Elise Brown

Elise Brown,

Elise Brown

Electric Guitar, Guitar, Harmonica, Ukulele

Teaching Philosophy

“In my one-on-one teaching, I aim to eventually make myself obsolete to the student. I want to introduce students to the resources, tools, habits, and concepts they need so that further along in their journey, they can hear a song they like and make a plan for how to learn and master it independently. My background is in jazz, blues, folk, and rock, so I encourage improvisation, quick thinking/adjusting, and playfulness in the learning process. I would much rather hear the wrong notes loudly than the right notes shyly! In one-on-one work and ensemble coaching, I prioritize understanding and feeling for groove, form, and harmony. This means music theory will be an important part of our lessons, which I approach as a process of discovering that the aspects of music you can hear and appreciate have a name. Those names are a key part of the language musicians use to communicate with each other and their audience, and it’s a wonderful feeling to speak that language clearly.”

Biography

Elise Brown is a multi-instrumentalist and educator based in Jamaica Plain. They play a combination of vocals, guitar, ukulele, banjo, electric bass, and - their true love - harmonica in The Goddamn Brass Band, a project of the Fork & Shoe Theatre Cooperative. As a teacher, students praise Elise for their infectious enthusiasm and their ability to make complex ideas feel accessible and engaging. Their ear for harmony and firm grasp of blues vocabulary help them skillfully navigate a wide variety of genres. In addition to playing in GDBB, Elise also plays in Harpageddon (Annie Raines’ harmonica ensemble at Club Passim); frequently sits in with local Americana acts such as Old Tom & The Lookouts and Think Twice; and hangs out at blues, R&B, and jazz jams across Greater Boston.

Elise’s curiosity and eclectic taste have led them to proficiency in several instruments. Elise has been playing diatonic harmonica (“blues harp”) since they were a teenager in an Oregon suburb, and they went on to be the first (and so far, only) blues harp player in the Jazz & World Music program at Wellesley College, where they earned their Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science & Music in 2017. They have played guitar since middle school, and during undergrad, they studied blues, bossa nova, bebop, and funk techniques with Steven Kirby. Their skill and leadership in Wellesley’s jazz combos earned them the Department Prize for Music Performance. Through their involvement as a music director for concerts and DIY theatre productions, they’ve helped actors and singers learn and nail their vocal performances. During the 2020 lockdowns, they got the cheapest electric bass they could find and learned to hold down a groove. Their second-favorite instrument to play is their “banjolele,” a mini banjo with ukulele strings and ukulele tuning. They are a lifelong learner, a passionate musician, and a teacher who will evaluate your playing by zeroing in on what YOU want to learn.

Elise began teaching in 2019 and joined Note-worthy Experiences in April 2026.