Customer Reviews

Study in Brown

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4 star:		(3)
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This is another outstanding CD headlined by Brown and Roach, with the same fabulous line-up as the 1954 "Brown and Roach, Inc." You can't go wrong with either CD, both feature Brownie's blistering (at times) pace and full rounded tones, Roach's archetypal bop drumming, soulfully rapid soloing by Harold Land, and consistently excellent, creative work by Ritchie Powell (piano) and George Morrow (bass). Roach adds more texture and flash. His drumming is recorded much better here than on "Brown and Roach, Inc."; his fans may want to pick this one first
It opens with "Cherokee," and, after a somewhat trite beginning, Brown and Land get down to it with zip and verve. Land compliments Brown's tone beautifully, and together they swing and move all over the bop landscape. Ritchie Powell's long piano lines sound Tatum-esque, and Max Roach is particularly effective here (as he is on "Jacqui" --a clinic in bop drumming!). "George's Dilemma" features exquisite solos by Brown and an "island" beat. This is a slower, more relaxed number, with superb work by Land and bell-like sounds from Powell. This and "Gerkin for Perkin" are more in the "straight-ahead" genre, and may be enjoyed by bop and non-bop fans alike.
Powell sounds almost Basie-like on "Sandu," featuring excellent phrasing and dynamics by Brownie. His trumpet is more in the "cool" mode here, and it's just as incredible as the bop. Finally, "Take the A Train" mirrors the opening number in its somewhat gimmicky beginning (though I happen to like instruments emulating train sounds!), followed soon by dazzling work by all players. Brownie, as always, sounds self-assured and interesting, with soaring high notes. Powell's atmospheric comping (with a too brief excursion into Monkish dissonance) and Roach's pyrotechnics continue to astonish. More solos by Brown and Land, and then Roach slows the train down via smooth brush strokes and a final beat on the bass drum.
Although it's easy to dwell on the solos, this band played great ensemble music: They complement each other superbly. Extending beyond bop, this creative gem is most highly recommended!

One of the three most important (not to mention brilliant) trumpet players in the history of jazz, Clifford Brown adds to his luster on this varied program of nine engaging tunes. The 1950's were indeed a "golden age" for jazz, offering up many such recorded programs by trumpet-tenor frontlines plus rhythm section. In the early sixties, modal harmonies began to prevail along with simple melodic riffs played over a single interminable rhythmic pattern. The shift can be heard not only in the musical transformations of Roach-led groups but the ensembles of Miles, Blakey, Silver, and Adderley.

"A Study in Brown" isn't a perfect session, but it would be hard to fault not just Clifford but the equally sublime Harold Land. Perhaps the man never got his due because his tenor is so completely in synch with Clifford's horn that the two speak as a single voice during the ensemble sections, uncannily so during the unison passages. It's not just the tightness but the phrasing and "contouring" of their lines. In fact, it's Land, more than Clifford, whose attention to dynamics and the "swelling" of phrases assures that the ensemble choruses take on a breathing, living quality (subtleties such as this, incidentally, would be lost, or "flattened out," were this a Blue Note rather than Emarcy recording).

Land has the unenviable task of following Brown on most of the solos, and he's invariably up to the challenge. His fluid technique, purposeful melodic ideas, and expressive use of dynamics constitute a musical voice that is no less inimitable and personal than Clifford's. The primary anticlimax occurs during the Richie Powell piano solos that follow Land's inventions. On "Land's End," Harold takes not only the first but the best of the solos. On a couple of the tunes (e.g. "Take the A Train") the disappointment is that he's given less solo time than Clifford.

The trumpet-tenor sax format of hundreds of jazz combos and thousands of recordings certainly was overdone, soon becoming tiresomely limited and repetitious. But not with this pair. The combination of Brown and Land provides a study in colors and textures that's all but inexhaustible.

Clifford Brown was a genius. On top of that, he was one of the greatest musicians. His bebop flurries are the highlights of songs like "Cherokee" and "Swingin'". Richie Powell, the pianist and brother of Bud, is also prominent throughout, as is Max Roach on drums and Harold Land on tenor. "Jacqui", Powell's composition, is a fun, bouncy tune. Clifford plays amazing solos on pretty much every selection, but considered some of his VERY best work are his solos on "Cherokee", the bouncy blues "Sandu", and his masterful sound on "If I Love Again". As the liner notes say, he has some Miles Davis-like moments there, but he is definitely still Clifford! The album's best performance, however, is the last one (last but not least I guess :)). "Take The 'A' Train". Clifford's group was actually the first to ever do this song with actual train effects. This rendition is simply ingeniously played. Max Roach's brushwork is classic. All in all, this album should be owned by ALL jazz or trumpet fans!

