Friday, August 14, 2026
VA • 100 Hard Bop Classics
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Clifford Brown • With Strings
Two opposite visions of the same album:
Review
by Scott Yanow
There
are two schools of thought regarding this Clifford Brown with strings
session (which has been reissued on CD). Brownie plays quite beautifully
and shows off his warm tone on such numbers as "Portrait of Jenny,"
"Memories of You," "Embraceable You" and "Stardust." But on the other
hand the string arrangements by Neal Hefti border on muzak and Brown
never really departs from the melody. So the trumpeter's tone is the
only reason to acquire this disc which to this listener is a slight
disappointment, not living up to its potential.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/clifford-brown-with-strings-mw0000602972
Automatic Translation of Excerpts from clasijazz.com:
Clifford
Brows' With Strings takes pride of place among the most beautiful
string jazz albums recorded to date. His luminous and lyrical voice, his
melodic depth, is so subtly attached to the strings that it generates a
sound framework similar to the fluttering of a butterfly over a flowery
field. All this is thanks to Hefti's beautiful arrangements, but above
all to Brown's magical way of reading the melodies.
Unlike Stan
Getz's Focus - to which the next session will be devoted - this album
was not geared to improvisation and in each of the 12 tracks Brown's
solos are generally restricted to thematic embellishments during the
second half of each cut.
Beautiful music and beautiful songs,
great classics and true gems of the jazz repertoire. Three were written
by Jerome Kern, two by Richard Rodgers and the rest by no less
illustrious composers: George Gershwin, Eubie Blake, Bob Haggart, David
Raksin, Ann Ronell and Joseph Russel Robinson and to close the album the
impressive roundness of Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust".
Clifford
Brown with Strings is so close to perfection that rather than brushing
against it, it draws a line so close to it, and this session in which a
tribute is paid to it is not the mere reflection that returns the
mirror, but as it happens in all artistic expression, it is a new
sparkle, a new image/creation fruit of the individual personality of
those who look into the mirror, of those who participate in the work,
musicians and conductor.
https://clasijazz.com/clifford-brown-with-strings-swinging-strings-for-trumpet/
///////
Dos visiones opuestas de un mismo álbum:
Reseña
por Scott Yanow
Hay
dos escuelas de pensamiento respecto a esta sesión de Clifford Brown
con cuerdas (que ha sido reeditada en CD). Brownie toca muy bien y
muestra su tono cálido en números como "Portrait of Jenny", "Memories of
You", "Embraceable You" y "Stardust". Pero, por otro lado, los arreglos
de cuerda de Neal Hefti rozan el muzak y Brown nunca se aleja realmente
de la melodía. Así que el tono del trompetista es la única razón para
adquirir este disco, que para este oyente es una ligera decepción, que
no está a la altura de su potencial.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/clifford-brown-with-strings-mw0000602972
Extractos de clasijazz.com:
El
With Strings de Clifford Brows ocupa lugar de honor entre los más
hermosos álbumes de jazz con cuerdas grabados hasta la fecha. Su voz
luminosa y lírica, su hondura melódica se ciñe a las cuerdas con tal
sutileza, para generar un entramado sonoro semejante al revoloteo de una
mariposa sobre un campo florido. Todo ello merced a los hermosos
arreglos de Hefti, pero sobre todo a la mágica manera de leer las
melodías de Brown
A diferencia del Focus de Stan Getz —al que se
dedicará la siguiente sesión— este álbum no estaba dirigido a la
improvisación y en cada una de las 12 canciones los solos de Brown
quedan restringuidos, en general, a los adornos temáticos durante la
segunda mitad de cada corte.
Hermosa música y hermosas canciones,
grandes clásicos y auténticas joyas del repertorio jazzístico. Tres
fueron escritas por Jerome Kern, dos por Richard Rodgers y el resto
autoría de no menos preclares compositores: George Gershwin, Eubie
Blake, Bob Haggart, David Raksin, Ann Ronell y Joseph Russel Robinson y
para cerrar el álbum la impresionante redondez del “Stardust” de Hoagy
Carmichael.
Clifford Brown with Strings está tan cerca de la
perfección que más que rozarla traza una línea tanjente con ella y esta
sesión en la que se le rinde sentido tributo no es el mero reflejo que
devuelve el espejo, sino que como sucede en toda expresión artistica, es
un destello nuevo, una nueva imagen/creacción fruto de la personalidad
individual de cuantos se asoman al espejo, de cuantos participan en la
obra, músicos y director.
https://clasijazz.com/clifford-brown-with-strings-swinging-strings-for-trumpet/
Biography by Matt Collar
One of the greatest trumpeters of all time, Clifford Brown's death in a car accident at the age of 25 was one of the most profound losses to the jazz world. Yet, "Brownie" (as he was affectionately known) left behind one of the most impressive and lasting bodies of work, and it continues to hold sway on musicians decades after his passing. Brown was master of the trumpet, blessed with a warm, fat tone and deep grasp of bebop harmony. Influenced by his idol Fats Navarro, he quickly rose through the ranks of the leading trumpeters of his time, ascending to the top echelon alongside icons like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Following his early work with Tadd Dameron and Art Blakey, Brown cemented his place in jazz history forming his landmark quintet with drummer Max Roach and recording a handful of classic albums in Clifford Brown & Max Roach, Brown and Roach Incorporated, and Study in Brown, all of which helped define the hard bop sound of the late '50s. It's hard to believe that he was still improving at the time of his death in 1956.
