One of the leading lights of the avant-garde jazz movement of the 1960s and '70s, Marion Brown's immersion into the "free" scene began with his move to New York in the early '60s. Brown played with, among others, Sun Ra, John Coltrane, and Archie Shepp. He also led his own groups and released numerous albums that struck a distinct balance between the cerebral and the spiritual. Having studied at Clark, Howard, and Wesleyan Universities, Brown is also a distinguished academic and has held teaching positions at numerous colleges. His influence spreads throughout pop music, as he has been the subject of tributes by everyone from Superchunk to Harold Budd.