The Early Albums Complete

Born October 13, 1926, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ray Matthew Brown took piano lessons from the age of eight, but after noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but was unable to afford one. With a vacancy in the high school jazz orchestra, he took on the upright bass. As a young man Brown became increasingly well known in the Pittsburgh jazz scene, with his first experiences playing in bands with the Jimmy Hinsley Sextet and the Snookum Russell band. After graduating high school, having heard stories about the burgeoning jazz scene on 52nd Street, he bought a one-way ticket to New York. He arrived in the city at the age of 20, met up with Hank Jones, with whom he had previously worked, and was introduced to Dizzy Gillespie, who was looking for a bass player. Gillespie hired Brown on the spot, and he soon played with such established musicians as Art Tatum and Charlie Parker. Between 1956 and 1965, Ray Brown released a number of albums on which he performed as leader or co-leader. He made four records alongside Barney Kessel and Shelley Manne between '57 and '60, performing as The Poll Winners, and in the early sixties made two with his old buddy Milt Jackson. Brown was later adopted by the rock and pop fraternity and has appeared on albums by Steely Dan, Linda Ronstadt, Barry Manilow, Maria Maldaur, Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Stephen Bishop, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello. While never reaching the status of many of his contemporaries, Ray Brown's legacy is virtually unparalleled in the history of jazz, having appeared on literally hundreds of albums during his lengthy career, and remaining a name to drop in all the right circles. This delightful 4CD set features many of Brown's finest early albums, up to the mid-1960s, and includes recordings he made alongside Ella Fitzgerald, Milt Jackson, The Pollwinners, and of course all the records from this era on which he performed as leader.