Jon Brion

Jon Brion
Brion in 2004
Brion in 2004
Background information
Born December 11, 1963
Glen Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • multi-instrumentalist
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
Years active 1982–present

Jon Brion (born December 11, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score composer.

Brion has produced music for artists and bands including Of Montreal, Aimee Mann, Love Jones, Eels, Fiona Apple, Elliott Smith, Robyn Hitchcock, Rhett Miller, The Crystal Method, Kanye West, Sky Ferreira and Mac Miller. According to Stereogum, Brion's work on Mann's first solo albums "lay the groundwork for a sound that became synonymous with a strain of notable alternative acts at the turn of the century".

Brion's film scores include Hard Eight (1996), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and I Heart Huckabees (both 2004), Synecdoche, New York (2008), ParaNorman (2012), Lady Bird (2017), and Christopher Robin (2018). He released his debut solo album, Meaningless, in 2001.

Early life

Brion was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, on December 11, 1963. He comes from a musical family; his mother, LaRue, was an administrative assistant and singer, and his father, Keith Brion, was a band director at Yale. His brother and sister became a composer/arranger and a violinist, respectively. Brion grew up in Connecticut, where he dropped out of Hamden High School at the age of 17, opting instead to play music professionally. From 1980 to 1985 Jon was part of the band The Excerpts, along with Stephen Harris, Dean Falcone, Jim Balga, Bobby Butcher & Spike Priggen.

Career

The Bats

In the early 1980s, Brion and musician/producer Bill Murphy began a writing collaboration in New Haven, Connecticut. They eventually enlisted bassist Don "Riff" Fertman and together formed the Bats (not to be confused with the New Zealand group or South African group of the same name). The Bats released a single, "Popgun", and one album, How Pop Can You Get?, on Gustav Records in 1982. The recordings had much critical acclaim, but little commercial success, and the trio eventually disbanded.

Session work

In 1987, Brion moved to Boston, where he played solo gigs, formed the short-lived band World's Fair and became a member of the last touring version of Aimee Mann's new wave band 'Til Tuesday. He contributed guitar work to Jellyfish's 1993 album Spilt Milk, and in 1994, joined Dan McCarroll, Buddy Judge and ex-Jellyfish guitarist Jason Falkner in the short-lived pop band the Grays. He also played guitar on the Wallflowers' hit song "One Headlight", using a screwdriver that was sitting atop a nearby amp as a slide. Brion played numerous instruments on Sam Phillips' 1996 release Omnipop. Brion is featured as keyboardist and drummer on Marianne Faithfull's 2003 album, Kissin Time, and co-wrote a song, "City of Quartz", for her next work, 2005's Before the Poison.

Production

After being recognized as an accomplished session player, Brion branched out into production on then-girlfriend Mann's 1993 solo debut, Whatever, and its follow-up, I'm With Stupid. He has also produced albums by Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, Eleni Mandell, Rhett Miller, Robyn Hitchcock, Brad Mehldau and Evan Dando, and co-produced Kanye West's Late Registration in 2005.

In the fall of 2002, Brion began producing the album Extraordinary Machine with Fiona Apple, but she later brought in producers Mike Elizondo and Brian Kehew (a friend of Brion's) to complete the album. Brion's versions leaked onto the Internet, where the album gained a cult following long before its official release.

Brion worked and performed on some of the tracks for Sean Lennon's 2006 album Friendly Fire. Lennon said that working with him was "how I would imagine it's like to work with Prince. It's like having a weird alien prodigy in your room."

Brion has produced recordings by British pop performer Dido, Spoon, and Keane, as well as 2010's False Priest by Of Montreal. Brion also produced Best Coast's second album which was released in early 2012. Brion worked on rapper Mac Miller's album Swimming (2018), and completed production on Miller's posthumous album Circles (2020).

According to Stereogum, Brion's work on Aimee Mann's first solo albums "lay the groundwork for a sound that became synonymous with a strain of notable alternative acts at the turn of the century".

Meaningless

Brion was signed to the Lava/Atlantic label in 1997, but was released from his contract after turning in his solo debut album Meaningless; the album was released independently in 2001. In 2022, the album was remastered and re-released through Jealous Butcher Records, with Brion's approval.

Although, rumors persist about Brion working on a second solo full-length album, as of 2023, an album has not been forthcoming. In 2004, Aimee Mann stated "Jon has at least 10 albums' worth of material," and "I think he has a hard time saying anything is finished whether he's producing or doing his own songs. Jon's a perfectionist."

