Happy Birthday Clifford!

ACB

Happy Birthday to one of my heroes the late great Clifford Brown. Here's a few solo choruses on Joy Spring... as always one take and no dubs...

New Adams a1 trumpet and ACB MV 1.5C on this clip:

(btw the amazing artwork is from my friend Brian Shaw who is incredibly talented!)

Kehaulani

Guess which one is Brownie.

Youtube Video

ACB

@Kehaulani I love that Album! CT told me he got that gig by chance. He was hanging out of his apt window in NYC and was chatting with Dinah that morning. She said "What you doing today?" and he said he had a rare day off. She said to get his butt to the recording session she was doing and when he got there he saw Clifford and Maynard there! What a stellar section!

A Former User

Hi ACB,
What a lot of people don't know is that Clifford's drug and alcohol free life was an inspiration to many musicians of the time. At that time, many thought they had to live the drug soaked life of people like Charlie Parker to sound like Charlie Parker. From everything I've read about Clifford, his only vice was chess and was an all around nice guy. Clifford dying so unexpectedly is an excellent lesson about life. "Life can be hard for no reason at all so live each one like its your last." Long live the memory of Clifford (before someone asks, It's not Clifford the Big Red Dog. As far as I know, the dog is doing fine.)

Dr GO

Clifford's only vice was letting his wife drive the car.

A Former User

You're close,
According to Wiki;
In June 1956, Brown and Richie Powell embarked on a drive to Chicago for their next appearance. Powell's wife Nancy was at the wheel so that Clifford and Richie could sleep. While driving at night in the rain on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, west of Bedford, she is presumed to have lost control of the car, which went off the road, killing all three in the resulting crash.[10] Brown is buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, in Wilmington, Delaware.

ACB

worst part is did the driving to go pick up another horn (supposedly a Committee from the Martin Factory) otherwise he would have flown with the rest of the band. Richie Powell's wife had terrible vision and huge thick glasses.

A Former User

@ACB said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

to go pick up another horn (supposedly a Committee from the Martin Factory)

Lost his life for a frickin' horn? Like I said, life can be hard for no reason at all.

Kehaulani

@Dr-Mark said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

Hi ACB,
What a lot of people don't know is that Clifford's drug and alcohol free life was an inspiration to many musicians of the time. At that time, many thought they had to live the drug soaked life of people like Charlie Parker to sound like Charlie Parker. . . Clifford dying so unexpectedly is an excellent lesson about life.

No, you draw the wrong conclusion. Lead a drug-filled life and you'll live longer.

A Former User

@Kehaulani said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

Lead a drug-filled life and you'll live longer.

Whew, I wish that were true. A lot of my friends and associates (really top shelf musicians) are taking a dirt nap because of drugs, cigarettes or alcohol.

Kujo20

@Dr-Mark said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

@Kehaulani said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

Lead a drug-filled life and you'll live longer.

Whew, I wish that were true. A lot of my friends and associates (really top shelf musicians) are taking a dirt nap because of drugs, cigarettes or alcohol.

A sad, but true fact about many people (musicians and non musicians).

That could make a great topic in the medical concerns forum...the effects of overuse of smoking/drugs/alcohol in terms that relate to trumpet playing.

Sorry for the tangent...back to Mr. Brown’s birthday and his wonderful music!

Dr GO

@Kujo20 said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

That could make a great topic in the medical concerns forum...the effects of overuse of smoking/drugs/alcohol in terms that relate to trumpet playing.

Will look into that and see what I can do. Nice idea Kujo!

A Former User

@Kujo20 said in Happy Birthday Clifford!:

That could make a great topic in the medical concerns forum...the effects of overuse of smoking/drugs/alcohol in terms that relate to trumpet playing.

A few of the reasons;

It's in the environment.
Its being used by musicians that are admired
Its addicting
It's a means to decompress after a show.