Kathy Brown plays at the Medical Association of Jamaica's annual awards banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Saturday, June 9, 2007. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

There is a notable difference between the name on the cover of the album and the way she is normally introduced when playing live. There is no 'Dr.' in front. "I am so used to referring to myself as Kathy Brown, I decided this first album would reflect me. I had no producer. I just said what do I want to project and I said I want to project me," she said. "The 'doctor' did not even enter my mind. Afterwards someone saw the artwork and said 'how come you did not put doctor' and I said I did not think of it."

Careers hardly meet

Kathy Brown and Friends, including drummer Desi Jones (right) perform at Jazz in the Gardens, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, in February 2006. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

The two careers hardly meet, as Brown says "there is hardly a forum when I am doing music to discuss being a doctor and when I am dealing with a patient there is no room for music". There is, however, the possibility of music therapy in the future.

And there was the collapse of a lady at a corporate function and another becoming ill on an aeroplane flight while on a trip with the University Singers, bu Brown got involved there were other docs around.

Balancing music and medicine "is all about time shuffling and planning".

After high school came the move to Kingston to attend university, but of course music made the 60-mile trek as well. With University Singers personnel Ewan Simpson, Oneil Mundle and Noel Dexter being involved with Cathi Levy's Teen Players group, Kathy Brown soon found herself playing at the Ward Theatre and also making tracks for the ensemble to perform to.

Irvine Hall, where she lived, hosted a concert during its 'Culturama' celebrations and, as part of the hall's band, Brown found herself on the pop stage playing for guest artistes, but even bigger stages were to come.

During one lesson Brown had with pianist Jill Gibson at the School of Music, singer Richie Stephens walked in. "He said 'you play very well'," Brown said and asked her to play a song for him. It was Just Once, which she had heard but never played, and she tried it out for him. Stephens said he would give her a call and did - after a few months.

Through that association Brown has been in the studio, laying the 'reggae bang' on some tracks and worked with Stephens on Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest ("I was like 'wow, the first show, Sumfest!'). While rehearsing with Gumption Band she found herself also playing for Fourth Street Sisters and says "I was thrilled, but at the same time wondering can I do this".

"It went down well," Brown said. "Duke (Gumption keyboard player) said relax a little on the phrases and the feel and everything will be fine."

At UWI "I was told if you can play you can play gospel". So gospel was not a part of her growing-up experience, where the classical and folk of her childhood met the R&B, pop, reggae and dancehall of high school. So she started writing gospel songs, the University Singers being the testing ground. One of those songs, God Is Our Refuge and Strength, written during a particularly stressful time, was recorded and is on the album Lift Every Voice and Sing.

- M.C.