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Last Updated: Jul 20th, 2006 - 09:46:57
Summary: An introduction to the influential bebop bassist.
Background and InfluenceIt is in the basic nature of some musical
instruments to catch the ear. The timbre, range, and facility of
the trumpet, for example, make it ideal for solo work. It is
equally inherent in other instruments to play a more supportive,
background role. This does not make such instruments any less
important to the success of a group, however. The string bass, for
example, as the bass voice in the rhythm section, has a crucial
function in laying the groundwork for both the rhythm and the
harmony of a jazz ensemble.
Ray Brown is considered one of the top
bassists in jazz during the bebop era precisely because of his
abilities in this area. This was certainly not his only
contribution to jazz. Brown’s solo work was considered to be inventive and
ambitious, while remaining singable and strongly swinging. He
composed, and he led recording sessions featuring outstanding jazz
musicians. He was important as a teacher and promoter in many jazz
musician’s careers. His hybrid cello/bass – basically a cello with
tuning and fingerings that are more familiar to bassists – was a
forerunner of the piccolo bass.
However, those who worked with him agreed
that his genius lay in his ability to function as an ideal bass
player within an ensemble. His tone quality and accuracy of pitch
are legendary among bass players, many of whom claim to be able to
recognize his sound from only a few notes on any recording.
Bassist Hal Gaynor, for example, said, “He had this clarity of
sound, and his intonation! At that time most bass players were
playing kind of thumpy. You didn’t have to recognize all the notes
so long as you felt the pulse.” (1) Jay Leonhart agrees, “such a
huge sound and such accuracy...nobody’s ever played like that
since. And many of us have tried.” (2) The “huge” sound Leonhart
mentions required unusual physical
strength in the hands, to get a sound that was both quite loud and
that lasted an unusually long time for a plucked string bass note.
As Bill Crow explained, “He developed a lot of the skills that
became the standards of the next generation of virtuoso bassists.
Like Blanton, Mingus, and Pettiford, Ray developed his technique
before the invention of amplifiers and metal strings....He knew how
to project his tone, and he pulled the strings percussively, making
the bass line powerfully propel the rhythm section and the band.”
(3)Brown attributed his sound to his instrument,
which was unusually thick and had a very woody tone, but many
musicians have attested to the fact that he could pick up any
instrument and make it “sound like Ray.” Oscar Peterson said
simply, “He is a walking sound. Ray has a sound that he walks
around with that he can’t even describe, within himself. I don’t
care what he says....” (4)Tone quality and accuracy are not the only
qualities a good bassist can offer an ensemble, however. The lowest
pitch – the bass note – has a very important function in harmony,
so a bassist who can improvise solid, interesting bass lines, made
up of the notes that are the best choices from the harmonic point
of view, is a huge asset to a jazz ensemble. To continue quoting
from Hal Gaynor, “And there was Ray’s choice of notes. No other
bass player I’ve ever heard played quite the lines Ray played,
particularly with Oscar [Peterson], because he was very meticulous
about harmonic movement and sound. Ray played fantastic lines and
phrases, and he plays every note. He doesn’t slide around. Nobody
walked the way he did [this refers to a common type of bass line
called a “walking bass”] ... and he always listened to who he was
playing with and gave him exactly the notes he needed.” (5) Don
Thompson agreed, “He played the most perfect notes, as if he’d sat
up all night figuring out the best possible line to play....He’s
the Bach of bass players.” (6)The result was a quiet authority of
supportive playing that affected the entire ensemble. Roger
Kellaway put it this way: “Ray was not a sideman! Ray was a member
of the band. Unless you sat back too much, in which case he became
the leader of the band.” (7) Oscar Peterson said, “Ask any players
who’ve played with him...this is totally unknowing on his part.
Totally unconscious...he comes in and just plays the way Ray plays,
everything sort of adjusts to it.” (8) Don Thompson agreed, “What
he always did was to make the band sound better than it would be
without him. Every time, he made everyone sound better than they
ever sounded before. In fact, he made everyone better just by
showing up.” (9) Few musicians would ask more of a colleague, and
Ray Brown’s life story clearly reflects the fact that many major
jazz players felt this way about him.
BiographyRaymond Matthews Brown was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 13, 1926. His first instrument
was piano. His father wanted him to learn to play like Fats Waller,
and by age eight he was memorizing Waller recordings. “Later he
wanted Ray to play like Art Tatum. ‘That was asking a little too
much,’ Ray grins. ‘But that’s not the reason I gave up piano. I
couldn’t find my way on it. It just didn’t give me what I wanted.
