Customer Reviews

The Best Of Clifford Brown-The Blue Note Years

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
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Hey, I have around 100 albums, from Sidney Bechet through Albert Ayler to Don Byron. This selection of stuff by Clifford Brown at Blue Note is my favorite. Every note is magical.

I shiver everytime I hear any music performed by Clifford Brown; he is absolutely chilling in his performances. It is impossible to believe that the young Brown, who died at 25, is not a veteran performer in his recordings. Buy his music; the only thing that will disappoint you is that he didn't live to give us even more music!!!!!

perhaps the greatest trumpeter to ever live. he recorded often with the jazz messengers and max roach. clifford combines the fire of dizzy gillespie and the warm tone of miles davis to create what i believe is the greatest trumpet sound to be heard to this date (and perhaps ever). this album contains recordings with the jazz messengers and with max roach and thus many jazz greats other than clifford. unfortunately his life was cut short by a tragic car accident at age 26. however this CD is well worth the price or any price for that matter you cant go wrong with clifford

While the annals of jazz history are filled with tragedy, there are few examples as tragic as the early demise of Clifford Brwon. While many jazz greats succumbed to drugs and hard lifestyles, Brown was a straight shooter whose death was from the traffic accident that also claimed the life of pianist Ritchie Powwell (Bud's brother). Brown's best work is most likely with Max Roach and recorded on other labels, however that does not diminish the excellent performances contained on this release. Many of these items are from dates where Clifford performed as a sideman on recordings by other artists such as Lou Donaldson and Horace Silver's Jazz Messengers. Brown's talent on trumpet shines through on all tracks with a fire and lyricism that makes his early death at the age of 23 that much more sad. His own compositions such as Dahoud and Joy Spring are excellent and one listen to his live feature piece on Once and Awhile with the Jazz Messengers will take your breathe away. Overall this would make a great introduction to the work of the great Clifford Brown and spur an interest to explore much more of his work.

Clifford Brown's most well-known stuff is probably his collaberation material with Max Roach. For me, all of Brownie's stuff is 5 star. To mix my genres, and metaphors - Brownie strikes me kind of like the 'Duane Allman of the trumpet'; meaning simply that everything he played was played with fire, soul, and an urgency that not only seemed to presage his early demise, (both he and Duane died tragically in vehicle accidents in their early 20s and both were on the cusp of becoming the best at their respective instruments), but also served to make his peers take immediate notice. All that said, this "Best Of" CD is nearly flawless, both in the choices of cuts (all 53-54 Blue Note stuff, of necessity), and level of playing by all involved,(Blakey is tremendous, as always, on "Night In Tunisia" - and you can hear strains of "Split Kick" to come). I don't think I have ever liked a "Best Of" CD as much as I like this one. This is THE introduction to Clifford Brown for the uninitiated - and one for the ages.

Clifford Brown was like Haley's Comet.Here for an instant and talked about for eternity.This CD is just a speck of his greatness.I would recomend this to anyone who enjoys great music. Even my worst enemies!!!!When i listen to this man....I don't want to take over the world and make people bow before me anymore.....well not until the last cut.....then im pretty much back to that.....

Clifford was a giant, and this solo proves it. Amazing power and technique -- dynamics and swing. There is not a better trumpet solo in jazz, to my way of thinking. The rest of the album is good too.

I first got "caught" by Clifford Brown's take on "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." That lured me to this CD: what a surprise! Where "Smoke" is straightahead melody riffs, here Clifford plays with power and versatility, soaring to a unique "vision." My mind wandered to his untimely death at age 26 and I wonder what else he could have given. You'll be glad he gave us this.

I Got into Clifford Brown Some Years back by way of What Miles Davis said about him: He called Him Great&He Knew He Died way too Young.Hearing His Music Here is a Treat for Lovers of Really Great Music.His Trumpet Playing is Something Special.Very Essential.