I realized the other day that even though I’ve been playing in a jazz rhythm section for over two years, the three other instruments of this section (bass, drums, guitar) are probably the ones that I’m the most unfamiliar with. So I consulted our jazz band’s current bass player, Brandon Canada, for a good bass player to get acquainted with. His immediate response: Ray Brown.
Back in his high school days, Brown played piano like me. But when he saw how many pianists were attending his school, he decided he’d take up another instrument to play in the jazz band — the trombone. But even then, he couldn’t afford a trombone, so Brown decided he’d switch to the one instrument in his high school jazz band that had a vacancy: the double bass. (It’s funny how these miraculous things happen by coincidence.)
Brown later became the bass player for the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra when he was introduced to Dizzy Gillespie by his friend Hank Jones (an amazing jazz pianist) — this band’s rhythm section became the source of what we know today as the Milt Jackson Quartet (MJQ) with members Milt Jackson (vibes), John Lewis (piano), Kenny Clarke (drums), and of course, Ray Brown on bass; this combo played during interludes while the trumpets recovered from playing deadly upper registers. (The group later recorded as the Modern Jazz Quartet after Percy Heath joined the group on bass.)
Here’s something interesting: Ray Brown married jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald in 1947 after meeting her through Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. But then they divorced four years later. Bummer.
It’s also through Jazz at the Philharmonic that Ray Brown met Oscar Peterson and joined his trio in 1951 — and was a part of the Oscar Petersen Trio for 15 years. Apparently at one of the Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown, and Buddy Rich (drums) were arranged to play together, but Buddy Rich kind of bowed out at the last minute, leaving Peterson and Brown completely drum-less. Despite this, the duo made it more than just work — the audience absolutely loved it.
Brown later got together the Ray Brown Trio, playing with musicians like Gene Harris, Benny Green, and Geoff Keezer on the piano; Jeff Hamilton and Greg Hutchison on the drumset. (Be sure to check out the trio when Gene Harris is playing, and when Benny Green is playing — their styles are almost the complete opposite, and totally changes the tone of the sessions.)
Along with teaching and mentoring, Brown wrote several double bass books (check out Ray Brown’s Bass Method if you play the instrument) and developed the jazz cello. He also received the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in 1995. Although Brown died in 2002 while taking a nap before a gig in Indianapolis, he left behind some incredible music for us to absorb.
Where to start with Ray Brown:
ALBUMS:
Bass Hit!
The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio
Seven Steps to Heaven
The Giants
Some of My Best Friends Are…The Singers
Some of My Best Friends Are…The Sax Players
Some of My Best Friends Are…The Piano Players
Some of My Best Friends Are…The Trumpet Players
Some of My Best Friends Are…Guitarists
Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company (remember J. J. Johnson?)
Ella and Louis
Bassics: Best of Ray Brown Trio 1977-2000
SONGS:
One Bass Hit (Dizzy Gillespie featured him in the band with this tune.)
Gravy Waltz (Steven Allen & Ray Brown got a Grammy for this one.)
Ray Brown Suite
Hello Girls
Lined With a Groove
The two Brown-inclusive trios you shouldn’t miss: the Oscar Petersen Trio and the Ray Brown Trio. Happy listening!
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Bop-Be/Keith Jarett/At the Blue Note
