Clifford Brown - Brownie, The Complete EmArcy Recordings [1989] (10 x CD's)

 

JAZZ SUNDAY

CLIFFORD BROWN

Clifford Brown - Brownie, The Complete EmArcy Recordings [1989] (10 x CD's)

This is the mother lode, 10 full discs of the great hard-bop trumpeter Clifford Brown recorded at the peak of his powers for Emarcy Records in 1954-56 leading up to his tragic death in a car crash at the age of 25. Clifford Brown may not be as famous as Louis Armstrong or Miles Davis, but he left an enduring mark in the history of jazz, and many musicians and fans consider him to be one of the finest improvisers and composers of the 1950's.

Playing with the likes of Max Roach, Lee Morgan, Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, and other jazz legends, Clifford Brown, credited by many as being the greatest jazz trumpeter of all time, drove onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike back in 1956, and off into oblivion … leaving behind a sensational body of work, some live, mostly instrumentals, and quiet a few alternative versions that have never been heard before; all of which have been gathered together here on Brownie, The Complete EmArcy Recordings.

Brownie was an east coast jazzman, hailing form Delaware, where he was awarded a musical scholarship at the University of Delaware at a time when the University did not even have a music department … though that certainly tells you what they thought of Clifford Brown, hoping to build a department around him, though he quietly left for Maryland State College, where he was far ahead of his time.  

Now Bebop godfather Charlie Parker credits himself with discovering Brownie, but that’s like saying that Columbus discovered America.  Swinging with Dizzy and Navarro, it would have been only a matter of minutes with or without Bird, that Brownie’s talents would have shown brightly.  It’s my notion that Brownie was able to develop and morph his sound because he was not trapped by the structures and expectations of New York City, creating a harder Bebop he called ‘Hard Bop.’  Now Hard Bop doesn’t swing like Bebop, there are no dashing runs, no free form explosions.  Hard Bop requires precision, dedication, a sound mind, with a commitment to excellence, and in the case of Clifford Brown, a humbleness … all of which stand as counterpoints to the stereotypical reputation of most noted jazz musicians of the time.  With that being said, don’t go thinking that there was not improvisation flowing through Brownie's head, it’s simply that he held it all in check, relying on technical expertise, and a sound that was graceful, full bodied, creating a sonic atmosphere for melodic phrasing that often caught fire, though not in the sense of a short fuse sparking brightly … he was more of a single match burning with exceptional colour, yellow and orange all around, but with a flaming blue center, which he counted on to balance his ideas while playing with the smoldering drummer Max Roach.

To this day, there’s not a jazz fan who doesn’t have one of those “what if” moments, wondering how the world of music would have benefited had Brownie had another twenty five or thirty years to prefect his talents, and develop his already dynamic stage presence.  You can take nearly any of his songs or his renditions, and you’ll hear his trumpet jump from your speakers with a liquid fluidity that is both tender and graceful, then in the next instant, counterbalanced by bold and bright notes that hang in the air like stars to be admired. (Amazon)

The Emarcy Clifford Brown set in an essential document of Brown's career. It has crucial recordings of his most famous compositions and great tracks with the master jazz singers. That by itself is worth the price of admission, but there is more. There are jam sessions, and a great album with Helem Merrill. So what you get is a complete document of a jazz great playing with other jazz greats, on some recordings which went on to define jazz in the years to come. This is essential material for fans of hard bop, jazz songs and jazz trumpet. The sound quality on this box set is nothing short of terrific. A mono sound that is robust and energetic; you can feel the energy of the sessions pulsating through your room. You really can't go wrong.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Clifford Brown Delilah 8:07