Born in 1930 in Wilmington, Delaware, Brown became interested in music at a young age and even sang in a family vocal group alongside his three brothers. By age 13, he was playing trumpet at school and taking private lessons with noted Delaware trumpeter and educator Robert "Boysie" Lowery. Jazz gigs followed and by 1948 Brown was playing regularly in the Philadelphia area, gaining encouragement from and even sitting in with players like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. He enrolled as a math major at Delaware State College and in 1949 transferred to Maryland State College on a music scholarship. There, he learned writing and arranging. It was also during this period that he met two major figures in his life, drummer Max Roach and trumpeter Fats Navarro, the latter of whom quickly became a major influence on his playing.
In June 1950, Brown was injured in a serious car accident that forced him to stop performing. A month later, Navarro died of a drug overdose. Despite these setbacks, Brown recovered, returned to action in 1952 as a member of Chris Powell's R&B ensemble the Blue Flames. The following year, he joined pianist Tadd Dameron's group and toured Europe with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra. While overseas, he ignored Hampton's edict banning his musicians from recording, and led several of his own sessions alongside altoist Gigi Gryce. Upon his return to the states, he made his Blue Note debut with 1953's A New Star on the Horizon. Recorded just prior to his departure for Europe, the album featured a group with Gryce, tenor player Charlie Rouse, Modern Jazz Quartet's pianist John Lewis and bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. Other sessions followed, including a 1954 proto-Jazz Messengers quintet with Blakey recorded at Birdland.
By the middle of 1954, he had formed a quintet with drummer Max Roach. Largely considered one of the premiere hard bop bands of the era, the group also featured tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow. They made their debut with 1954's Brown and Roach Incorporated, followed several months later by Clifford Brown and Max Roach. In 1955, Brown released two more soon to be classic albums: the ballads-heavy session Clifford Brown with Strings and his third with Roach, Study in Brown. A fourth Brown and Roach record, At Basin Street, arrived in 1956 and found Land replaced by Sonny Rollins.
In June 1956, Brown, Richie Powell, and Powell's wife, Nancy, were killed in a car accident while driving to Chicago after a jam session in Philadelphia. Brown, who was 25 years old, was later buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware. After his death, more albums were released that kept his legacy alive, including two compilation Memorial Albums and 1973's The Beginning and the End, which featured his early Blue Flames sessions, as well as a miraculous ad hoc recording of the final Philadelphia jam session. Amazingly, a filmed appearance of Brown performing two songs on comedian Soupy Sales' 1955 variety show was discovered after being lost for 40 years and is the only known footage of the trumpeter. There have also been superb box sets released by Mosaic, and collecting all of his work for labels like EmArcy, Blue Note, and Pacific Jazz. Already by the late '50s, Brown had already become a major influence on the next generation of players, and trumpeters like Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, and Charles Tolliver would build upon his work. Even decades after his death, Brown's influence continues to be felt as successive generations look upon him as a paradigm for jazz excellence.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/clifford-brown-mn0000789775#biography
///////
Nacido en 1930 en Wilmington, Delaware, Brown se interesó por la música a una edad temprana e incluso cantó en un grupo vocal familiar junto a sus tres hermanos. A los 13 años, tocaba la trompeta en la escuela y tomaba lecciones privadas con el destacado trompetista y educador de Delaware Robert "Boysie" Lowery. Siguieron conciertos de jazz y, para 1948, Brown tocaba regularmente en el área de Filadelfia, recibiendo aliento e incluso sentándose con músicos como Dizzy Gillespie y Charlie Parker. Se matriculó en matemáticas en Delaware State College y en 1949 se transfirió a Maryland State College con una beca de música. Allí, aprendió a escribir y arreglar. También fue durante este período que conoció a dos figuras importantes en su vida, el baterista Max Roach y el trompetista Fats Navarro, el último de los cuales rápidamente se convirtió en una gran influencia en su forma de tocar.
