Paul H. Brown, “PB” 82, of Hartford, Connecticut, jazz bassist, Hartford musical legend educator, founder of Hartford’s Monday Night Jazz Series, the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz and co-founder of the Artist Collective, passed away Friday, May 6 in the company of his loving family.

PB began his musical career playing trumpet with the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington’s big bands after he made the decision to leave Johns Hopkins Medical School to exclusively pursue his passion for music. Upon switching from trumpet to the bass, he began touring with the Baltimore-based group Flink Johnson Combo when he met and toured with saxophone great Jackie Mclean.

Paul’s arrival in Hartford was the beginning of his 50 years of tireless efforts to bring jazz and culture to the area. PB’s desire to help squelch the civil unrest of the mid-1960s began the longest running outdoor free jazz concerts in the country. Greater Hartford was blessed with Paul’s ability to bring in big name jazz artists such as Thelonious Monk, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, Charles Mingus and Thad Jones to name just a few. Paul taught at the University of Hartford as well as the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts for more than 20 years during which time he and longtime friend Mr. Fujii collaborated student exchange programs between Japan and Hartford.

PB has recorded with multiple jazz greats including Mickey Tucker, Bill Hardman, Walter Bishop, Junior Cook, Freddie Hubbard, as well as releasing his own CDs featuring friend and saxophonist George Colman and John Stubblefield. Paul’s meekness of spirit and devotion to the community has uplifted him to the beloved figure he remained until his all-to-soon death.

Paul is survived by his daughter, Cherie C. Brown-Gonsalves of Buzzards Bay. He was the grandfather of Ashlee Cymone Brown, David Chambers Brown II, TaiMarie Gonsalves and Torry Keith Gonsalves. He is the father of Eric Preston Hall of Maryland. He was the brother of Charles Woodworth Brown and Kitty Katherine. He was the uncle of Charles Woodworth Brown Jr., Damon Brown, Michael Brown and Tonya Brown Patton. He is also survived by many loving great-grandchildren, great-nieces, nephews, relatives, dear friends and fellow musicians and he was the father of the late David Chambers Brown.

Memorial visiting hours and tribute jam session will be held on Friday, May 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Faith Congregational Church 2030 Main Street Hartford, Connecticut. Funeral services will be held on Saturday May 28 at 10 a.m. also at the Faith Congregational Church. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. To leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.warehamvillagefuneralhome.com.

Gifts in memory of Paul H. Brown “PB” may be made in c/o Faith Congregational Church 2030 Main Street Hartford, CT 06120 or electronically via www.gofundme.com/238p69ks.