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It was September, 1953. Lionel Hampton’s band was in the midst of an extended European tour. Response was enthusiastic, especially for the younger and virtually unknown players like Art Farmer, Gigi Gryce, Quincy Jones and Alan Dawson. It was Clifford Brown, though, that set off the fireworks. Hampton, for reasons that are still unclear, imposed a ban against extracurricular recording by his musicians. Fortunately, the combination of intrepid European producers and players wanting to be heard led to several “underground” sessions. The tracks included here document the most significant of these, the Paris dates of 1953.
Brownie was only 22 years old. His star, however, had been ascending quickly. He had won the respect of Fats Navarro, his idol. He also had a solid endorsement from Dizzy Gillespie. In 1949, after Brownie had sat in with Diz in Wilmington, Delaware, Gillespie told Max Roach: “Man, there’s a cat down there in Wilmington who plays piano and blows the shit out of the trumpet.” The Paris sessions were organized by pianist Henri Renaud, who successfully combined Hamp’s top players with his own colleagues. The dates fell into two formats, big band and small group. Gryce’s “Brown Skins” is a two-part opus in the Ellington tradition. In the first section, Brownie’s heroic voice etches a stately theme stretched over lush winds and muted brass. After a stinging climax, Clifford leads the band into a bright medium groove and sails with boppish abandon. Like all great improvisers, Brownie was never content to repeat himself. In take 2 of “Brown Skins,” he sharpens his bite and fashions a more aggressive essay than that of take 1. Similar contrasts are found in the other titles with a second take. In both big band and combo settings, the Paris dates capture the passion and precision that made Brownie so unique. After his return to the States, these qualities were brought to intense focus in the historic group he co-led with Max Roach. That, however, came to a tragic end when he was claimed by an automobile accident on June 26, 1956. Though Brownie’s star burned but briefly, the legacy he left us is rich. An important part of that legacy, the Paris Collection, is contained herein.
One of the all-time great jazz trumpeters, Clifford Brown's death in a car accident in 1956 when he was just 25 was one of the major tragedies of jazz history. However he left behind four years of recordings, and would be the future influence of many top trumpeters including Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw.
Born in 1930, Brown started on the trumpet when he was 15. At 18 he was working in Philadelphia clubs and receiving encouragement from Fats Navarro, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker (with whom he played for a week). A car accident in 1950 put him out of action for a year but by 1952 he was playing with an r&b band, Chris Powell's Blue Flames, with whom he made his first recordings.
1953 was Brownie's breakthrough year. He played and recorded with Tadd Dameron, and during the second half of the year was with Lionel Hampton's orchestra, one of the best bands that the vibraphonist ever had. For some reason, during their European tour Hampton forbid his sidemen to record. They did anyway, on an extensive basis, resulting in the orchestra breaking up.
Brown spent much of 1954-56 co-leading a pacesetting hard bop quintet with Max Roach that, by late-1955, also included Sonny Rollins. One can only speculate what the trumpeter would have accomplished if he had lived to a decent age.
The Paris Collection, which is the first release in Inner City's Jazz Legacy series, was recorded during the ill-fated Hampton European tour. Brown is well featured with both a pickup orchestra headed by altoist-arranger Gigi Gryce, and with Gryce in a sextet/quintet. The big band titles, three songs plus two alternate takes, are intriguing, particularly since the Lionel Hampton Orchestra never recorded. The big band includes Hampton sidemen (including Art Farmer, Quincy Jones on section trumpet, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, and tenor-saxophonist Clifford Solomon) and a few French players (such as pianist Henir Renaud and bassist Pierre Michelot). “Brown Skins,” heard in two versions, is of particular interest for it has Brown showcased on a ballad that becomes “Cherokee.” At 22, Brown already playes with a great deal of maturity.
The four sextet/quintet numbers (which include two alternates) match Brown with Gryce, Renaud, guitarist Jimmy Gourley (who sits out on two titles), Michelot and drummer Jean-Louis Viale. Brown is at his best on “All The Things You Are” and “I Cover The Waterfront and “Goofin' With Me” which is based on “Indiana.”
Review
"Clifford Brown was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, a particularly major feat when one considers how tragically brief his career was. The Paris Collection, the first release in Inner City’s Jazz Legacy series, was recorded in 1953 when Brownie was in Paris with Lionel Hampton’s orchestra. He is featured with an orchestra headed by altoist-arranger Gigi Gryce that includes both Hampton sidemen and Europeans, and a sextet with Gryce. Highlights include “Brown Skins,” “All The Things You Are,” and “I Cover The Waterfront.” Brownie’s sparkling trumpet solos consistently steal the show
"Every Clifford Brown recording is special. The Paris Collection features the trumpeter when he was already on the brink of great success. -Scott Yanow
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