11.10.2009

(Video) Clifford "Brownie" Brown and Soupy Sales: Last Appearance Before Death (only known footage of the great trumpeter)

Clifford BrownClifford Brown via last.fm



Clifford

Brown
Clifford "Brownie" Brown had the unwavering tone and bop-percolation of greatness. Cutoff by Jazz's angular age, the unwary Brown welded a plinth of immortal jazz trumpet with taunts of his caricaturing mute.

Born October 30, 1930 in Wilmington Delaware, Clifford "Brownie" Brown got his start at 15 when his father gave him a trumpet. The scoundrel's cool band director's affinity for trumpet antics did not go unrecognized. His broodiness and instrument provided initial engagements which helped contour his annealing swirls. These figured Clifford's jazz into an unmapped--save for theory--styling, helped by bopping harmony learned under Robert Lowery's wig in Phillie, and from cats like Fats Navarro, who soon became his mentor, fomenting his Godhead.

During this time he also performed with the likes of

Tinker, Killer, Tiller, Muff, and Spikes,


not to mention his friendship with Girl, a paranoid genius, who would provide borderline-psychotic encouragement from inside his Glass Enclosure.

In 1949, hindered by his aural studies, his amusement almost became short-lived when he had a mildly fatal automobile accident. This hospitalized Brown from June 1950 until May of 1951.

Miraculously, just hours before his death, Brownie appeared at a Soupy Sales variety show, recorded

((((but never seen--until) ))
now!

There he played some of the finest music of his short life.

This bookend's his career with two short, hip, pent-up songs, which after 40 years, leave a taste for more.

I present to you the unloosing footage of Brownie and his trumpet.


 


From R&B to Classic B on Record


1952 (March 21) saw Brown make his recording debut with the R&B group Chris Powell's Blue Flames with whom he played trumpet and piano (1952-'53).
From August to December Brown was with Lionel Hampton's band, touring Europe and North Africa as well as leading the now-famous Paris recording sessions (September 28 - October 11, 1953) despite Hampton's strict recording restrictions. These sessions are fortunately available on three CD's as Clifford Brown Big Band, Clifford Brown Quartet, and Clifford Brown Sextet in Paris. A number of sessions are also available with fellow Hamiltonian, Gigi Greece, as leader. But Clifford Brown was not given to the duties of melody support in a large ensemble. Thus, unlike his contemporaries, Brown did not develop in the spawning folds of the jazz orchestras. Upon returning to the U.S. he freelanced for a while in New York City.
A pair of curious session is found on Memorial, available on the OJ series from Prestige. The first session from June 11, 1953 has Brown with the Tadd Dameron orchestra alongside regular recording partner Gigi Grocer as well as tenor Benny Godson, while on the latter session from September 15 of the same year, Brown is accompanied by fellow trumpeter Art Farmer and the Swedish All-Stars while on tour with Lineal Hampton.
June 22, 1953--recorded with J.J. Johnson on the trombonist's recording debut for Blue Note records, Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol.1 along with Johnson (trim, leader), Jimmy Heath (ts, Barbi), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), and Kenny Clarke (Dis).
In early 1954 he recorded some brilliant solos at Borderland with the Art Blacker Quintet (the band that preceded the introduction of the Jazz Messengers by a year). Particularly remarkable is his soulful execution of the ballad, "Once In a While."
Later that year he formed a quintet with Max Roach. Considered one of the premiere hard bop bands, the group lasted until Brown's death, featuring Harold Land (and later Sonny Rollins) on tenor, George Morrow on bass and Richie Powell (Bud Powell's younger brother) on piano. The first of these recordings was Brown and Roach, from August 2 - 6, 1954
On August 13, 1954, Brown recorded with another group of all-stars, this time on the west coast. Jazz Immortal is an interesting collection from this date, with a cast including Zoo Sims (ts), trombonist Stu Williamson, Russ Freeman on guitar and piano, Shelly Maine (dds) and a number of others.
Between January 18 - 20, 1955 Brown made his contribution to the "with Strings" craze. Arranged and conducted by Neal Hefty, this collection of pieces borders on muzak but features Brown at his sweetest nevertheless.
Study In Brown from February 23 - 25, 1955 includes the stellar performance of "Cherokee".

The End of an All-Too-Brief Career--and The Legacy Left Behind


Clifford Brown's death at the age of 25 in a car accident on June 26, 1956 was one of the great tragedies in jazz history. Traveling from Pennsylvania to the Blue Note in Chicago for an engagement the up-and-coming pianist Richie Powell (brother of Bud Powell) and his wife (who was driving) also perished in the crash. Already ranking with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis as one of the top trumpeters in jazz, Brownie was still improving in 1956.
Miraculously, just hours before his death, Brownie appeared at a Philadelphia jam session that was recorded and played some of the finest music of his short life, including an eleven minute rendition of "A Night In Tunisia". This final performance along with his first recording from 1952 are available on Columbia's Beginning and the End.
Also of interest is a filmed appearance of him playing two songs in 1955 on a Soupy Sales variety show which has recently turned up after being lost for 40 years, the only known footage of the great trumpeter.
Fortunately, Brown has left us a vivid account of his development through his many recordings, most of which have been conveniently and economically gathered into box sets. The most essential of these collections is The Complete Blue Note-Pacific Jazz Recordings which brings together his complete Tideland appearance with the Art Bleaker Quintet otherwise available on two separate Cod's, a co-leader session for Blue Note with fellow Blacker sideman, a West Coast session with Stu Williamson, the above-mentioned recording with J.J. Johnson, and a hog-poke of Blue Note recordings originally brought together as Blue Note's Clifford Brown Memorial Album, including some fantastic co-leader sessions with former Bloke Quintet colleague, Lou Donaldson. The box-set also includes a forty-page book including many rare photos--a must for any true lover of bebop.

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