Memorial

'When Brownie stood up and took his first solo on 'Philly J J,' I nearly fell off my seat in the control room. The power, range and brilliance together with the warmth and invention was something that I hadn't heard since Fats Navarro,' stated famed jazz historian Ira Gitler, who happened to be supervising the 1953 session that yielded part of Memorial. Indeed, trumpeter Clifford Brown is heard here in fine form in two unrelated sessions. On four selections, Brown coasts effortlessly along with Tadd Dameron's Orchestra, sharing the solo spotlight with Benny Golson on tenor and Gigi Gryce on alto. On the remainder of the album, composed from material cut in Sweden the same year, Brown is joined by fellow trumpeter Art Farmer for four Quincy Jones arrangements with a Swedish group that includes altoist Arne Domnérus, baritonist Lars Gullin, and pianist Bengt Hallberg. On whole, this is classic, sophisticated material that deserves a place in every jazz vinyl collection.