Film scores

Brion is an accomplished film composer, having started scoring by frequently working with director Paul Thomas Anderson, with whom he has a preferential working relationship. In addition to scoring many of his films, Brion contributed music to Boogie Nights and had a cameo in the film as a moustached guitar player.

Particularly in his film soundtracks, Brion is noted for his use of early analog sampling instruments, particularly the Chamberlin and Optigan, to create near-realistic emulations of certain instruments.

He has earned Best Score Soundtrack Album Grammy nominations for his work on 1999's Magnolia and 2004's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Brion was hired at the last minute to write the incidental music for The Break-Up. He has also scored and provided original music for I Heart Huckabees, Punch-Drunk Love, Step Brothers (with Chris Thile), ParaNorman, The Future, Synecdoche, New York, Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird and Disney's Christopher Robin (with Geoff Zanelli). He also did live composition for a musical commentary on the Step Brothers DVD.

He also composed the score to the Disney/Pixar short film, The Blue Umbrella, working alongside Sarah Jaffe.

Touring and live performances

Brion is renowned for his regular Friday-night gigs at the Los Angeles club Largo, which feature covers and original songs, a variety of instruments and occasional guest musicians and comedians. He works without a set list, instead using audience suggestions as a jumping-off point. He uses a "jigsaw puzzle" approach to performing songs, and uses looping systems to record himself starting often with drums, then adding piano, bass, guitar, and vocals. Over the years, shows have featured spontaneous appearances with Jackson Browne, Gillian Welch, Fiona Apple, Rickie Lee Jones with upright bassist Stephen Patt (ex-The Chambers Brothers), Aimee Mann, Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Nels Cline, percussionist Matt Chamberlain, Tori Amos, bassist Sebastian Steinberg (ex-Soul Coughing), and fiddler Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek).

In April 2006, recurring tendonitis in Brion's right hand forced him to cancel all of his upcoming Largo shows. As a temporary 'farewell', he played one show only using his left hand, even looping his songs as he normally does and playing the drums with one stick. He resumed playing at Largo on a regular weekly basis later that year, transitioning to a monthly show in 2016, until the COVID-19 Pandemic. In summer 2023, Brion stated to Largo at the Coronet that he intended to resume shows in the near future. Brion resumed shows at Largo in September 2023.[1]

Recalling his approach to the Largo shows with Chicago Tribune music editor Lou Carlozo, Brion said: "I taught my hands to follow whatever was coming into my head—and wherever my consciousness would go, I had to push my hands to follow. And at some level, you just had to abandon any concern about how you'd look. Performing without a set list: That was special."

In March 2016, Brion performed his score for Punch-Drunk Love with Wordless Music Orchestra in both Los Angeles and New York City, at the Ace Hotel and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, respectively. Norah Jones provided guest vocals in New York and Joanna Newsom in Los Angeles.

In February 2018, Brion opened for John Mulaney as part of Mulaney's special, Kid Gorgeous. Brion performed during Mulaney's New York City leg of his tour, playing classic rock songs on Radio City's Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ.

Personal life

Brion lives and works in Los Angeles.

Brion had relationships with Aimee Mann during the late 1980s-early 1990s and with Mary Lynn Rajskub from 1997 to 2002.