Besides, I was in a high school orchestra and there must have been
fourteen piano players in it. And twelve were chicks who could read
anything in sight.’” (10)He tried the trombone, but (accounts vary)
either his family could not afford one, or that instrument also
didn’t give him what he was looking for. The school owned a bass
that he could use, so he began playing bass. He was allowed to
bring it home on weekends; apparently the school’s orchestra
director thought he was being diligent about practicing. However,
after Brown’s picture was published in the local newspaper in
reference to a gig that he was playing – with the school bass – he
was no longer allowed to take it home, and his father finally
bought him one.
Brown was already getting offers to join
professional jazz bands on road trips, but his mother felt very
strongly that he should finish high school. He left town
immediately after graduation in 1944, to spend eight months with
Jimmy Hinsley’s band, then another eight months with Luis (Snookum)
Russell’s band. Brown considered Jimmy Blanton his primary early
influence on the instrument, but he was also studying the solos of
Oscar Pettiford and Slam Stewart. In 1945, while Russell’s band was in Miami,
Brown felt ready to try his luck in New York. According to Brown,
several members of the band decided to go together, but the rest
“chickened out, leaving me with my bags all packed. So I said ‘The
hell with it,’ and went.” (11) The night he arrived in New York,
Brown took his bags to his aunt’s place and immediately asked his
nephew to show him where Fifty-second Street was. According to
Brown’s own recollection: “That night, I saw Erroll Garner, Art Tatum,
Billie Holiday, Billie Daniels, Coleman Hawkins, and Hank Jones.
I’d known Hank before. While we were talking, he said ‘Dizzy
Gillespie just came in.’ I said, ‘Where? Introduce me! I want to
meet him.’ “So Hank introduced us. Hank said to Dizzy,
‘This is Ray Brown, a friend of mine, and a very good bass
player.’ “Dizzy said, ‘You want a gig?’ I almost had a
heart attack! Dizzy said, ‘Be at my house for rehearsal at 7
o’clock tomorrow.’
“I went up there the next night and got the
fright of my life. The band consisted of Dizzy, Bud Powell, Max
Roach, Charlie Parker - and me!’” (12)Brown was only eighteen years old. A few weeks later, Milt Jackson was added to
the band, and he and Brown became very close friends, rooming
together, and so inseparable that they were called “the
twins.” With Al Haig and Stan Levy in place of Powell
and Roach, Gillespie took the group to California in the fall of
1945. In 1946, Gillespie included Brown when he formed his second
big band, which played at the Spotlight on Fifty-second Street and
recorded for Musicraft. Brown stayed with the Gillespie band until
1948. He “credited Dizzy with starting him in the right direction
harmonically” (13), and Gillespie, for his part, described Brown as
being very inquisitive, wanting to know “why” as well as “what.” If
Gillespie felt that Brown’s understanding of a harmony was not
accurate, for example, Brown wanted to be shown, at the piano,
exactly what Gillespie had in mind. Brown left Gillespie’s band to marry Ella
Fitzgerald, whom he had met in 1947, and to form his own trio,
which accompanied Fitzgerald in most of her engagements. They
divorced after only four years (in 1952), but remained good friends
and continued to work together.
Meanwhile, in 1949, Brown met pianist Oscar
Peterson at Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP). Norman Granz had begun
producing JATP in 1944, and it was so popular that it eventually
became annual tours presenting “all-star jam session(s) filled with
swing and bop giants” (14) all over the country. Dan Morgenstern
relates that it was Fitzgerald’s relationship with Brown that first
brought her to JATP: “One permanent effect of their relationship was that Norman
Granz discovered Ella’s magic. She had come to see Brown at a Jazz
at the Philharmonic (JATP) concert in 1948; members of the audience
caught a glimpse of her and called out for her to sit in. Granz was
reluctant but gave in, and was converted on the spot. By 1950 she
was touring regularly with JATP and Granz had become her unofficial
manager....Thus her Song Book era and long affiliation with his
Verve label began.” (15)At the height of its popularity in the early
1950’s, the JATP roster would regularly include Ray Brown, Ella
Fitzgerald, and the Oscar Peterson Trio. That trio began as a duet
when Ray Brown and Oscar Peterson teamed up, beginning in 1950.
