David Arthur Brown, at one time Beck’s saxophonist, was the founding member of the band Brazzaville. David has known Joe since the late 1990s—in fact, when David was forming this band, he consulted Joe about the name. If Joe was nothing else, he was blunt and honest. To David’s delight after asking about the name, Joe said: “I like it.” That began the decades long relationship between David, Joe and many members of the original Brazzaville band.
David Arthur Brown
David recalls meeting and developing a relationship with Joe:
I discovered Joe randomly while listening to KCRW back in 1986. I became a huge fan. During this time, I became friends with KCRW DJ, Dierdre O’Donoghue. She mentioned knowing Joe and I was astounded. At the time, I’d been preparing for a trip to India for a six-month stay. Immediately, I formed a fantasy that I would record interesting sounds and capture my experiences in my journal with the idea that this material would inspire Joe to create a program focused on the amazing David Brown and his travels throughout India.
So, I set out and did, in fact, return with many cassette recordings and several journals filled with observations, anecdotes and drawings. True to her word, Dierdre helped me get them to Joe.
A week or so later my answering machine blinked that there was a message. The voice was unmistakable. “This is Joe Frank. I’m not sure what you expect me to do with these things you left here for me. Please come pick them up. I’ll leave them at the front desk.” I was crushed.
Some time went by and I serendipitously found myself working at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles, I’d been hired to support the crew setting up for a show. I asked what the show was and the guy who hired me said: “Some guy named Joe Frank.” I can’t remember exactly what I said but it was probably something like “holyfuckingshityoumustbejokinghe’soneofmyfavoriteartistsonearth
The show ran for six weeks. During that time, Joe and I became friends. Though I moved to Europe in 2003, each time I returned to the states and southern California, we would meet.
Brazzaville’s very first show was backing Joe at the Wadsworth Theater in 1998. Joe was kind enough to record a song called ‘Ocean’ on our debut album.
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A few of Brazzaville’s original bandmates accompanied Joe onstage for many years. Today, Brazzaville tours frequently in Europe and Russia.
The original members:
David Brown
Kenny Lyon
Smokey Hormel
Danny Frankel
Mike Boito
David Ralicke
Mike Bolger
Joel Virgel-Vierset