Ray Brown Trio

The members of the Ray Brown Trio (the bassist-leader, pianist Gene Harris and drummer Jeff Hamilton) all grew to love the playing of tenor-saxophonist Ralph Moore when the four were traveling as members of Gene Harris' big band. On this Ray Brown CD, the veteran bassist virtually turned over the entire session to Moore. The quartet performs a variety of veteran standards (including some from the bop era such as Charlie Parker's "Quasimodo" and Dizzy Gillespie's "The Champ") plus Wes Montgomery's "SOS" and Brown's "Ralph's Boogie." Ralph Moore rises to the occasion and shows that, even though his sound is inspired by John Coltrane, he was fully capable of playing tunes from the swing and bop era; Moore sounds delighted to have the Ray Brown Trio as his backup group. This is a fine collaboration that works quite well.

Bassist Ray Brown, pianist Benny Green, and drummer Jeff Hamilton make for a perfect team on their Telarc CD. The tight yet swinging arrangements are full of subtle surprises and serve as a perfect format for the players, particularly Green. Highlights include Thad Jones' "Don't Get Sassy," Oscar Peterson's "Kelly's Blues," "Tanga," "Brown's New Blues," and a three-song Duke Ellington medley.

This two-fer reissue combines two live albums released by the Ray Brown Trio in the 1980s, The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio, featuring pianist Gene Harris and drummer Mickey Roker along with bassist Brown, recorded at the Blue Note nightclub in New York in November and December 1985, and Bam Bam Bam, with the trio consisting of Brown, Harris, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, cut in December 1988 at the 2,000-seat Kan-i Hoken Hall in Toyko. Harris, whom Brown had lured from obscurity and retirement in Idaho, was something of the bassist's protégé during this period, so it is not surprising that Brown actually takes a back seat on much of the music here, allowing Harris to be showcased.

This two-fer reissue combines two live albums released by the Ray Brown Trio in the 1980s, The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio, featuring pianist Gene Harris and drummer Mickey Roker along with bassist Brown, recorded at the Blue Note nightclub in New York in November and December 1985, and Bam Bam Bam, with the trio consisting of Brown, Harris, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, cut in December 1988 at the 2,000-seat Kan-i Hoken Hall in Toyko. Harris, whom Brown had lured from obscurity and retirement in Idaho, was something of the bassist's protégé during this period, so it is not surprising that Brown actually takes a back seat on much of the music here, allowing Harris to be showcased.

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (15 August 1925-23 December 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist, vocalist and composer. Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Peterson is said to be one of the most technically brilliant and melodically inventive jazz pianists of all time, with a career that lasted more than 65 years. Some of his musical associates have included Ray Brown, Ben Webster, Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Ed Thigpen, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Louis Armstrong, Stéphane Grappelli, Ella Fitzgerald, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, Count Basie, and Stan Getz.

Ray Brown Trio - Soular Energy
SACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 1,83 GB | 24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 802 MB | Full Artwork
Label/Cat#: Groove Note # GRV1015-3 | Country/Year: US 2003 | 5% Recovery Info
Genre: Jazz | Style: Bop

…throughout this fine release. Seven of the eight numbers (highlighted by "Exactly Like You," "Teach Me Tonight," and "Sweet Georgia Brown") feature Brown, Harris, and drummer Gerryck King playing soulful bop, while "Mistreated But Undefeated Blues" adds guitarist Emily Remler and the tenor of Red Holloway. An excellent effort.