Discography

Solo

The Bats

The Grays

Film scores

Production and guest appearances

Year Album Artist Details Ref.
1989 Rei Momo David Byrne Harmonium on "I Know Sometimes a Man Is Wrong"
1993 Broken Toy Shop E Background vocals on "Shine It All On"
Whatever Aimee Mann Co-producer, co-writer (three tracks), bass, guitar, drums, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, background vocals, and others
Tuesdays Are Forever D.D. Wood Harmonium
Spilt Milk Jellyfish Guitar on eight tracks
In Thrall Murray Attaway Bass, guitar, mellotron, piano, vibraphone
Here's to the Losers Love Jones Keyboards, synthesizers, electric organ, vibraphone
1994 Love Spit Love Love Spit Love Keyboards, piano, string arrangements
1995 Powerful Pain Relief Love Jones Keyboards, synthesizers, piano, organ
I Don't Know Why I Act This Way Jude Cole Guitar, keyboards, harmonium, calliope
For the Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson Various artists Producing, instrumentation for "One" by Aimee Mann
I'm with Stupid Aimee Mann Producer, co-writer (five tracks), bass, guitars, drums and percussion, keyboards, cello, harmonica, background vocals
Sing Hollies in Reverse Various Performed cover of "Sorry Suzanne".
1996 Come and Get It: A Tribute to Badfinger Cherry Twister Producer, instrumentation, background vocals
Tidal Fiona Apple Guitar, keyboards, vibraphone, tack piano, marimba
Bringing Down the Horse Wallflowers Guitar solo "One Headlight"
Braver Newer World Jimmie Dale Gilmore Guitar, bass, optigan
This Can't Be Life Wild Colonials Guitar, Chamberlin, organ
Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation Various artists Optigan, vibraphone on "Guilty by Association" by Joe Henry & Madonna
Susanna Hoffs Susanna Hoffs Guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, drums
Prettier Than You Brian Stevens Guitar, clavinet
Phantom Blues Taj Mahal Guitar, Chamberlin
Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop) Sam Phillips Guitar, bass, Chamberlin, drums, piano
Beautiful Freak Eels Co-producer, guitar, keyboards, trombone, engineering, co-writer of "Not Ready Yet"
Just Say Noël Various artists Co-producer on "Christmastime" by Aimee Man with Michael Penn
1997 Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project David Arnold and various artists Guitar, sitar, harmonium on "Nobody Does It Better" by Aimee Mann
The Mommyheads Mommyheads Keyboards
Megiddo Lauren Hoffman Keyboards, organs, vibraphone
Little Head John Hiatt Keyboards, vibraphone
Lincoln Lincoln Guitar, keyboards
Farewell Uma Guitar, keyboards
Eighteen Over Me Garrison Starr Organ, vibraphone
10 Cent Wing Jonatha Brooke Guitar
Daisy (Dog's Eye View album) Dog's Eye View Listed under "With a Little Help from my Friends" in liner notes.
1998 XO Elliott Smith Vibraphone and keyboards on two tracks
Two Kinds of Laughter Sara Hickman Co-composer of "Coolness by Mistake"
Songs From The Pipe The Surfers Guitar, keyboards, background vocals
Sliding Doors soundtrack Various artists Producer, co-writer of "Amateur" by Aimee Man
Pleasantville: Music from the Motion Picture Various artists Producing, instrumentation, mixing on "Across the Universe" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love by Fiona Apple
Kool Trash The Plimsouls Piano, organ
Jubilee Grant Lee Buffalo Piano, Chamberlin, vibraphone, harmonium, optigan, tack piano
Got No Shadow Mary Lou Lord Harmonium, Chamberlin
Electro-Shock Blues Eels Chamberlin and organ on "Climbing to the Moon"
Burning the Daze Marc Cohn Harmonium, harmonica
Wishbone Eleni Mandell Co-producer, guitar, keyboards, Mellotron, bass, backing vocals, organ, banjo, drums, slide guitar, vibraphone, celesta, talk box
Welcome to Woop Woop Various Arists Producer for eels track "Dog's Life".
Lilith Fair (A Celebration Of Women In Music) Various Artists Listed as writer on Wild Colonials song "Charm".
North American Long Weekend Tom Freund Electric guitar on "Cry Baby Cry"
1999 Rufus Wainwright Rufus Wainwright Producer, additional engineering, vibraphone, marimba, keyboards, accordion, bass, guitar, organ, backing vocals, percussion, celesta, mandolin
Word of Mouth Parade Gus Guitar, mandolin, keyboards
When the Pawn... Fiona Apple Producer, guitars, bass, keyboards, vibraphone, drums, percussion, mixing
On How Life Is Macy Gray Guitar, electric keyboards and synthesizers, piano, vibraphone
Jewels for Sophia Robyn Hitchcock Co-producer, bass, drums and percussion, keyboards, organ, background vocals, engineer
Imaginate Taxiride Chamberlin
Fight Songs Old 97's Organ on "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)"
Magnolia: Music from the Motion Picture Aimee Mann Co-producer, co-writer of "Build That Wall", composer of "Magnolia", guitar, keyboards, organ, percussion, glockenspiel, background vocals
Breakdown Melissa Etheridge Guitar
After the Party The Push Stars Guitar
Figure 8 Julia Darling Electric guitar on "Bulletproof Belief"
Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo Aimee Mann Co-producer, guitar, drums and percussion, keyboards, background vocals
Put Another Date on Life Solin Drums on "When the Mood Swings"
2000 Two Lips: The Lost Album Dan Castellaneta Guitars, saxophone
Magnolia score Himself Composer
Tonight and the Rest of My Life Nina Gordon Bass, guitars, keyboards, organ
Teddy Thompson Teddy Thompson Guitar on two tracks
From There to Here John Oszajca Guitar
Figure 8 Elliott Smith Background vocals on "Happiness"/"The Gondola Man"
Breach The Wallflowers Additional musician
A Star for Bram Robyn Hitchcock Producer, bass, guitars, drums, keyboards, piano, background vocals
Oh What a Beautiful Morning Eels Writer of "Not Ready Yet"