En junio de 1950, Brown resultó herido en un grave accidente automovilístico que lo obligó a dejar de actuar. Un mes después, Navarro murió de una sobredosis de drogas. A pesar de estos contratiempos, Brown se recuperó y volvió a la acción en 1952 como miembro del conjunto de R&B de Chris Powell, The Blue Flames. Al año siguiente, se unió al grupo del pianista Tadd Dameron y realizó una gira por Europa con la Orquesta de Lionel Hampton. Mientras estaba en el extranjero, ignoró el edicto de Hampton que prohibía a sus músicos grabar, y dirigió varias de sus propias sesiones junto a la altoista Gigi Gryce. A su regreso a los Estados unidos, hizo su debut en Blue Note con A New Star on the Horizon de 1953. Grabado justo antes de su partida a Europa, el álbum incluía un grupo con Gryce, el tenor Charlie Rouse, el pianista de Modern Jazz Quartet John Lewis y el bajista Percy Heath, y el baterista Art Blakey. Siguieron otras sesiones, incluido un quinteto de proto-Jazz Messengers de 1954 con Blakey grabado en Birdland.
A mediados de 1954, había formado un quinteto con el baterista Max Roach. Ampliamente considerada como una de las principales bandas de hard bop de la época, el grupo también contó con el saxofonista tenor Harold Land, el pianista Richie Powell y el bajista George Morrow. Hicieron su debut con Brown and Roach Incorporated de 1954, seguidos varios meses después por Clifford Brown y Max Roach. En 1955, Brown lanzó dos álbumes más que pronto serían clásicos: la sesión de baladas Clifford Brown with Strings y su tercero con Roach, Study in Brown. Un cuarto disco de Brown y Roach, At Basin Street, llegó en 1956 y encontró a Land reemplazado por Sonny Rollins.
En junio de 1956, Brown, Richie Powell y la esposa de Powell, Nancy, murieron en un accidente automovilístico mientras conducían a Chicago después de una sesión improvisada en Filadelfia. Brown, que tenía 25 años, fue enterrado más tarde en el monte. Cementerio Zion en Wilmington, Delaware. Después de su muerte, se lanzaron más álbumes que mantuvieron vivo su legado, incluidos dos álbumes Conmemorativos recopilatorios y The Beginning and the End de 1973, que presentaban sus primeras sesiones de Blue Flames, así como una grabación milagrosa ad hoc de la última sesión improvisada de Filadelfia. Sorprendentemente, se descubrió una aparición filmada de Brown interpretando dos canciones en el programa de variedades del comediante Soupy Sales de 1955 después de perderse durante 40 años y es el único metraje conocido del trompetista. También ha habido excelentes box sets lanzados por Mosaic y recopilando todo su trabajo para sellos como EmArcy, Blue Note y Pacific Jazz. Ya a fines de los 50, Brown ya se había convertido en una gran influencia para la próxima generación de músicos, y trompetistas como Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw y Charles Tolliver se basarían en su trabajo. Incluso décadas después de su muerte, la influencia de Brown continúa sintiéndose a medida que las generaciones sucesivas lo ven como un paradigma de la excelencia del jazz.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/clifford-brown-mn0000789775#biography
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
VA • Free Jazz Classics
John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, Charles Lloyd, Modern Jazz Quartet, Joshua Redman, Herbie Mann, Freddie Hubbard, Jaco Pastorius, Ahmad Jamal …
Friday, June 26, 2026
Clifford Brown & Max Roach • Brown and Roach Incorporated
Review from AllMusic (by Scott Yanow):
The first of the EmArcy recordings of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, this album features trumpeter Brown, drummer Max Roach, tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell and bassist George Morrow in fine form. High points include "Stompin' at the Savoy," "I Get a Kick out of You" and Brown's ballad feature on "Ghost of a Chance." Near-classic music from a legendary group.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/brown-and-roach-incorporated-mw0001991298
///////
Resena de AllMusic (por Scott Yanow):
El primero de los registros de EmArcy del Quinteto Clifford Brown/Max Roach, este album presenta al trompetista Brown, al baterista Max Roach, al saxofonista tenor Harold Land, al pianista Richie Powell y al bajista George Morrow en plena forma. Los puntos culminantes incluyen "Stompin' at the Savoy", "I Get a Kick out of You" y el lucimiento de Brown en la balada "Ghost of a Chance." Musica casi clasica de un grupo legendario.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/brown-and-roach-incorporated-mw0001991298
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Clifford Brown • At The Cotton Club 1956
Editorial Reviews
"I
play the trumpet, my name is Clifford Brown." With these simple and
unpretentious words, Brownie introduced himself to the audience of the
Cotton Club in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 28, 1956. And indeed he played
the trumpet, with a fire and excellence that has earned him renown
worldwide. May 28 was the opening night of a week-long engagement for
the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet, featuring Sonny Rollins on tenor
sax, Richie Powell (Bud Powell's younger brother) on piano, and George
Morrow on bass. Despite the exceptional talent of the individual band
members, the quintet proved to be more than the sum of its parts. The
Cleveland Cotton Club performances contained on this package -issued
here for the first time ever- were recorded on amateur equipment and
include sets played by the quintet on May 28, May 29 and June 1, 1956.