Also in 1950, the Gillespie Orchestra broke
up. The Gillespie Orchestra had specialized in fast, high playing
that required the wind players to take a break occasionally to
recover, and the rhythm section would often play together during
these breaks. In particular, the 1947 version of the rhythm
section, which included Ray Brown, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, John
Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke on drums, enjoyed playing together
as a smaller group, and in 1950 decided to record together as the
Milt Jackson Quartet – the MJQ. They wanted to form a permanent
performing group, but Brown had too many other commitments, so he
was replaced by Percy Heath, and the MJQ continued on as the Modern
Jazz Quartet, a group that was important in the history of 'cool' jazz.
Brown was too busy for the MJQ partly due to his performing and recording comittments with Ella Fitzgerald, but also because of his increasing involovment with Oscar Peterson. Major Holly was in Brown’s place with
Peterson for an extensive session in 1950, but Peterson had already
indicated a strong preference for Brown. In 1951, guitarist Barney
Kessell joined Brown and Peterson to make the group a trio for one
session. In 1952 guitarist Irving Ashby took a turn with Peterson
and Brown, but then Kessell rejoined them. They travelled and
recorded as an increasingly popular trio, but in mid-1953 guitarist
Herb Ellis replaced Kessell, and it was the Peterson-Ellis-Brown
trio that was considered “one of the great groups, particularly
after they were together for a time and worked out complex
arrangements, trying constantly to challenge and outdo each other.”
(16) The result of the competition between the piano and the guitar
was music that was “light, fast, intricate, and swung masterfully.
There was a high degree of rhythmic interplay between the
instruments.” (17) Meanwhile, “Brown’s ability to execute intricate
counterlines was essential to the success of the group’s complex
and dense style. He also propelled the trio with his sturdy walking
patterns, which hugged the front edge of the beat. Although he
crafts technically ambitious solos, they are lyrical and framed
effectively with silence.” (18)The Peterson trio was particulary good for
Brown’s reputation as a top bassist, and in the fifties and sixties
he often topped polls as the favorite bassist of critics and fellow
musicians as well as fans. In the fall of 1958, Ellis left the
group. Drummer Gene Gammage filled in, but was soon replaced by
drummer Ed Thigpen, who stayed with the trio for seven years.
Without the guitarist, the trio had a less complex sound, and this
later version of the group is usually not considered as inspired or
exciting as the version with Ellis. The group was still very
popular, however, recording and going on world tours
regularly.
In 1966, after fifteen years with Peterson,
Brown left the trio, and Peterson began working with bassist
Niels-Henning Orsted-Pederson. Brown said of Peterson, “Frankly, I
credit Oscar with a lot of my development. He always gives you a
little more than you think you can do. He’ll say ‘Is this possible
on the instrument?’ It’s been a spur and a challenge to me.” (19)
Peterson, no less complementary, said of Brown, “Ray has an
insatiable desire – insatiable, absolutely insatiable – to find the
right note at the right time...(He is) the epitome of forethought.
Sympathetic forethought.” (20)Brown was tired of life on the road, however,
and decided to settle in Los Angeles, California. This apparently
caused a temporary panic among the bassists who were already there,
who worried that he might take up all the studio work. He certainly
became a very busy studio musician, but he also became involved in
publishing, managing, and record production. Many musicians –
including some of the previously panicked bassists – later considered
Brown’s help as a teacher, talent scout, and manager crucial to
launching their careers. It is a sign of fondness and gratitude, as
well as respect, that more than 400 people, mostly musicians,
including dozens of bassists, attended a tribute celebrating his
seventy-fifth birthday in 2001.
Brown was also active playing in the local
music scene during his time in L.A. In 1974, he was one of the
founding members of The L.A. Four, with drummer Shelly Mann,
acoustic guitarist Laurindo Almeido, and Bud Shank on flute and
alto saxophone. The quartet’s repertoire was a mixture of
Brazilian, classical, and jazz styles.
Although he had settled in L.A. because he
was tired of travelling, Brown also eventually tired of studio
work, and began playing on the road again seven months a year, with
a trio that he headed. On July 2, 2002, while he was on the road in
Indianapolis for a gig at the Jazz Kitchen, Brown died while
napping after a round of golf. A few days later, there was yet
another large gathering, with a huge crowd from all over the
country. This one was also a tribute to and celebration of the musician’s life and influence.
Brown had left instructions that he wanted a party, not mourning, at his funeral.
The jam session at the reception lasted all evening.