2001 Trust No One Dave Navarro Intro voice and slide bass, "Mourning Son", guitars on "Very Little Daylight"
Tweekend The Crystal Method Bass, guitars, drums, keyboards, engineering, mixing on "Over the Line"
The Herethereafter Miranda Lee Richards Producer, bass, guitar, Chamberlin, bells, optigan, Marxophone, engineering
Meaningless Himself Producer, lead vocals, bass, guitars, drums, keyboards
2002 Up Peter Gabriel Mandolin and Chamberlin on "More Than This"
The Last DJ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Orchestral arrangements, conductor
The Instigator Rhett Miller Producer, bass, guitars, drums, piano, organ, vibraphone, background vocals, co-composer of "Things That Disappear"
Robyn Sings Robyn Hitchcock Guitar
Restless Night Julianna Raye Piano
No Fear Abra Moore Bass, guitar, drums, keyboards
Largo Brad Mehldau Producer, guitar, guitar synthesizer, prepared piano, Chamberlin, percussion, co-composer of "Dropjes"
Kissin Time Marianne Faithfull Drums, keyboards, Chamberlin, celeste, harmonium
Have You Fed the Fish? Badly Drawn Boy Bass, guitars, keyboards Chamberlin, orchestral arrangements, conductor
Alice Peacock Alice Peacock Guitar, organ
Punch-Drunk Love soundtrack Himself Producer, vocals, composer, instrumentation, mixing
About a Boy soundtrack Badly Drawn Boy Bass, guitar, vibraphone, background vocals
2003 To Whom It May Concern Lisa Marie Presley Guitar on "Lights Out"
Thirteenth Step A Perfect Circle Instrumentation on "The Nurse Who Loved Me"
Return to Planet Earth Kim Fox Guitars, ukulele, celeste
Luxor Robyn Hitchcock Guest musician on "You Remind Me of You"
Blondes Prefer the Gentlemen The Gentlemen Chamberlin, mellotron
Baby I'm Bored Evan Dando Co-producer, co-writer (five tracks), instrumentation
Amorama Érica García Guitar, keyboards, sampling
2004 Virginia Creeper Grant-Lee Phillips Ukulele
The Giant Pin The Nels Cline Singers Chamberlin, harmonium, celeste, sampling
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack Himself Producer, vocals, composer, instrumentation, mixing
Mutual Admiration Society Mutual Admiration Society Co-writer (two tracks)
I Heart Huckabees soundtrack Himself Producer, vocals, composer, instrumentation, mixing
Legion of Boom The Crystal Method Guitar on "Realizer"
From a Basement on the Hill Elliott Smith Additional recording
Everyone Is Here Finn Brothers Co-producer, guitars, drums, Harmonium, organ, percussion, programming
A Strange Mess of Flowers Davíd Garza Keyboards
2005 Winter Pays for Summer Glen Phillips Guitar, toy piano
Self Help Serenade Marjorie Fair Bass, drums, piano
Late Registration Kanye West Co-executive producer, instrumentation, string and brass arrangement, "the keys right now"
Fires Nerina Pallot Guitar, keyboards
Fate Is the Hunter Kate Earl Organ
Extraordinary Machine Fiona Apple Co-producer (two tracks), bass, marimba, orchestral arrangement
Can'tneverdidnothin' Nikka Costa Organ on "I Gotta Know", synthesizer on "Happy in the Morning"
Before the Poison Marianne Faithfull Co-writer of "City of Quartz"
2006 Wait The Polyphonic Spree Producer
The Believer Rhett Miller Co-writer of "I Believe She's Lying", bass, guitar, Chamberlain, piano,
Late Orchestration Kanye West Producer
Friendly Fire Sean Lennon Bass, guitars, drums, organ
Blinders On Sean Watkins Piano
Blue Collar (album) Rhymefest Producer and additional instruments "Bullet"
2007 Graduation Kanye West Co-producer on "Drunk and Hot Girls", keyboards on "I Wonder", percussion on "Homecoming"
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Spoon Production, bass, Chamberlin on "The Underdog"
Fuzzbox The Section Quartet Producer of "Phenomena"
2008 Tooth of Crime T Bone Burnett Chamberlin, baritone guitar
Synecdoche, New York soundtrack Himself Producer, vocals, composer, instrumentation, mixing
Safe Trip Home Dido Co-producer, co-writer (five tracks), bass, guitars, drums, keyboards, piano, celeste, cello, additional percussion, orchestral arrangements, conductor, mixing
Perfect Symmetry Keane Co-producer on "You Haven't Told Me Anything"