As a bonus to these amazing performances, we present another previously
unissued set: a radio broadcast by the same quintet coming from the Town
Casino, in Buffalo, New York, recorded on February 26, 1956. Lonehill
Jazz. 2007.
https://www.amazon.com/Clifford-Brown/dp/B000PFU7VM
///////
Reseñas editoriales
"Toco
la trompeta, me llamo Clifford Brown". Con estas sencillas y nada
pretenciosas palabras, Brownie se presentó ante el público del Cotton
Club de Cleveland, Ohio, el 28 de mayo de 1956. Y, efectivamente, tocaba
la trompeta, con un fuego y una excelencia que le han hecho ganar
renombre en todo el mundo. El 28 de mayo fue la noche de apertura de un
compromiso de una semana para el Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet, con
Sonny Rollins al saxo tenor, Richie Powell (el hermano menor de Bud
Powell) al piano y George Morrow al bajo. A pesar del excepcional
talento de los miembros individuales de la banda, el quinteto demostró
ser más que la suma de sus partes. Las actuaciones del Cotton Club de
Cleveland contenidas en este paquete -editado aquí por primera vez- se
grabaron con equipos de aficionados e incluyen conjuntos tocados por el
quinteto el 28 de mayo, el 29 de mayo y el 1 de junio de 1956. Como
complemento a estas increíbles actuaciones, presentamos otro conjunto
inédito: una emisión radiofónica del mismo quinteto procedente del Town
Casino, en Buffalo, Nueva York, grabada el 26 de febrero de 1956.
Lonehill Jazz. 2007.
https://www.amazon.com/Clifford-Brown/dp/B000PFU7VM
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Clifford Brown • Jazz Immortal
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Lou Donaldson - Clifford Brown • New Faces – New Sounds
Friday, April 10, 2026
Clifford Brown • The Complete Blue Note and Pacific Jazz Recordings
Monday, January 26, 2026
Clifford Brownː The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter
Friday, October 24, 2025
VA • Blue Note 101 Jazz Icons
Review by Gregory Heaney
Blue Note Records has been home to some of the greatest names in jazz, and with its Blue Note 101 series, the storied label has been looking to introduce a whole new crop of listeners to some of the legendary artists on its roster with a series of introductory compilations. On Blue Note 101: Jazz Icons, the series gets to the real meat of the jazz world with a collection featuring some of the most influential names in the genre. Featuring tracks like Thelonious Monk's manic "Four in One" and John Coltrane's smoothly propulsive "Moment's Notice," the compilation will set new listeners down the path of enlightenment toward a cooler tomorrow.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-101-jazz-icons-mw0002665018
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Reseña de Gregory Heaney
Blue Note Records ha sido el hogar de algunos de los grandes nombres del jazz, y con su serie Blue Note 101, el histórico sello busca presentar a una nueva generación de oyentes algunos de los artistas legendarios de su catálogo con una serie de recopilatorios introductorios. En Blue Note 101: Jazz Icons, la serie llega a la esencia del mundo del jazz con una colección que incluye a algunos de los nombres más influyentes del género. Con temas como el frenético "Four in One" de Thelonious Monk y el ágil "Moment's Notice" de John Coltrane, el recopilatorio guiará a los nuevos oyentes hacia un futuro más prometedor.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-101-jazz-icons-mw0002665018
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
VA • Be-Bop And Post Bop
Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, J.J. Johnson, Wardell Gray, Stan Getz, Lennie Tristano, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Charles Mingus, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, Miles Davis.
Monday, January 27, 2025
Clifford Brown • The Complete Paris Session
He
was the most brilliant trumpet player of his generation, an original
and memorable composer, a dynamic stage presence and one of the
authentic legends of modern jazz.
Clifford Brown was born October
30, 1930 in Wilmington, Delaware. As a young high school student Brown
began playing trumpet and within a very short time was active in college
and other youth bands. By his late teens he had attracted the favorable
attention of leading jazzmen, including fellow trumpeters Dizzy
Gillespie, Miles Davis and Fats Navarro.
At the end of the 40s he
was studying music at Maryland University and in 1952, following
recovery from a serious road accident, he made his first records with
Chris Powell and Tadd Dameron. In the autumn of 1953 he was a member of
the big band Lionel Hampton took to Europe. Liberally filled with
precocious talent, this band attracted considerable attention during its
tour. Contrary to contractual stipulations, many of the young musicians
moonlighted on various recordings and Brown in particular was singled
out for such sessions. Back in the USA, Brown was fired along with most
of the rest of the band when Hampton learned of the records they had
made. Brown then joined Art Blakey and in mid- 1954 teamed up with Max
Roach to form the Clifford Brown- Max Roach Quintet. The quintet was
quickly recognized as one of the outstanding groups in contemporary jazz
and Brown as a major trumpeter and composer.
