Some of My Best Friends Are...The Trumpet Players

Ray Brown

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00004Y6SC
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #196,106 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This is the fourth in a series of CDs that has had the great bassist hosting distinguished guests: singers, pianists, and saxophonists. Now it's time for six trumpeters, covering several generations, from the veteran Clark Terry to Nicholas Payton, 26 at the time of recording, but there's no incompatibility between their individual meetings with Brown's smoothly swinging, energetic trio. With pianist Geoff Keezer and new drummer Karriem Riggins, Brown's band at times suggests the Oscar Peterson trio (whose bassist was Brown).

As for the trumpeters, each gets two opportunities with the trio. Clark Terry is puckishly witty on "Itty Bitty Blues" and does a nice job of alternating muted trumpet and flügelhorn on "Clark's Tune." His muffled, personal sound is an effective contrast to generally brassy attacks, but Roy Hargrove, too, shows fitting restraint on his exposition of "Stairway to the Stars." No one's brassier than Jon Faddis, who even plays muted slow blues with unlikely force on "Bags' Groove," then swaggers in his upper register on "Original Jones." Hargrove and Payton acquit themselves admirably on the boppish "Our Delight" and "The Kicker," respectively. Terence Blanchard takes "Getting Sentimental over You" at an unlikely clip, showcasing the trio as well as his own sparkling chops. His concluding "Goodbye" may be the best ballad performance in a good assortment, though Payton's "Violets for Your Furs" is eloquent and moving.

There's a real surprise here in the lesser-known Australian, James Morrison. His brash sound on "I Thought About You" evokes memories of swing-era greats, while Morrison double-times and bounces around the horn with Dizzy-like abandon on Brown's otherwise subdued "When You Go." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Upbeat, Straight Ahead JAZZ, November 5, 2000

By	Kyle Hopf (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

I'm ordering the CD now, so I haven't heard the whole thing or I'd give it a five, but I'm driving along in my car, sober of course, and I hear a song from Ray's new CD. It knocked my socks off. Very upbeat Jazz, almost kinda just this side of free jazz because it's fast, but very polished. Fast. These guys were working hard when they cut this one. I haven't sought out a tune like this in a long time, I don't even remember the name of it. I can't wait. Hey thanks for reading this! Have a great day!

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, March 5, 2005

By	Jonathan L (United States) - See all my reviews

Ray Brown has been my favorite bassist for years now, and this has got to be one of his biggest disappointments ever. He has recruited some of the best trumpets out there (not mentioning Wynton Marsalis) but the song selection isn't that great. Jon Faddis is amazing and can reach high notes. Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Clark Terry, and Nicholas Payton do not give it their best on this cd. Great playing, I couldn't play it for sure, but the effort here for the trumpet players was close to none. However, Ray Brown, and the rest of the rhythm section are great. Below are cds I recommend:
1. Dizzy's 80th Birthday Party (Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars) Great trumpet playing, and saxophone playing especially by Antonio Hart.

P.S Please Check Out My Reviews On The Recommended CDs!