The Clifford Brown & Max Roach quintet was a top band of the 50´s with a line-up that included at different times, top session musicians like Sonny Stitt, Teddy Edwards, Carl Perkins, George Bledsoe, Harold Land, Richie Powell and Sonny Rollins.
In 1955 the band recorded a jazz album which would be recognized as one of the most influential of all time.
Clifford Brown & Max Roach, as the album was very unimaginatively called, had nevertheless more imagination and power within its tracks than most records up to that time.
Their quintet was described by The New York Times as “perhaps the definitive bop group until Mr. Brown’s fatal automobile accident in 1956”, which cut short the bands successful life (only two and a half years), while this album was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Even if the sound is very East Coast, only two of the tracks were recorded at Capitol Records New York studios, while the rest were recorded in California.
I recommend anyone interested in good music, and particularly great jazz, to get a copy of this album. It is pure joy.
As a homage I felt inspired to paint my latest work based particularly on one of the tracks, and another delight, “JOY SPRING”, which was written by Clifford Brown as a tribute to his wife Joy.
So here are both. Brown & Roach´s original rendition of the song of the same title, so you can discover or re-discover this little gem as well. And my latest painting, “JOY SPRING” (2014), 80cm x 90cm and obviously part of my “VISUAL JAZZ SERIES”. It is painted in acrylic, printing ink and oil based paints on canvas.
But wait, there is more. Below my painting, you will also find a second version of this wonderful song. This time played live many years later by the great Freddy Hubbard. As always, Hubbard´s playing is magnificent.
I hope you enjoyed it all.
Until next time.
Ignacio
IGNACIO ALPERIN: THE ART OF THINKING OUT LOUD / EL ARTE DE PENSAR EN VOZ ALTA 