At a time when many
modern jazz trumpeters sought technical expertise at the expense of
tone, Brown, in common with his friend and paradigm, Navarro, had
technique to spare but also developed a rich, full and frequently
beautiful tone. At the same time, whether playing at scorching tempos or
on languorous ballads, his range was exhaustive. He was enormously and
brilliantly inventive but his search for original ideas was never
executed at the expense of taste. In all his work, Brown displayed the
rare combination of supreme intelligence and great emotional depths. His
playing was only one aspect of his talent; he was also a fine composer,
creating many works that have become modern jazz standards. Although
his career was brief, Brown's influence persisted for a while in the
work of Lee Morgan and throughout succeeding decades in that of Freddie
Hubbard. Fortunately for jazz fans, Brown's own work persists in the
form of his recordings, almost any of which can be safely recommended as
outstanding examples of the very best of jazz. Indeed, all of his
recordings with Roach are classics.
During his remarkable three
year run, Brown made more than a dozen albums among the ones on the
EmArcy label are Brown & Roach Inc (1954), Study in Brown (1955),
Clifford Brown With Strings(1955), A Study in Brown(1955) Clifford Brown
All Stars (1956), Memorial Album (1956), Clifford Brown & Max Roach
at Basin St. East (1956), and Pure Genius (1956) these are prime models
of the art of jazz trumpet. There are many compilations available, as
are box sets as the Complete Blue Note-Pacific Jazz (Mosaic) and the
EmArcy 10 disc set Brownie: The Complete Clifford Brown.
Many of
his compositions became standards, including the uptempo “Daahoud,”
reflective “Joy Spring”, and “Sandu.” His version of “Cherokee” though
not his composition, is still considered the definitive one. Benny
Golson did a memorable “I Remember Clifford,” a moving tribute to the
young trumpeter, and is a perennial jazz favorite.
Clifford Brown
had established himself as the most potent trumpeter in jazz to arrive
on the scene since Dizzy Gillespie. Equally influenced (and encouraged)
by Fats Navarro and Gillespie, Brown possessed both a remarkable
technique for high-speed playing, with every note perfectly placed and
formed, and also a beautiful lyrical ballad style. He developed an
innate sense of solo form, a rich tone, and a virtuoso technique in all
trumpet ranges. His style included brilliant high notes, high rhythmic
detail, and a generous incorporation of grace notes and varied
inflections, all of which he played with rare grace and ease. He was
especially noted for the melodic qualities of his improvising, which
often flowed in long phrases. His impact and influence on the jazz world
is only matched by his artistry on the trumpet.
On June 26th,
1956, while driving between engagements during a nationwide tour, Brown
and another quintet member, pianist Richie Powell, were killed in a road
accident. Clifford Brown was twenty five years old.
Source: James Nadalhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/clifford-brown/
///////
Fue
el trompetista más brillante de su generación, un compositor original y
memorable, una presencia escénica dinámica y una de las auténticas
leyendas del jazz moderno.
Clifford Brown nació el 30 de octubre
de 1930 en Wilmington, Delaware. Siendo un joven estudiante de
secundaria, Brown empezó a tocar la trompeta y en muy poco tiempo
participó activamente en bandas universitarias y otras bandas juveniles.
Al final de su adolescencia ya había atraído la atención de los
principales músicos de jazz, como los trompetistas Dizzy Gillespie,
Miles Davis y Fats Navarro.
A finales de los años 40 estudiaba
música en la Universidad de Maryland y en 1952, tras recuperarse de un
grave accidente de tráfico, grabó sus primeros discos con Chris Powell y
Tadd Dameron. En otoño de 1953 formó parte de la big band que Lionel
Hampton llevó a Europa. Llena de talento precoz, esta banda atrajo una
considerable atención durante su gira. En contra de las estipulaciones
contractuales, muchos de los jóvenes músicos trabajaron como
pluriempleados en varias grabaciones y Brown, en particular, fue elegido
para esas sesiones. De vuelta a Estados Unidos, Brown fue despedido
junto con la mayoría del resto de la banda cuando Hampton se enteró de
las grabaciones que habían hecho. Brown se unió entonces a Art Blakey y a
mediados de 1954 formó equipo con Max Roach para formar el Clifford
Brown- Max Roach Quintet. El quinteto fue rápidamente reconocido como
uno de los grupos más destacados del jazz contemporáneo y Brown como un
trompetista y compositor importante.
