Search - Clifford Brown :: Ultimate Clifford Brown

Chosen by Nicholas Payton

Edward Lewis | Houston, TX | 06/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love the concept behind Verve's "Ultimate" series. They've asked current, major musicians to compile "The Best of" recordings of historically famous players. For example, all of the tunes on this recording were chosen by Nicholas Payton. They've done such a good job of it that I'm trying to collect the entire "Ultimate" series. I've listened to a lot of Clifford Brown. This is by far my favorite CD of all of them. It's got a few familiar tunes but it also has some which I had never hear Clifford play before - like his version of Star Dust. It's absolutely beautiful."

A Study in Brown

Nikica Gilic | 05/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm hardly an expert in Clifford Brown, but I must say this is really a magnificent CD... Dexterous like Dizzy, warm and sentimental like Miles, this cat really blew some mean horn; it's such a shame he died so young (and not even from drugs, as opposed to Fats Navarro, whom he was allegedly influenced by)...



The quintets with Max Roach are brilliant, both with Sonny Rollins and Harold Land on tenor, and the rest of the compillation shows the variety of Clifford's mature expresiveness at such an early age...



The tracks with Sarah and Helen Merrill add greatly to the variety and richness of the cd.

Needless to say, I like it very much."

One Stop Shopping for a True Legend!

D. Hawkins | Denver, CO United States | 12/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the price, these Verve "Ultimate" CD's are pretty sweet. In the case of this album, it's probably the best place for someone to start who wants to get familiar with Clifford and learn why he's such a titan. Clifford could do it both on ballads ("Stardust" and "Memories of You" are from the essential "with strings" album) or tear it up on the faster tracks ("Gertrude's Bounce," which always sounded to me like a great undiscovered Christmas song!). Additionally, you get him backing up Sarah on "September Song" and his definitive treatment of "I Get a Kick," which features one of the most jaw-dropping drum solos in history from the one and only Max Roach. Seriously, if you want to get to know jazz or just get to know Clifford Brown, you can't go wrong with this collection."