Let It Come to You Taylor Eigsti Co-writer of "Not Ready Yet"
Big Bad World Plain White T's Chamberlin on "1, 2, 3, 4"
2009 Sara Watkins Sara Watkins Writer of "Same Mistakes", guitars
Rhett Miller Rhett Miller Bass, guitar
Divided by Night The Crystal Method Synthesizer on "Divided by Night", marxophone on "Sine Language"
Christina Courtin Christina Courtin Bass, guitars, Chamberlin, marxophone
Balm in Gilead Rickie Lee Jones Bass, guitars
An Eluardian Instance (Jon Brion Remix EP) of Montreal & Himself Producer, composer, instrumentation, mixing
2010 Mean Old Man Jerry Lee Lewis Bass, guitars
Intriguer Crowded House Guitar and vocal samples on "Twice if You're Lucky"
Highway Rider Brad Mehldau Producer, mixing
False Priest of Montreal Co-producer, drums, keyboards, synthesizers, mixing, engineering
Dirty Baby Nels Cline Electric piano, background vocals
Cho Dependent Margaret Cho Co-producer, co-writer, guitar, drums, piano, background vocals on "Enemies"
Chickens in Love Various artists Performer on "So Sleepy" (The Gummy Bears)" by Fiona Apple featuring Brion and the Punch Brothers
Antifogmatic Punch Brothers Producer, mixing, engineering
2011 The Interpreter: Live at Largo Rhett Miller Guitar, drums, piano, background vocals
Rave On Buddy Holly Various artists Production, vocals, guitars, percussion on "Everyday" with Fiona Apple
Belle Bic Runga Guitar, synthesizer, floor tom
Arthur: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Various artists Producer of "Where Our Destination Lies" & "When the Sun Goes Down" by Benjamin Gibbard
Christmas Michael Bublé Orchestral arrangements on "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
2012 This Is 40 Soundtrack Various artists Producer, composer, instrumentation on "Theme 1 (Debbie and Oliver)"
Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection Katy Perry Producer, instrumentation, "The One That Got Away" (Acoustic)
The Only Place Best Coast Producer, bass, guitars, keyboards, percussion
Rize of the Fenix Tenacious D Bass, synthesizers, and mellotron on "The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage"
Pines A Fine Frenzy Bass, guitar, keyboards, pump organ
ParaNorman soundtrack Himself Producer, composer, instrumentation, conductor
Ghost Sky Ferreira Co-producer and co-writer of "Ghost"
Floratone II Floratone Keyboards
2013 Tim McGraw & Friends Tim McGraw Featured musician on "Middle Age Crazy"
The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film Various artists Producer of "Crazy in Love" performed by Emeli Sandé and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
Girl Who Got Away Dido Co-producer, co-writer of "Lost", keyboards, orchestral arrangements, conductor, mixing
Dreamchaser Sarah Brightman Guitar, piano, celeste, vibraphone
Division Street Harper Simon Guitar, synthesizer
Night Time, My Time B-Sides: Part I Sky Ferreira Producer and co-writer of "I'm on Top" and "Werewolf (I Like You)"
2014 Rock & Roll Time Jerry Lee Lewis Guitar
Heigh Ho Blake Mills Piano, tiple
2016 Young in All the Wrong Ways Sara Watkins Bass, guitar, piano, celeste, mellotron
Lemonade Beyonce Orchestral arrangements
Rainbow Ends Emitt Rhodes Guitar on "Dog on a Chain"
Blonde Frank Ocean Co-producer, keyboards, orchestral arrangements, drum programming
2017 The Dream Tashaki Miyaki Musician
Lady Bird soundtrack Himself Producer, composer, instrumentation
2018 Dirty Computer Janelle Monáe Co-producer, writer of "Jane's Dream", synthesizer, mallets
Swimming Mac Miller Co-producer, co-writer of "Come Back to Earth", "Hurt Feelings", "Perfecto", "Ladders", "Small Worlds", "2009", and "So It Goes".
Christopher Robin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Himself & Geoff Zanelli Co-composer
World on Sticks Sam Phillips Electric Guitar - "Teilhard", Bass, Loops [Guitar Loop] - "Continuous Loop".
2019 Western Stars Bruce Springsteen guitars, timpani, sitar, celesta, drums, synthesizer
2020 Circles Mac Miller Completed production after Miller's death
2023 Joy'All Jenny Lewis Chamberlin