En una época en la que
muchos trompetistas de jazz moderno buscaban la pericia técnica a
expensas del tono, Brown, al igual que su amigo y paradigma Navarro,
tenía técnica de sobra, pero también desarrolló un tono rico, pleno y a
menudo hermoso. Al mismo tiempo, tanto si tocaba a tempos abrasadores
como en lánguidas baladas, su registro era exhaustivo. Era enorme y
brillantemente inventivo, pero su búsqueda de ideas originales nunca se
llevó a cabo a expensas del gusto. En toda su obra, Brown mostró la rara
combinación de una inteligencia suprema y una gran profundidad
emocional. Tocar era sólo una de las facetas de su talento; también era
un excelente compositor, creador de muchas obras que se han convertido
en estándares del jazz moderno. Aunque su carrera fue breve, la
influencia de Brown persistió durante un tiempo en la obra de Lee Morgan
y, a lo largo de las décadas siguientes, en la de Freddie Hubbard.
Afortunadamente para los aficionados al jazz, la obra de Brown perdura
en forma de grabaciones, casi todas las cuales pueden recomendarse como
ejemplos sobresalientes de lo mejor del jazz. De hecho, todas sus
grabaciones con Roach son clásicos.
Durante su notable carrera de
tres años, Brown grabó más de una docena de álbumes, entre los que se
encuentran los del sello EmArcy Brown & Roach Inc (1954), Study in
Brown (1955), Clifford Brown With Strings (1955), A Study in Brown
(1955), Clifford Brown All Stars (1956), Memorial Album (1956), Clifford
Brown & Max Roach at Basin St. East (1956) y Pure Genius (1956),
que son modelos de primer orden del arte de la trompeta de jazz. Hay
muchas recopilaciones disponibles, así como juegos de cajas como el
Complete Blue Note-Pacific Jazz (Mosaic) y el EmArcy 10 disc set
Brownie: The Complete Clifford Brown.
Muchas de sus composiciones
se convirtieron en estándares, como la uptempo «Daahoud», la reflexiva
«Joy Spring» y «Sandu». Su versión de «Cherokee», aunque no es una
composición suya, sigue considerándose la definitiva. Benny Golson hizo
un memorable «I Remember Clifford», un emotivo homenaje al joven
trompetista, y es un eterno favorito del jazz.
Clifford Brown se
había consolidado como el trompetista más potente del jazz que llegaba a
la escena desde Dizzy Gillespie. Influido (y alentado) a partes iguales
por Fats Navarro y Gillespie, Brown poseía tanto una técnica notable
para tocar a gran velocidad, con cada nota perfectamente colocada y
formada, como un hermoso estilo de balada lírica. Desarrolló un sentido
innato de la forma solista, un tono rico y una técnica virtuosa en todos
los rangos de la trompeta. Su estilo incluía notas altas brillantes,
gran detalle rítmico y una generosa incorporación de notas de gracia e
inflexiones variadas, todo ello interpretado con una gracia y una
facilidad poco comunes. Destacaba especialmente por las cualidades
melódicas de su improvisación, que a menudo fluía en largas frases. Su
impacto e influencia en el mundo del jazz sólo son comparables a su arte
con la trompeta.
El 26 de junio de 1956, mientras conducía entre
los compromisos de una gira nacional, Brown y otro miembro del
quinteto, el pianista Richie Powell, murieron en un accidente de
tráfico. Clifford Brown tenía veinticinco años.
Fuente: James Nadalhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/clifford-brown/
Saturday, January 25, 2025
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Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Clifford Brown • The Definitive Clifford Brown
He was the most brilliant trumpet player of his generation, an original and memorable composer, a dynamic stage presence and one of the authentic legends of modern jazz.
Clifford Brown was born October 30, 1930 in Wilmington, Delaware. As a young high school student Brown began playing trumpet and within a very short time was active in college and other youth bands. By his late teens he had attracted the favorable attention of leading jazzmen, including fellow trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Fats Navarro.
At the end of the 40s he was studying music at Maryland University and in 1952, following recovery from a serious road accident, he made his first records with Chris Powell and Tadd Dameron. In the autumn of 1953 he was a member of the big band Lionel Hampton took to Europe. Liberally filled with precocious talent, this band attracted considerable attention during its tour. Contrary to contractual stipulations, many of the young musicians moonlighted on various recordings and Brown in particular was singled out for such sessions. Back in the USA, Brown was fired along with most of the rest of the band when Hampton learned of the records they had made. Brown then joined Art Blakey and in mid- 1954 teamed up with Max Roach to form the Clifford Brown- Max Roach Quintet. The quintet was quickly recognized as one of the outstanding groups in contemporary jazz and Brown as a major trumpeter and composer.
