Bad, Badder, Baddest!!

This is Clifford Brown people!  This clip is from a live jam session in Philly, and is possibly his last recording.  The story from Max Roach goes like this...

On a rain swept, early morning in June, 1956, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Clifford Brown, along with pianist Richie Powell, and Richie's wife, Nancy, who was driving, was killed when their automobile hurtled over an embankment.

Various persons close to Brown can think of reasons why the accident never should have happened. Like most tragedies, this one is encased in "if's." Roach recalls vividly the minute details of incidents leading up to the accident-and away from it.

"The whole thing just never should have happened," Roach said.

"Instrument manufacturers had been after us for some time to use their instruments. We never consented before. Every once in a while, Brownie would bring a new horn on the job, but he always went back to his old one. Well, this time, we had three days off between jobs, and Clifford and Richie went home to Philly, and I came to New York. We were supposed to open in Chicago's Blue Note that following Wednesday. I called Brownie from New York to tell him what time and where to meet me on the turnpike, and we could come on into Chicago together. He said no, he had decided to go get a new horn."

Max paused a second. Then he said, "If he hadn't decided to get that horn . . . Anyway, we agreed to meet in Chicago. I was going to go on so I could get some sleep before working, so I left in time to arrive in Chicago around 3 in the morning. Brownie left Philadelphia in time to get to Elkhart, Ind., around 9 to get the horn and come on in to Chicago. The girl was driving. It was raining, and they were killed."

It should be noted that Clifford Brown was just 25 years old.

I know the recording quality is not hot, but just sit back and soak in the content.  This is a tune called "A Night in Tunisia" originally made famous by the Charlie Parker quintet.