Discography- “One Bass Hit”(1946, Musicraft) and “Two Bass
Hit” (1947, Victor) show off Brown as featured soloist with Dizzy
Gillespie’s band.
- Groovin’ High (1946) includes “Ray’s Idea”and “That’s Earl,
Brother”, probably Brown’s best offerings as composer with Dizzy Gillespie’s
band.
- At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival
(1956, Verve) and At the Concertgebouw (1958, Verve) are important
live recordings from the Oscar Peterson Trio. The 1956 date
includes “How High the Moon”, with
Peterson’s favorite recorded example of Brown's solo work. (21)
- This One’s for Blanton (1972, Pablo) The biography above only includes the collaborations that were most important to Brown's life story, since a list of all the major musicians that he worked with would be very long indeed. One fine example is this
session of duets with Duke Ellington, which pays homage to an earlier
Ellington session with Jimmy Blanton and displays Brown’s talents both as a selfless accompanist and as an inventive
soloist.
- The L.A. Four Scores (Concord Jazz, 1990)
shows off the group’s mix of cool jazz and Brazilian
music.
Notes- Lees, Gene, Friends Along the Way: A Journey through Jazz
(New Haven: YaleUniversity Press, 2003), p. 74
- ibid, p. 80
- ibid, p.72
- ibid, p.77
- ibid, p. 73
- ibid, p. 86
- ibid, p. 76
- ibid, p.78
- ibid, p.86
- Gitler, Ira, The Masters of Bebop: A Listener’s Guide (New
York: Da Capo Press, 2001), pp. 168-170
- Lees, op.cit., p. 71
- ibid, p. 71
- ibid, p. 72
- Yanow, Scott, Jazz on Record: The First Sixty Years (San
Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2003), p.315
- Morgenstern, Dan, Living with Jazz: A Reader (New York:
Pantheon Books, 2004), p.346
- Yanow, op.cit., p.364
- Lyons, Len and Don Perlo, Jazz Portraits: The Lives and Music
of the Jazz Masters (New York: William Morrow and Co., 1989),
p.416-417
- ibid, p. 92
- Lees, op.cit., p. 78
- ibid, p. 76
- Gitler, op.cit., p. 171
BibliographyFeather, Leonard. Encyclopedia of Jazz in the
Sixties. Horizon Press. New York, 1966. This book includes many
short, encyclopedia-style biographies.
Gitler, Ira. The Masters of Bebop: A
Listener’s Guide. Da Capo Press. New York, 2001. This book offers
extensive biographical information about the subjects, relating it
clearly to their important recordings.
Kernfeld, Barry, ed. The New Grove Dictionary
of Jazz, Volume One, A-K. Macmillan Press Limited. New York, 1988.
Biographical entries in this dictionary include extensive
discographies as well as basic information on the life and the
influence of the musician.
Kinkle, Roger D. The Complete Encyclopedia of
Popular Music and Jazz 1900-1950, Volume 2 Biographies A-K.
Arlington House Publishers. New Rochelle, NY, 1974. This large
volume has short but informative biographies of a large number of
musicians.
Lees, Gene. Friends Along the Way: A Journey
Through Jazz. Yale University Press. New Haven & London, 2003.
This book is a collection of minibiographies (including one of
Brown), first published in the Gene Lees Jazzletter, of people Lees
knew personally. A jazz writer and lyricist, Lees offers an
insider’s insight into the lives and work of these jazz figures,
not only from conversations with the subjects themselves, but also
from conversations with many others whose lives and work they
influenced. Lyons, Len, and Don Perlo. Jazz Portraits:
The Lives and Music of the Jazz Masters. William Morrow and
Company, Inc. New York, 1989. This is another set of short
biographies of important jazz figures.
Morgenstern, Dan. Living With Jazz: A Reader
edited by Sheldon Meyer. Pantheon Books. New York, 2004. This
collection of Morgenstern’s best writings on jazz is taken from a
great variety of sources.
Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. Jazz: A
History of America’s Music. Alfred A. Knopf. New York, 2000. This
book is an easy-to-read anecdote-filled popular history of jazz.
Rather than a discography, an extensive set of recordings and video
complements the book.
Yanow, Scott. Jazz on Record: The First Sixty
Years. Backbeat Books. San Francisco, 2003. This comprehensive book
is an overview of jazz history that includes a detailed discography
for each period of jazz history, with discussions of the important
recordings alongside the relevant history.
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