02 Clifford Brown Darn That Dream 4:04

03 Clifford Brown Parisian Thoroughfare 7:19

04 Clifford Brown Jordu 7:46

05 Clifford Brown Sweet Clifford 6:42

06 Clifford Brown Sweet Clifford (Clifford's Fantasy) 1:48

07 Clifford Brown I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance (Rel. Alt.) 3:03

08 Clifford Brown I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance 7:22

09 Clifford Brown Stompin' At The Savoy 6:27

10 Clifford Brown I Get A Kick Out Of You 7:39

11 Clifford Brown I Get A Kick Out Of You (Rel. Alt.) 8:31

12 Clifford Brown I'll String Along With You 4:10

CD02

01 Clifford Brown Joy Spring (Rel. Alt.) 6:47

02 Clifford Brown Joy Spring 6:57

03 Clifford Brown Mildama (Rel. Alt. 1) 3:41

04 Clifford Brown Mildama (Rel. Alt. 2) 3:28

05 Clifford Brown Mildama (Rel. Alt. 3) 3:58

06 Clifford Brown Mildama (Unrel. Alt. 1) 4:04

07 Clifford Brown Mildama (Unrel. Alt. 2) 2:17

08 Clifford Brown Mildama (Unrel. Alt. 3) 3:56

09 Clifford Brown Mildama 4:34

10 Clifford Brown These Foolish Things 3:42

11 Clifford Brown Daahoud 4:04

12 Clifford Brown Daahoud (Rel. Alt.) 4:07

CD03

01 Clifford Brown Coronado (Rel. Alt. 1) 5:44

02 Clifford Brown Coronado (Rel. Alt. 2) 17:59

03 Clifford Brown Coronado 19:44

CD04

01 Clifford Brown You Go to My Head 17:17

02 Clifford Brown Caravan 15:14

03 Clifford Brown Caravan (The Boss Man) 3:08

04 Clifford Brown Autumn in New York 21:35

CD05

01 Clifford Brown Introduction by Bob Shad 1:14

02 Clifford Brown What Is This Thing Called Love 14:54

03 Clifford Brown I've Got You Under My Skin 5:26

04 Clifford Brown No More 3:21

05 Clifford Brown Move 14:37

06 Clifford Brown Darn That Dream 5:16

CD06

01 Clifford Brown You Go To My Head 11:17

02 Clifford Brown My Funny Valentine - Don't Worry 'Bout Me - Bess, You Is My Woman Now - It Might As Well Be Spring 11:32

03 Clifford Brown Lover Come Back To Me 9:54

04 Clifford Brown Alone Together - Summertime - Come Rain Or Come Shine 7:21

05 Clifford Brown Crazy He Calls Me 5:05

06 Clifford Brown There Is No Greater Love 2:17

07 Clifford Brown I'll Remember April 11:48

CD07

01 Clifford Brown September Song 5:46

02 Clifford Brown Lullaby Of Birdland (Rel. Alt.) 4:01

03 Clifford Brown Lullaby Of Birdland 4:02

04 Clifford Brown I'm Glad There Is You 5:11

05 Clifford Brown You're Not The Kind 4:45

06 Clifford Brown Jim 5:52

07 Clifford Brown He's My Guy 4:14

08 Clifford Brown April In Paris 6:23

09 Clifford Brown It's Crazy 4:58

10 Clifford Brown Embraceable You 4:49

CD08

01 Clifford Brown Don't Explain 5:13

02 Clifford Brown Born To Be Blue 5:15

03 Clifford Brown You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 4:21

04 Clifford Brown 's Wonderful 3:15

05 Clifford Brown Yesterdays 6:01

06 Clifford Brown Falling In Love With Love 3:55

07 Clifford Brown What's New 5:03

08 Clifford Brown Portrait Of Jenny 3:27

09 Clifford Brown What's New (Version With Strings) 3:27

10 Clifford Brown Yesterdays (Version With Strings) 3:01

11 Clifford Brown Where Or When 3:31

12 Clifford Brown Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man 3:47

13 Clifford Brown Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 3:16

14 Clifford Brown Laura 3:28

15 Clifford Brown Memories Of You 3:35

16 Clifford Brown Embraceable You 3:04

17 Clifford Brown Blue Moon 3:16

18 Clifford Brown Willow Weep For Me 3:27

19 Clifford Brown Stardust 3:24

CD09

01 Clifford Brown Gerkin For Perkin 2:57

02 Clifford Brown Take The A Train 4:19

03 Clifford Brown Land's End (Rel. Alt.) 3:08

04 Clifford Brown Land's End 4:57

05 Clifford Brown Swingin' 2:53

06 Clifford Brown George's Dilemma 5:36

07 Clifford Brown If I Love Again 3:24

08 Clifford Brown The Blues Walk 6:47

09 Clifford Brown The Blues Walk (Rel. Alt.) 6:53

10 Clifford Brown What Am I Here For 3:10

11 Clifford Brown Cherokee 5:43

12 Clifford Brown Jacqui 5:12

13 Clifford Brown Sandu 4:57

14 Clifford Brown Gertrude's Bounce 4:13

15 Clifford Brown Step Lightly (Junior's Arrival) 3:36

16 Clifford Brown Powell's Prances 3:30

CD10

01 Clifford Brown I'll Remember April 9:18

02 Clifford Brown I'll Remember April (Unrel. Alt.) 1:29

03 Clifford Brown I'll Remember April (Rel. Alt.) 9:41

04 Clifford Brown Time 5:08

05 Clifford Brown The Scene Is Clean 6:14

06 Clifford Brown Flossie Lou (Unrel. Alt. 1) 4:52

07 Clifford Brown Flossie Lou (Unrel. Alt. 2) 4:04

08 Clifford Brown Flossie Lou (Unrel. Alt. 3) 3:30

09 Clifford Brown Flossie Lou 3:59

10 Clifford Brown What Is This Thing Called Love (Unrel. Alt.) 8:37

11 Clifford Brown What Is This Thing Called Love 7:40

12 Clifford Brown Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Unrel. Alt. 1) 0:48

13 Clifford Brown Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Unrel. Alt. 2) 3:53

14 Clifford Brown Love Is A Many Splendored Thing 4:16

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