At a time when many modern jazz trumpeters sought technical expertise at the expense of tone, Brown, in common with his friend and paradigm, Navarro, had technique to spare but also developed a rich, full and frequently beautiful tone. At the same time, whether playing at scorching tempos or on languorous ballads, his range was exhaustive. He was enormously and brilliantly inventive but his search for original ideas was never executed at the expense of taste. In all his work, Brown displayed the rare combination of supreme intelligence and great emotional depths. His playing was only one aspect of his talent; he was also a fine composer, creating many works that have become modern jazz standards. Although his career was brief, Brown's influence persisted for a while in the work of Lee Morgan and throughout succeeding decades in that of Freddie Hubbard. Fortunately for jazz fans, Brown's own work persists in the form of his recordings, almost any of which can be safely recommended as outstanding examples of the very best of jazz. Indeed, all of his recordings with Roach are classics.
During his remarkable three year run, Brown made more than a dozen albums among the ones on the EmArcy label are Brown & Roach Inc (1954), Study in Brown (1955), Clifford Brown With Strings(1955), A Study in Brown(1955) Clifford Brown All Stars (1956), Memorial Album (1956), Clifford Brown & Max Roach at Basin St. East (1956), and Pure Genius (1956) these are prime models of the art of jazz trumpet. There are many compilations available, as are box sets as the Complete Blue Note-Pacific Jazz (Mosaic) and the EmArcy 10 disc set Brownie: The Complete Clifford Brown.
Many of his compositions became standards, including the uptempo “Daahoud,” reflective “Joy Spring”, and “Sandu.” His version of “Cherokee” though not his composition, is still considered the definitive one. Benny Golson did a memorable “I Remember Clifford,” a moving tribute to the young trumpeter, and is a perennial jazz favorite.
Clifford Brown had established himself as the most potent trumpeter in jazz to arrive on the scene since Dizzy Gillespie. Equally influenced (and encouraged) by Fats Navarro and Gillespie, Brown possessed both a remarkable technique for high-speed playing, with every note perfectly placed and formed, and also a beautiful lyrical ballad style. He developed an innate sense of solo form, a rich tone, and a virtuoso technique in all trumpet ranges. His style included brilliant high notes, high rhythmic detail, and a generous incorporation of grace notes and varied inflections, all of which he played with rare grace and ease. He was especially noted for the melodic qualities of his improvising, which often flowed in long phrases. His impact and influence on the jazz world is only matched by his artistry on the trumpet.
On June 26th, 1956, while driving between engagements during a nationwide tour, Brown and another quintet member, pianist Richie Powell, were killed in a road accident. Clifford Brown was twenty five years old.
Source: James Nadalhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/clifford-brown/
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Fue el trompetista más brillante de su generación, un compositor original y memorable, una presencia escénica dinámica y una de las auténticas leyendas del jazz moderno.
Clifford Brown nació el 30 de octubre de 1930 en Wilmington, Delaware. Siendo un joven estudiante de secundaria, Brown empezó a tocar la trompeta y en muy poco tiempo participó activamente en bandas universitarias y otras bandas juveniles. Al final de su adolescencia ya había atraído la atención de los principales músicos de jazz, como los trompetistas Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis y Fats Navarro.
A finales de los años 40 estudiaba música en la Universidad de Maryland y en 1952, tras recuperarse de un grave accidente de tráfico, grabó sus primeros discos con Chris Powell y Tadd Dameron. En otoño de 1953 formó parte de la big band que Lionel Hampton llevó a Europa. Llena de talento precoz, esta banda atrajo una considerable atención durante su gira. En contra de las estipulaciones contractuales, muchos de los jóvenes músicos trabajaron como pluriempleados en varias grabaciones y Brown, en particular, fue elegido para esas sesiones. De vuelta a Estados Unidos, Brown fue despedido junto con la mayoría del resto de la banda cuando Hampton se enteró de las grabaciones que habían hecho. Brown se unió entonces a Art Blakey y a mediados de 1954 formó equipo con Max Roach para formar el Clifford Brown- Max Roach Quintet. El quinteto fue rápidamente reconocido como uno de los grupos más destacados del jazz contemporáneo y Brown como un trompetista y compositor importante.
En una época en la que muchos trompetistas de jazz moderno buscaban la pericia técnica a expensas del tono, Brown, al igual que su amigo y paradigma Navarro, tenía técnica de sobra, pero también desarrolló un tono rico, pleno y a menudo hermoso. Al mismo tiempo, tanto si tocaba a tempos abrasadores como en lánguidas baladas, su registro era exhaustivo. Era enorme y brillantemente inventivo, pero su búsqueda de ideas originales nunca se llevó a cabo a expensas del gusto. En toda su obra, Brown mostró la rara combinación de una inteligencia suprema y una gran profundidad emocional. Tocar era sólo una de las facetas de su talento; también era un excelente compositor, creador de muchas obras que se han convertido en estándares del jazz moderno. Aunque su carrera fue breve, la influencia de Brown persistió durante un tiempo en la obra de Lee Morgan y, a lo largo de las décadas siguientes, en la de Freddie Hubbard. Afortunadamente para los aficionados al jazz, la obra de Brown perdura en forma de grabaciones, casi todas las cuales pueden recomendarse como ejemplos sobresalientes de lo mejor del jazz. De hecho, todas sus grabaciones con Roach son clásicos.
