Jay Brown is a roots music one-man-band from Black Mountain, North Carolina, who has been playing guitar and piano since the age of 7. A prolific songwriter, Jay’s performances draw from a couple hundred original songs, as well as countless covers from the roots of Americana and beyond. Jay has spent years traveling and playing around the U.S., absorbing our rich musical heritage and performing with artists such as Doc Watson, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Etta Baker. Jay has also taken multiple trips to Ghana, West Africa, where he studied and performed traditional African music with the Ghanaians.

His eclectic musical tastes found expression in 1996, when he became a founding member of Lazybirds, a band that blends a wide variety of musical styles, including jazz and blues, country and rock ‘n roll, to create a fresh and soul stirring sound. Lazybirds have been a mainstay of the North Carolina roots music scene for nearly 30 years.

Jay also formed the Indian folk fusion band Shantavaani with his wife Aditi, which put out 3 classic albums during its 2 year period. Jay continues to perform with Aditi, blending Aditi’s Indian folk and classical influences with his own folk and original music. Aditi and Jay perform as a duo, and also with Joel Karabo Elliot in Roots Grown Deep. Aditi and Jay also recorded 2 critically acclaimed records with their friends Angie and Cas in The Appalucians. 

Jay and seven other finalists will perform, network, and compete at the 11th annual LEAF Performance & Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Global Arts Retreat on Saturday, May 10.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?


Jay Brown: The short answer would be “roots and original music.” Heavily influenced by Doc Watson, American folk, blues, jazz, Indian, and African music.  

What is the first album you bought, and why?


Muddy Waters Folk Blues. As soon as I got my driver’s license I went to Charlemagne Records in Birmingham, a very cool record shop that’s since closed down, and asked the very groovy and knowledgeable owner what might be a good record to get me started in the world of the blues, and he directed my attention to Muddy Waters, and also Lightnin Hopkins. I took those records home and put them on and fell under their spell, and the depth and feeling of that music has probably been my biggest inspiration as a musician.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?


Billie Holiday, particularly with Lester Young playing behind her on sax. The sound of her voice, and the way Prez would dance around her with that mellow tone of pure jazz, and Billie clearly getting a kick out of it. The way they inspired each other is something I feel very deeply, and those two together have an eternal residence in my heart and mind.

What projects are you currently working on?

There are a few wrapping up just now. A solo album of original songs (with a few Dylan covers) that’ll be called In the Wake which will feature a few songs I wrote shortly after Helene, is just about ready. An album Aditi and I recorded (Aditi and Jay) is being mixed. We’re still pondering on a name for the album. Half of the album will be kirtan, and half will be American folk, but the overriding feel of the album is contemplative. Aditi and I also show up on the new album by the amazing world musician Joel Karabo Elliot. The Appalucians have a new album out as well which is yet to be released, called Skygazer. And Lazybirds have just gotten started recording an album of travelin songs, called Goin Places. So it appears our basement is soon to be taken over by boxes of CDs.