Clifford Brown

[Craig23]

As I've stated before, I'm relatively new to jazz. Clifford Brown was the first trumpet player I listented to and, since I started listening, have loved his playing. About a year and a half ago I bought the Complete EmArcy Recordings of Clifford Brown box set. Its almost embarassing to admit, but I've never listened to any of the set save disc 1.

The set is so daunting due to its size and the amount of versions of several of the tracks that I don't know where to start. Who can suggest where to start?

Edited December 26, 2004 by Craig23

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Disc 2

[pryan]

If you're a fan of Sonny Rollins, check out disc 10. Otherwise, do as Mike suggests. It is a daunting amount of material, but it's also an embarassment of riches.

Edited December 26, 2004 by pryan

[brownie]

Shame on you, Craig

You're missing ten of the most essential and rewarding hours of your life!

Merry Xmas. Enjoy the music

[mjzee]

In my opinion, you can skip:

1) The Helen Merrill sides

2) The Sarah Vaughan material - listen to it if you like Sarah, but the focus is on her, not on Brownie

3) Clifford Brown All Stars (sides 3 & 4, esp. side 3): long, pointless jams

Better, but still of lesser value:

4) With Strings - this sort of material is not to everybody's tastes (look at the controversy the Bird With Strings sides still provoke)

Much of the rest is wonderful (my personal favorite is side 9), but try to burn a copy containing only the master takes - when you're acclimating yourself to the material, there's no need to listen to four takes of Flossie Lou in succession.

P.S. You do have the Brownie Blue Note sides, don't you?

[couw]

then again, the Merrill sides are probably the best ever done in this vein, so don't miss out.

disk 8 combines the Merrill and the string sessions and is very nice for that late night laid back mood to impress the ladies.

[king ubu]

The Merrill tracks are fantastic! Don't skip them, don't consider them non-essential! (But then I'm biased, as a huge Merrill-fan...)

And the jams certainly aren't the kind of music you listen to daily, but hell, Brownie died so young, I find it hard to consider anything he recorded non-essential.

ubu

[sheldonm]

Disc 2

[Brad]

It's all great man, but yeah, disc 2 is a great place. The Dinah Washington material on disc 5, 6 is pretty fabulous though. Do you have his BN and Pacific material. You should get that too.

[Craig23]

Listened to the disc with Sonny Rollins and the disc with Sarah Vaughan last night. I loved them both (though I’ve always been drawn more toward instrumental music than that with vocals - with any type of music). I do have the Blue Note/Pacific Jazz set also. I’ve listened to that set extensively. Shortly I’ll be listening to the Merrill disc in the Brownie set. Thanks for the rundown on the discs.

[couw]

Shortly I’ll be listening to the Merrill disc in the Brownie set. Thanks for the rundown on the discs.

That disk 8 is great not for the splendid solos - hardly there - but for the utter beauty of Brownie's tone. Check out how he manages to give you goosebumps by simply playing a straight theme.

Once you're done with the box and have your ears full of Brown, pop in a version of I Remember Clifford, just to hear how the theme catches some of the essence of Brownie. Well at least that's how it works for me.

The version by Lee Morgan on BN 1557 (Vol. 3) is very good, or the one by Richard Williams either from his Candid album or Lateef's Live At Pep's.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

How's the sound on the box set? IIRC, the box set dates from the late 80s and the CD mastering of that era wasn't so hot. I've contemplated getting it, but I have the Verve Deluxe Editions of "Basin Street" and "Clifford Brown and Max Roach"...

[chris olivarez]

I finally pulled the trigger on the Brown Blue Note sides. Even though I have the Brown/Blakey material on cd already there are other things I don't have and at the price BMG was offering how could I not. I'm looking forward to the arrival of this box. It's a great way to start 2005.

[jazzbo]

If you are familiar with the sound of the similar material that was produced for reissue on cd by the Japanese for Emarcy/Mercury/Keynote etc. (Dinah Washington, Sara Vaughn, Kirk, etc.) the sound of the Brownie box right there in kindred nature. Which is to say, pretty good. Fuller and darker than many subsequent Verve reissues.