Durante su notable carrera de tres años, Brown grabó más de una docena de álbumes, entre los que se encuentran los del sello EmArcy Brown & Roach Inc (1954), Study in Brown (1955), Clifford Brown With Strings (1955), A Study in Brown (1955), Clifford Brown All Stars (1956), Memorial Album (1956), Clifford Brown & Max Roach at Basin St. East (1956) y Pure Genius (1956), que son modelos de primer orden del arte de la trompeta de jazz. Hay muchas recopilaciones disponibles, así como juegos de cajas como el Complete Blue Note-Pacific Jazz (Mosaic) y el EmArcy 10 disc set Brownie: The Complete Clifford Brown.
Muchas de sus composiciones se convirtieron en estándares, como la uptempo «Daahoud», la reflexiva «Joy Spring» y «Sandu». Su versión de «Cherokee», aunque no es una composición suya, sigue considerándose la definitiva. Benny Golson hizo un memorable «I Remember Clifford», un emotivo homenaje al joven trompetista, y es un eterno favorito del jazz.
Clifford Brown se había consolidado como el trompetista más potente del jazz que llegaba a la escena desde Dizzy Gillespie. Influido (y alentado) a partes iguales por Fats Navarro y Gillespie, Brown poseía tanto una técnica notable para tocar a gran velocidad, con cada nota perfectamente colocada y formada, como un hermoso estilo de balada lírica. Desarrolló un sentido innato de la forma solista, un tono rico y una técnica virtuosa en todos los rangos de la trompeta. Su estilo incluía notas altas brillantes, gran detalle rítmico y una generosa incorporación de notas de gracia e inflexiones variadas, todo ello interpretado con una gracia y una facilidad poco comunes. Destacaba especialmente por las cualidades melódicas de su improvisación, que a menudo fluía en largas frases. Su impacto e influencia en el mundo del jazz sólo son comparables a su arte con la trompeta.
El 26 de junio de 1956, mientras conducía entre los compromisos de una gira nacional, Brown y otro miembro del quinteto, el pianista Richie Powell, murieron en un accidente de tráfico. Clifford Brown tenía veinticinco años.
Fuente: James Nadalhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/clifford-brown/
Monday, August 19, 2024
Clifford Brown & Max Roach • In concert!
The Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet started its tragically short run at the beginning of 1954. The first formation included—in addition to Max and Brownie— tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, bassist George Bledsoe and pianist Carl Perkins. This group was recorded only once, during a concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on July 13, 1954, which is presented here along with an August 31, 1954 performance on which the first stable formation of the quintet is heard, with the piano and bass chairs filled by pianist Richie Powell (Bud Powell’s younger brother) and bassist George Morrow, and with Harold Land as the tenor player. This fantastic formation was destined to end in tragedy, for in the early morning hours of June 26, 1956, Clifford Brown died in a car accident (at the age of 25) along with pianist Richie Powell and the latter’s wife.
https://www.jazzmessengers.com/es/82476/clifford-brown/inconcertw-maxroach-gatefold-
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El Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet comenzó su trágica carrera a principios de 1954. La primera formación incluía -además de Max y Brownie- al saxofonista tenor Teddy Edwards, al bajista George Bledsoe y al pianista Carl Perkins. Este grupo sólo se grabó una vez, durante un concierto en el Pasadena Civic Auditorium el 13 de julio de 1954, que se presenta aquí junto con una actuación del 31 de agosto de 1954 en la que se escucha la primera formación estable del quinteto, con las sillas de piano y bajo ocupadas por el pianista Richie Powell (hermano menor de Bud Powell) y el bajista George Morrow, y con Harold Land como tenor. Esta fantástica formación estaba destinada a terminar en tragedia, ya que en la madrugada del 26 de junio de 1956, Clifford Brown murió en un accidente de coche (a la edad de 25 años) junto con el pianista Richie Powell y la esposa de este último.
https://www.jazzmessengers.com/es/82476/clifford-brown/inconcertw-maxroach-gatefold-
Thursday, August 8, 2024
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Monday, June 10, 2024
VA • Jazz On A Spring Day Vol. I
Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Johnny Hodges, Bud Shank, Bob Brookmeyer, Nina Simone, Chico Hamilton, Conte Candoli, Pete Jolly, Michel Legrand …