Dean Brown graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1977. During that time in Boston he performed with his own groups as well as Tiger's Baku, replacing Mike Stern in that group before moving to New York around 1980. Since 1982 Brown has recorded and/or toured worldwide with artists Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Eric Clapton, Billy Cobham, The Brecker Brothers, Roberta Flack, Bob James, Joe Zawinul, George Duke, Victor Bailey, Bill Evans, Steve Smith's Vital Information as well as with his own projects.
Brown’s guitar work can be heard on over 100 albums including four Grammy Award winners. Records such as The Brecker Brothers‘ „Return of the Brecker Brothers“ and „Out of the Loop“, Marcus Miller’s „The Sun Don’t Lie“, Billy Cobham’s „Warning“, and Joe Zawinul’s „Faces and Places“ are just a few out of the long list. His live performances include DVDs with Marcus Miller, Billy Cobham, Gil Evans, David Sanborn and Friends, Louie Belson, Bob James, and Steve Smith’s Vital Information.
Brown has produced three solo CDs. His first titled „Here“(2001) on ESC records, is his all-star debut CD featuring jazz greats Michael Brecker, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Billy Cobham, George Duke, Randy Brecker, Christian McBride, Don Alias, Bill Evans, Bernard Wright and many others. His second record „Groove Warrior“ (2004) on ESC records, features another all-star lineup with Lalah Hathaway, Marcus Miller, Bernard Wright, JuJu House, Poogie Bell, Schuyler Deale, Booker King, and Patches Stewart, just to name a few. And his third „DBIII“ (2009) on the BHM label features an all-star power trio with musical greats Dennis Chambers and Will Lee. Dean has also released an instructional/live DVD „Modern Techniques for the Electric Guitarist“(2008) with publishing giant Hal Leonard for Musicians Institute where he teaches advanced guitar and ensemble. Always thinking of the future, Dean Brown and Runfly Studios have developed an iPhone/iPad app called „Pickup Tunes.“ „The idea was to base a game on the ear training techniques that I use in teaching. We developed it to look and feel more like a game than an academic exercise.“ Says Dean.
Brown continues to tour and sell out venues all over the world with his own all-star groups and recently returned to Japan for the third year with his trio DB III which has featured Billy Cobham, Dennis Chambers and Will Lee. He endorses Roland, Parker and Fender guitars, as well as DV Mark, Peavey and Fender amplifiers and Xotic effects.