contribute to the making of our original music. We currently have music up on our Spotify and will hopefully be back in the studio this winter. We also have started a jam session in Fredrick MD backed by the Fredrick Arts Council. We perform in the Fredrick Arts Council building every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

When looking for gigs separate from the band, my greatest source of new clientele has been facebook/social media by posting in the facebook music groups for my local area. People with their own businesses and that host there own events are on there and are often looking for musicians.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I would say that I’ve been told by multiple private music instructors from highschool to college that I would not be able to make it to college or make it into certain colleges because I had such a hard time focusing and struggled when it came to practicing my horn. I am diagnosed with ADHD so teaching me was frustrating and I had no idea how to teach myself. I reached a point in my college career that I had one final chance to pass a playing test that I originally failed. Upon failing that test I honestly considered giving up, thinking that I would not be able to focus well enough to pass this test. But somehow God put people in my life that would not let me give up. That inspired me to keep trying and that I could prove the people wrong that did not believe in me. And through that I found the resilience to pass the test and pursue music after college

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Melb_music
• Facebook: Melanie Brown
• Other: MelB Music is my business music page