Clifford Brown (1930-1956)
Jan Evensmo’s recently published solography prompted me to take a deep dive into Clifford Brown’s recordings
Dan Morgenstern - Liner Notes to Sonny Rollins Plus Four
“He was fleet - the most incredible runs flowed like honey from his horn - but he never (or rarely, with the impetuousness of gifted youth) used speed as an end in itself. He had a gorgeous tone - the best sound in modern jazz trumpet playing since Fats Navarro. And he had ideas - jazz ideas, truly musical ideas, ideas that added up to a story. It was perhaps no coincidence that his sound was the fattest, mellowest trumpet sound since Fats Navarro, for Fats rather than Dizzy seemed to be Brownie’s inspiration. You can’t leave out Diz, of course. There is nobody like him. But tone was never his strong point - indeed, his whole development can be explained in terms of his search for - and discovery of a style which didn’t depend as much on sound as had all jazz trumpet playing since Louis Armstrong. Fats had the old sound, and Brownie had it. Brownie also had a gift for melody which permeated his whole musical language. He could play a little run or phrase - just toss it off - and it would have melodic value. The young cats who play his phrases today more often than not just run them mechanically, without that “soul” that makes all the difference. But they’re trying. Young as he was when he left us, Clifford Brown set a standard which still holds. Some people, as a matter of fact, seem to be running away from this high standard rather than trying to live up to it. But in art, nothing is wasted. The name of Clifford Brown will shine brightly in the annals of jazz for all time…”
References
Jan Evensmo - Clifford Brown Solography
Annotated Albums
I have annotated my albums to include recording dates, credits, Jan Evensmo’s comments, and liner notes. In a next post, I will explain the system I have designed to do this.
Lou Donaldson - Clifford Brown Quintet
New York City, June 1953
Jay Jay Johnson Sextet
New York City, June 1953
Clifford Brown Sextet
New York City, August 1953
Clifford Brown and Art Farmer
Stockholm, September 1953
Clifford Brown Quartet
Paris, October 1953
Art Blakey Quintet
New York City, February 1954
Clifford Brown Ensemble
Los Angeles, July 1954
Max Roach and Clifford Brown Quintet
Los Angeles, April & August 1954
Jam Session with Dinah Washington
Los Angeles, August 1954
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
Los Angeles, August 1954
Clifford Brown All Stars
Los Angeles, August 1954
Sarah Vaughan and Clifford Brown
New York City, December 1954
Helen Merrill
New York City, December 1954
Clifford Brown with Strings
New York City, January 1955
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
Los Angeles, February 1955
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
Chicago, June 1955
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
New York City, January-February 1956
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
New York City, February 1956
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
New Jersey, March 1956
Max Roach & Clifford Brown Quintet
Cleveland, May-June 1956