Clifford Brown

"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 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…

This 1954 studio date, a self-titled album recorded for Emarcy, was later reissued as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown to denote the involvement of one of the top trumpeters of the day. Vaughan sings nine intimate standards with a band including Brown on trumpet, Herbie Mann on flute, and Paul Quinichette on tenor, each of which have plenty of space for solos (most of the songs are close to the five-minute mark). Vaughan is arguably in the best voice of her career here, pausing and lingering over notes on the standards "April in Paris," "Jim," and "Lullaby of Birdland." As touching as Vaughan is, however, Brown almost equals her with his solos on "Lullaby of Birdland," "Jim," and "September Song," displaying his incredible bop virtuosity in a restrained setting without sacrificing either the simple feeling of his notes or the extraordinary flair of his choices…

Study in Brown features the 1955 version of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, a group also including tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow. One of the premiere early hard bop units, this band had unlimited potential. Highlights of this set are "Cherokee" (during which trumpeter Brown is brilliant), "Swingin'," and "Sandu." All of this group's recordings are well worth acquiring.