The Modern Jazz Quartet was nothing if not elegant. Modern Jazz Quartet European Concert, Volumes 1 & 2 This ballad performance puts Wilson’s gorgeous vocals atop the classic “Shearing sound” featuring the vibraphone of Warren Chiasson. Nancy Wilson, George Shearing Swingin's Mutual With a tastefully orchestrated backing, vocalist Washington sings “I Remember Clifford” with elegance and reverence. McElrath - Musicologist for Ĭlick on any CD for more details at ĭinah Washington Compact Jazz: Dinah Washington The melody, lacking much in the way of repetition or motivic development, is unpredictable and may prove difficult for the novice. Altered and extended chords and chromatic alterations in the melody are frequent many melodic tones land on the extended notes of the underlying chord. As the tune progresses, however, Golson uses more of the sonorities and harmonic devices associated with jazz of the “cool” period. The opening measures of “A” recall the sound of old-time spirituals with ascending harmonic progression and lyrical, primarily diatonic melody. 7 of “B.” There is a fairly abrupt descent in the last four measures of the song, in which there is a descending leap of a ninth before the final melodic phrase.Īs a memorial to one who died prematurely, this tune is appropriately mournful. Primarily major frequent embellishment of secondary dominants by half-diminished (m7 ( b5)) chords creates a dark, haunting quality (see Comments).įollowing an initial downward movement, the melodic contour moves generally upward to its highest pitch in m. The original version also includes a six-measure intro. Musical analysis of “I Remember Clifford”Ī1 - A2 - B - A3. Nick Catalano published his biography in 2001 entitled Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter. In 1995 choreographer Twyla Tharp created a dance for Hubbard Street Dance entitled “I Remember Clifford” which concluded with the Golson piece. The Philadelphia musicians union set up a scholarship fund in his honor, and the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival was established in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1992 Arturo Sandoval released an album dedicated to Brown appropriately entitled I Remember Clifford.īrown has been honored in many other ways as well.
The Manhattan Transfer included it in their 1985 Vocalese album, for which they won three of twelve Grammy nominations. Helen Merrill, who also recorded with Brown in 1954, avoided recording the song until 1994 when she featured it in her tribute album, Brownie. She performs the song on a newly released DVD of a concert recorded in Prague in 1978. In 1954 vocalist Vaughan recorded Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, one of her most memorable albums. Dizzy Gillespie’s band, which included Golson, introduced it at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957, and it was subsequently picked up by both instrumentalists and vocalists: Art Farmer, the MJQ, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, the Jazz Messengers, Lee Morgan, Carmen McRae, and Keith Jarrett. While Golson has composed other jazz standards, “ Killer Joe,” Stablemates,” and “ Whisper Not,” “I Remember Clifford” is his most recorded composition. “ Joy Spring” and “ Daahoud” became major components of the jazz repertoire. Golson remembers Brown as the complete trumpeter who had mastered the entire range of his instrument and was equally at home with ballads and breakneck tempos. Golson and Brown had played together in the bands of Tadd Dameron and Lionel Hampton. I remember Clifford still, yes I hear him still Hendricks memorialized Brown’s legacy with these words: In 1957 saxophonist and bandleader Benny Golson composed a moving elegy to Brown for which Jon Hendricks later contributed lyrics.
In 1954 Brown teamed with drummer Max Roach to form one of the most admired groups in jazz although it lasted only 27 months, cut short by Brown’s death in 1956 which produced a groundswell of grief in the jazz community. Fellow trumpeter Art Farmer called him a “Sweet Cat.” But it was his personality and his kindness that elevated his stature beyond that of just an intensely admired musician. Professionally he was admired for his technique, his emotional, warm delivery, and his sense of rhythm. “Threnody,” as the dictionary defines it, perfectly describes this lamentation for the death of the great trumpeter Clifford Brown, born in 1930, who died before his time at age 25 in a car accident.