BY BRIAN ZIMMERMAN
Few musicians can claim to have made such a powerful impact on jazz as trumpeter Clifford Brown (1930–’56) did during three short years of recording. The enormously gifted trumpeter—whose death in a car accident at age 25 is one of the great tragedies in jazz—was a hard-bop pioneer, a musician whose warm, friendly tone and melodious phrasing influenced generations of trumpet players, from Lee Morgan to Roy Hargrove.
Over the decades, countless musicians have been touched by Brown’s music and clean-living legacy, and have sought to pay their respects through tribute albums and homages. Benny Golson’s “I Remember Clifford” has become a standard not just for its beauty but also because of the beautiful life that inspired it. Similarly, vibraphonist Lem Winchester’s 1958 debut—a collaboration with the Ramsey Lewis Trio that focused on songs associated with Brown—has become a prized collector’s item.
The latest tribute is a touching album by one of Brown’s nephews, Rayford Griffin, an accomplished drummer who works with Stanley Clarke and Dave Koz.
Griffin’s album is unique in that it pays tribute through re-invention, seeking to capture the spirit of Brown’s music as the late trumpet player might have offered it today. Contributing to that modern feel are guest spots by a lineup of top-shelf trumpeters: Hargrove, Rick Braun, Nicholas Payton and Brown’s grandson Clifford Brown III. The late keyboard icon George Duke (1946–2013) also lends his talents to this formidable album.
The result is an animated, uplifting romp through some of Brown’s all-time classics. A neo-soul take on “Daahoud” unfurls in fleet, funky stretches, while “Cherokee,” which Brown performed at a blistering clip on 1955’s Study In Brown, grooves along at a laid-back pace.
The blues “Sandu” is invigorated by a stutter-step melody line and a colorful keyboard accompaniment, and the exotic “Jordu” is given an extra jolt by guitarist Everette Harp’s feisty lines. The program culminates with “Joy Spring,” which features solid drumming from Griffin and plenty of trumpet fireworks.
The fact that musicians are still saluting Brown nearly 50 years after his passing is a testament to his importance. But to Griffin’s credit, this album feels like much more than a typical tribute album. It’s imbued with a different kind of admiration and respect. Clifford Brown may have been part of jazz’s royal family, but to Griffin, he was simply family.
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