Clifford Brown

Clifford Benjamin Brown (or of her nickname Brownie) is a trumpet player of Jazz and American type-setter born with Wilmington in the state of Delaware the October 30th 1930 and died at the time of a road accident the June 26th 1956.

If he were also a musician of the Bebop, it is especially in the current of the Hard bop that he illustrated himself.

Biography

Discovered trumpet

The last of the eight children of the family Brown, and whose father dreamed to have a descendant artist of jazz, Clifford however did not start to really play of the music that as from 14 years, when his/her Joe father offers to him for his birthday a trumpet (which waited in an ECRIN at the bottom of a hut, but which, for a few years had drawn the attention of the teenager).

In 1944, Clifford Brown starts to follow courses near a local trumpet player: Robert “Boysie” Lowery (very gifted and friend of a certain John Birks Gillespie - later known under the nickname of “Dizzy Gillespie”). At the fifteen years age, Clifford, become high-school pupil, looks further into at Lowery his musical knowledge in an intensive way (to the Howard High School, being initiated even with the piano, vibraphone and double bass.

Studies

Between the autumn 1947 and spring 1948 begins a series of Jam session S where all the musicians amateurs come to measure themselves with Brownie . During the year 1948, it will also meet Miles Davis, Fats Navarro during displacements with Philadelphia ( Philly ). Then, at the time of the summer 1949, the Gillespie Orchestra is announced in Wilmington. Unfortunately (or fortunately for Brownie), it misses a trumpet with the Big band (Benny Harris is carried missing). Robert Lowery, proposes then the name of Clifford Brown as substitute. After this evening, Clifford decides to leave the Deleware State College to enter to the Maryland State College where the classes of music are very famous.

First group

Well before the re-entry, Clifford Brown assembles her own group:

With the Alto saxophone: John Joyner
With the Piano: Hasaan Ali
With the battery: William Armstrong
With the Double bass: Steve Davis

Meetings & first recordings

Concerts in Jam session S, Clifford Brown, during this year meets many personalities of the jazz of which Jay Jay Johnson and Kenny Dorham. It will approach the trumpet player of Charlie Parker: Red Rodney . But, in 1950 a first car accident immobilizes it for one year and half.

On its return, in 1952 it records for the first time for the combo of Chris Powell as a Pianiste and Trompettiste of the group. In 1953, It carries out a short passage at Jimmy Heath where it is noticed by Tadd Dameron. This last requires of him to record with him at Prestige. It is as at this period as Brownie records under its name for the first time on the label Blue Note accompanied by Gigi Gryce, Charlie Rouse, Percy Heath and Art Blakey. It accompanies also Dinah Washington in some recordings.

European round

During the year 1953, Lionel Hampton engages Clifford Brown for a European round within its full orchestra. In Stockholm, after one in the official concert of the Big Band Hampton , with some of the musicians (Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce, Jimmy Cleveland, Art Farmer, George Wallington), Clifford takes part in a first clandestine recording (the 13 or September 14th) without the knowledge of Lionel Hampton (the contract of the musicians stipulates that they do not have any fee registration without the presence and the assent of the leader) in company of the elite of the Scandinavian musicians (the Saxophoniste S Arne Domnerus (Arne Domnérus), Lars Gullin, the Pianiste Bengt Hallberg, the Tromboniste Ake Persson (Åke Persson) and the Double bass player Gunnar Johnson.

Then, the event still reproduces with Paris with certain members of the Quintette of Hot Club of France, after the concert of fence of the big band given to the Teacher training school, in the night from September 27th to 28th, Jimmy Cleveland and several musicians (with rare exceptions almost all the orchestra of Lionel Hampton) find themselves in company of the Trompettiste S Fernand Verstraete, Fred Gerard, the Saxophoniste S Henry Bernard, Henry Jouot, the Contrebassiste Pierre Michelot and the Pianiste Henri Renaud for a new pirate recording published under the label Vogue. Of return to New York, Lionel and Gladys Hampton return Clifford Brown of the orchestra.

Engaged by Art Blakey within its Jazz Messengers in 1954, it takes part inter alia, with a memorable recording in Birdland, on February 21st, 1954.

The time max Roach

Six weeks after its meeting with max Roach, Clifford Brown forms the famous quintet of which make also part Teddy Edwards then Harold Land and finally Sony Rollins with the saxophones, Carl Perkins then Richie Powell (brother of Bud Powell) with the piano, and George Bledsoe then George Morrow with low. Their collaboration begin with a concert in Tiffany Club from Hollywood (according to some) (unless it is not in Pasadena Civic Auditorium" from Los Angeles).

Parallel to the first recordings of the quintet, it takes part in two meetings in company of West-coasters of reputation: with Zoot Sims, Bob Gordon, Russ Freeman, Shelly Basket, Herb To freeze, Kenny Drew, Walter Benton, then with some jam sessions…

In at the end of 1954, it accompanies Sarah Vaughan " S.V sings " and Helen Merrill " Helen Merrill with Quincy Jones ". Its last recordings in studio are done with Sony Rollins (on March 22nd, 1956; for the album: " Sony Rollins plus furnace ". Two recordings " follow; live" with max Roach, and ultimate a jam session in company of local musicians after brilliant a jam session with the " Music City Club" , in Philadelphia, the June 25th 1956.

It is the same night that the drama occurs: whereas it goes in Indiana, it dies of a road accident (just as Richie Powell).

Its play

What it is necessary to retain of Clifford Brown it is its lyric play, fact of long mélodieuses sentences. One can compare it with Fats Navarro. He played ear. It is besides as that which its mentor taught him: Robert Lowery.

It inspired by many disciples. Let us quote among them Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan or Wynton Marsalis. Unfortunately for us it remains only little of traces of its many representations (concerts, jam S, studios…). Clifford Brown was so modest that he sought throughout his short career to be made forget.

It was a guide always with listening, and also a soloist who never lost his means and put himself regularly in " difficulté" (on the wire of the razor) and left itself there with brilliance. One can doubtless count it among the pillars of the Jazz (within the meaning of construction and of the evolution).

Discography

New Star One The Horizon (Blue Notes 1953)
Clifford Brown Quartet (Blue Note 1954)
Clifford Brown & max Roach (Emarcy 1954)
Brown And Roach Incorporated (Emarcy 1954)
Clifford Brown With Strings (Emarcy 1955)
has Study In Brown (Emarcy 1955)
The Clifford Brown Ensemble (Pacific Jazz 1955)
Clifford Brown All-Stars (Emarcy 1956)
Clifford Brown Memorial Album (Blue Note 1956)
Clifford Brown & max Roach At Basin Street (Emarcy 1956)
Sony Rollins Plus Furnace (Prestige 1956)
Pure Genius 1956 recording (Elektra 1982)
Clifford Brown - joy spring (Harmonia Mundi 2006)

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