Search - Clifford Brown :: Complete Paris Sessions 2 (Dig)

Early Insights into Brownie's Genius

William Faust | Columbus, Ohio | 07/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So I was looking at all the other Brownie reviews on amazon and noticed a whole lotta 5 star ratings. Call me a band-wagoner but I have to throw my hat into the same ring on this one. But be advised, this recording is not for the uninitiated. If you're a Brownie connoisseur however, it's for you. Only 6 tunes but multiple takes on each one so a real case study into how Clifford Brown, even at this early age was exploring new ideas constantly and pushing an entirely new envelope. Definitely at the other end of the spectrum from the giga-selling strings recording (which I still like) but very insightful. By the way, if you haven't read Nick Catalano's bio on Brownie you should. In it he documents how these Paris recordings were made when Clifford, Quincy Jones and others would sneak out in the middle of the night and record at Vogue Studios while they were touring with Lionel Hampton's band despite Hampton's strict rule not to do so. It's great reading and Catalano gives useful insights into each track. And yes, it's on amazon too."