This classic is a must for anyone serious about the modern Jazz genre. Here, the truly incomparable Clifford Brown, shows us how the best of Jazz is to be performed. He and Max Roach team up to "let it all hang out." Clifford says about all he has to say on this one album, his symmetrical high intensity uptempo solos, his beautiful phrasing: Everything else after this album is a restatement.

His incredible range and virtuosity is prominently on display on the up-tempo "Cherokee." This is the version that set the inner circles of the Jazz world on fire, and stamped Brown as the best trumpeter in the land. He was headed into a Jazz orbit of his own when his life was cut short in a tragic car crash on the Pennsylvania turnpike.

Every tune on this album is a classic and will seduce you like no other album can. This, for me, is the Jazz album of the Century: pick any century. Fifty stars

There was never a greater loss to any musical group-or form of music-than the deaths of trumpeter Clifford Brown and pianist
Richie Powell-in 1956 ,in an automobile accident. 'Study in Brown' , one of a handful of albums any serious jazz fan should own, starts off fast with The Brown-Roach Quintet blowin' away
the standard,'Cherokee' and ends with a unique version of 'Take The A Train'.Richie Powell,often described a "Bud's younger brother" composed the swingin' tune 'Jacqui' for this album and
puts to rest any notion that,although he is often referred to as
"Bud's(Powell)younger brother",he is no "second-rater".I love Harold Land's sound on tenor sax-and his composition,'Land's End'
and..this really is one of the ultimate,historic shorlived groups,which wouldn't be complete without George Morrow on bass and Max Roach-who survived it all-on drums.

It is sometimes difficult to find an album in which every track is a winner. However, now and again one comes along and `Study in Brown' is certainly one of those. Released in 1955, this classic album comes from a time well before the introspectivity of the 1960's and is pure entertainment. The easiest way for me to describe it would be to say that it's a `happy' album as you can certainly sense that Clifford Brown and his tight unit are really enjoying themselves. Brown's trumpet work is brilliant and quite ahead of its time. He refrains from any self-indulgence, with each solo run being thoughtfully arranged to provide an essential element of the total composition. He is ably supported by strong but under rated performances from Harold Land (tenor sax), Richie Powel (piano) and George Morrow (bass), while the brilliant Max Roach keeps the session bopping along on drums. `Lands End' is an absolute standout track and has since become a jazz standard and `Sandu' is not too far behind. There aren't many weak spots... possibly the cliché introduction on `Cherokee' and `Take the A train'...but that is simply reflective of the swing arrangements of that era. So if you're looking for a `feel good' album, this should be an essential addition to your collection.

Is this a remastered version of Study in Brown? Seems like it should be and seems like Amazon would so indicate. Can anyone out there help me?

Clifford Brown, who style was heavily influenced by Fats Navarro, is one of the greates trumpet players Jazz has ever seen. This is probably his best album, in my opinion of course. This album has one of his best songs Cherokee composed by Ray Noble. I think any lover of Jazz should get this. Any Trumpet Player would be a fool not get this album. It is riddles with the Language of Brownies Horn.

Este disco representa otro exquisito trabajo de bebop realizado por el extraordinario trompetista Clifford Brown y compañía donde el ensamble es simplemente estupendo. El virtuosismo y la claridad de ideas de improvisación mantinen en vilo al oyente donde podemos disfrutar del vetiginoso torrente musical de Cherokee, Swingin' and Sandu. Valioso!!!

If you like Parker and Gillespie, you can look at this as a more lyrical version of their music; if you're into Blakey's Jazz Messengers, you can look into this as a more subtle version of their usual hard-drive (and their occasional overdrive - which is still more than fine with me). But, first and foremost, if you want my opinion, you should look at this as a great jazz group, with one of the best drummers and one of the best trumpet players I have heard so far working brilliantly with a group of other quite accomplished players, of very compatible style...

Namely, this is an unquestionably five star jazz affair; I can't thank Max Roach enough for inviting Clifford Brown to work with him... Brown combines the best elements of Gillespie's and Miles Davis' playing, Roach is in the class of his own.

And to think that among all the irreverent and selfish drug-addicts who played on the jazz scene at the time it was clean and polite Brown who died in that terrible car crash with Powell and, if I remember correctly, Powell's wife...