Ray Brown: Some of My Best Friends are... guitarists (2002)

The fifth in Ray Brown's series of recordings pairing his working trio with several different musicians from the same family of instruments (although one volume was exclusively singers) features a half-dozen guitarists, ranging from fellow Oscar Peterson alumni Herb Ellis (who worked with Brown in the pianist's most famous trio) and Ulf Wakenius to veteran Kenny Burrell, as well as seasoned players like John Pizzarelli and Bruce Forman and the rising star Russell Malone. Each song sounds as if the group could be a working quartet, due to the great interaction between the trio and each guest. Pizzarelli shines in a bluesy, strutting take of Duke Ellington's "Just Squeeze Me" (erroneously labeled as Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me") which has a nice series of exchanges between the guitarist and the leader. Ellis brings back memories of the Oscar Peterson Trio with a heated performance of "I Want to Be Happy" during which pianist Geoff Keezer is up to the task of carrying on where Ellis left off. Wakenius is the guest on a particularly moody take of "My Funny Valentine." Burrell, Forman, and Malone also fare nicely on each of their pair of tracks, so it's very easy to recommend this very enjoyable disc. ~ Ken Dryden

Tracklist:

1. Squeeze Me
2. I Want To Be Happy
3. Heartstrings
4. Blues For Ray
5. Fly Me To The Moon
6. The Song Is You
7. Little Darlin'
8. Blues For Junior
9. Tangerine
10. My Funny Valentine
11. Blues For Wes
12. Soulful Spirit (Dedicated To Billy Higgins)

Personnel: Herb Ellis, John Pizzarelli, Kenny Burrell, Russell Malone, Ulf Wakenius, Bruce Forman (guitar); Geoff Keezer (piano); Karriem Riggins (drums).

Some of My Best Friends Are Guitarists
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Ray Brown: Some of My Best Friends are... the Sax Players (1996)

As a follow-up to bassist Ray Brown's previous record in which he collaborated with several of his favorite pianists, Some of My Best Friends Are...The Sax Players features six major saxophonists (tenors Joe Lovano, Ralph Moore, Joshua Redman and Stanley Turrentine plus altoists Benny Carter and Jesse Davis) on two songs apiece with his regular trio. Although more than 60 years separate the ageless Carter from Redman, each of the saxes originally developed their own voice in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. Highlights of the colorful set include Benny Carter's playful rendition of "Love Walked In," Moore's cooking solo on "Crazeology" (a Benny Harris bop classic which the record mistakenly lists as written by Bud Freeman), Davis ripping through "Moose the Mooche" and Turrentine's romp on the blues "Port of Rico." Pianist Benny Green and drummer Gregory Hutchinson provide suitable accompaniment (Green's solos are consistently excellent) and all dozen of the songs are successful and swinging. As an extra bonus, on the latter part of the CD each of the saxophonists has a brief chat (between 26 seconds and a minute apiece) with Brown about their early influences. There is so much good feeling and obvious mutual respect shown that one wishes these talks were at least twice as long; the Benny Carter segment is most memorable. This well-conceived project is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

Tracklist:
1. How High The Moon
2. Love Walked In
3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
4. Crazeology
5. Port Of Rico
6. Moose The Mooche
7. Easy Living
8. Just You, Just Me
9. Fly Me To The Moon
10. (When It's) Sleepy Time Down South
11. These Foolish Things
12. God Bless The Child
13. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Joe Lovano
14. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Benny Carter
15. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Stanley Turrentine
16. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Jesse Davis
17. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Joshua Redman
18. Ray Brown In Conversation With Guest Artists: Ralph Moore
Ray Brown Trio: Ray Brown (bass); Benny Green (piano); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Additional personnel: Benny Carter, Jesse Davis (alto saxophone); Joe Lovano, Ralph Moore, Joshua Redman, Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone).

Some Of My Best Friends Are ... The Sax Players
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Ray Brown: Some Of My Best Friends Are...The Trumpet Players (2000)

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 flugelhorn 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

Tracklist:

1. Our Delight
2. Bag's Groove
3. I Thought About You
4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
5. Violets For Your Furs
6. Itty Bitty Blues
7. Stairway To The Stars
8. Original Jones
9. When You Go
10. The Kicker
11. Clark's Tune (Legacy)
12. Goodbye

Personnel: Clark Terry, James Morrison, Jon Faddis, Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard (trumpet); Geoff Keezer (piano); Karriem Riggins (drums).

Some of My Best Friends Are the Trumpet Players

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Oscar Peterson & Izhak Perlman: Side By Side (1994)

Side By Side is a fun session, lush with sweet ballads and swinging tempos. Peterson's long-time musical friends and sidemen from the original Oscar Peterson Trio, Herb Ellis (guitar) and Ray Brown (bass), joined by drummer Grady Tate, provide foundation for the distinctive, converging stylings of Peterson and Perlman to yield a "chamber-jazz session with many highlights."

Tracklist:

01 Dark Eyes (Traditional) 6:12
02 Stormy Weather (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler) 4:54
03 Georgia on My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell) 5:46
04 Blue Skies (Irving Berlin) 4:45
05 Misty (Erroll Garner) 5:41
06 Mack the Knife (Kurt Weill) 3:32
07 Nighttime (Oscar Peterson) 6:18
08 I Loves You Porgy (George Gershwin) 4:51
09 On the Trail (Ferde Grofй) 4:37
10 Yours is My Heart Alone (Franz Lehar) 5:29
11 Makin' Whoopee (Gus Kahn/Walter Donaldson) 4:49
12 Why Think About Tomorrow? (Oscar Peterson) 5:22

Personnel:

Oscar Peterson (Piano)
Itzhak Perlman (Violin)
Herb Ellis (Guitar)
Ray Brown (Double Bass)
Grady Tate (Drums)

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Ray Brown Trio with Ulf Wakenius: Summertime (1998)

Bassist's bassist Ray Brown is inspired and inspiring on Summertime, which finds him in the company of his trio and guest guitarist Ulf Wakenius. Whether it's the addition of Wakenius, new pianist Geoff Keezer, or just the felicitous combination of peerless players and dynamite material, this set easily eclipses Brown's preceding "Live at Sculler's." ~ Ross Boissoneau

Personnel:
Ray Brown (bass);
Geoff Keezer (piano);
Ulf Wakenius (guitar);
Gregory Hutchinson (drums)
Tracklist
1 West Coast Blues 4:41
2 Summertime 6:28
3 Topsy 5:21
4 Yours Is My Heart Alone 4:43
5 It's Only A Paper Moon 7:45
6 My One And Only 7:19
7 Reunion Blues 8:29
8 Watch What Happens 3:24
9 The More I See You 5:05
10 Honeysuckle Rose 7:38
11 Cakes' Blues 4:05
Summertime Ray Brown Trio with Ulf Wakenius
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