Ray Brown
There is more than one artist named Ray Brown.
1 - American jazz double … Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist named Ray Brown.
1 - American jazz double bassist
2 - Australian singer/guitarist
1. Raymond Matthews Brown (October 13, 1926–July 2, 2002) was an American jazz double bassist.
Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. 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 up the double bass.
A major early influence on Brown's bass playing was the bassist in the Duke Ellington band, Jimmy Blanton. As a young man Ray Brown became steadily more well known in the Pittsburgh jazz scene, with his first experiences playing in bands with the Jimmy Hinsley Sextet and the Snookum Russel band. After graduating from high school, hearing stories about the burgeoning jazz scene on 52nd Street, in New York City, he bought a one way ticket to New York.
Arriving in New York at the age of twenty, he 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.
From 1946 to 1951 he played in Gillespie's band. Brown, along with the vibraphonist Milt Jackson, drummer Kenny Clarke, and the pianist John Lewis formed the rhythm section of the Gillespie band, and their work together eventually led to the creation of the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Around this time Brown was also appearing in Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, organised by Norman Granz. It was at these concerts that he met the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, whom he married in 1947. Together they adopted a child born to Fitzgerald's half-sister Francis, whom they christened Ray Brown, Jr. Fitzgerald and Brown divorced in 1952.
It was at a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in 1949 that Brown first worked with the jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, in whose trio Brown would play from 1951 to 1966. After leaving the Trio he became a manager and promoter as well as a performer.
In 1966, he settled in Los Angeles where he was in high demand working for various television show orchestras. He also accompanied some of the leading artists of the day, including Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, and Nancy Wilson. He also managed his former musical partners, the Modern Jazz Quartet, as well as a young Quincy Jones, produced some shows for the Hollywood Bowl, wrote jazz double bass instruction books, and developed a jazz cello.
It was whilst in Los Angeles that he composed music for films and television shows. He was awarded his first Grammy for his composition, "Gravy Waltz", a tune which would later be used as the theme song for The Steve Allen Show.
In the 1980s and 1990s he led his own trios and continued to refine his bass playing style. In his later years he recorded and toured extensively with pianist Gene Harris. In the early 1980s, he discovered Diana Krall in a restaurant in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
He continued to perform until his death; he died while taking a nap before a show in Indianapolis.
2. Ray Brown & The Whispers were a highly successful Australian rock band from 1964-67. Led by singer Ray Brown, they ranked alongside The Easybeats, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs and Normie Rowe as one of the most popular acts of the period. After a few name and personnel changes which led to short lived incarnations, Ray sought to further/widen his career and in late '67 Ray headed overseas and spent two years working in the U.S.A. which included the recording of a solo album Just Ray Brown for Capitol, produced by American composer arranger producer David Axelrod. Despite the name producer and large budget, it flopped, largely due to poor choices of material by the company. According to a contemporary interview from Go-Set, Ray declared that "Capitol spent $30,000 on it, put in a 30 piece orchestra and then wouldn't let me pick my own material."
3. Ray Brown is from Tallahassee, FL and has been writing songs and performing since 2010. His debut album, CANYON, was released in August, 2012. The East Village arts quarterly, BOOG CITY describes his songs as "funny and tragic at the same time" and The New Yorker dubbed him "a solid songwriter".
https://raybrown.bandcamp.com
1 - American jazz double … Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist named Ray Brown.
1 - American jazz double bassist
2 - Australian singer/guitarist
1. Raymond Matthews Brown (October 13, 1926–July 2, 2002) was an American jazz double bassist.
Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. 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 up the double bass.
A major early influence on Brown's bass playing was the bassist in the Duke Ellington band, Jimmy Blanton. As a young man Ray Brown became steadily more well known in the Pittsburgh jazz scene, with his first experiences playing in bands with the Jimmy Hinsley Sextet and the Snookum Russel band. After graduating from high school, hearing stories about the burgeoning jazz scene on 52nd Street, in New York City, he bought a one way ticket to New York.
Arriving in New York at the age of twenty, he 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.
From 1946 to 1951 he played in Gillespie's band. Brown, along with the vibraphonist Milt Jackson, drummer Kenny Clarke, and the pianist John Lewis formed the rhythm section of the Gillespie band, and their work together eventually led to the creation of the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Around this time Brown was also appearing in Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, organised by Norman Granz. It was at these concerts that he met the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, whom he married in 1947. Together they adopted a child born to Fitzgerald's half-sister Francis, whom they christened Ray Brown, Jr. Fitzgerald and Brown divorced in 1952.
It was at a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in 1949 that Brown first worked with the jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, in whose trio Brown would play from 1951 to 1966. After leaving the Trio he became a manager and promoter as well as a performer.
In 1966, he settled in Los Angeles where he was in high demand working for various television show orchestras. He also accompanied some of the leading artists of the day, including Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, and Nancy Wilson. He also managed his former musical partners, the Modern Jazz Quartet, as well as a young Quincy Jones, produced some shows for the Hollywood Bowl, wrote jazz double bass instruction books, and developed a jazz cello.
It was whilst in Los Angeles that he composed music for films and television shows. He was awarded his first Grammy for his composition, "Gravy Waltz", a tune which would later be used as the theme song for The Steve Allen Show.
In the 1980s and 1990s he led his own trios and continued to refine his bass playing style. In his later years he recorded and toured extensively with pianist Gene Harris. In the early 1980s, he discovered Diana Krall in a restaurant in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
He continued to perform until his death; he died while taking a nap before a show in Indianapolis.
2. Ray Brown & The Whispers were a highly successful Australian rock band from 1964-67. Led by singer Ray Brown, they ranked alongside The Easybeats, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs and Normie Rowe as one of the most popular acts of the period. After a few name and personnel changes which led to short lived incarnations, Ray sought to further/widen his career and in late '67 Ray headed overseas and spent two years working in the U.S.A. which included the recording of a solo album Just Ray Brown for Capitol, produced by American composer arranger producer David Axelrod. Despite the name producer and large budget, it flopped, largely due to poor choices of material by the company. According to a contemporary interview from Go-Set, Ray declared that "Capitol spent $30,000 on it, put in a 30 piece orchestra and then wouldn't let me pick my own material."
3. Ray Brown is from Tallahassee, FL and has been writing songs and performing since 2010. His debut album, CANYON, was released in August, 2012. The East Village arts quarterly, BOOG CITY describes his songs as "funny and tragic at the same time" and The New Yorker dubbed him "a solid songwriter".
https://raybrown.bandcamp.com
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Ray Brown Lyrics
A Time for Love When the only sound in the empty street, Is the heavy…
After You've Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
Ain't Misbehavin No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Angel Eyes Try to think that love's not around But it´s uncomfort…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
Bye Bye Blackbird No one here can love or understand me Oh, what hard…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Cherokee Sweet Indian maiden, since first I met you, I can't…
Don't Fall In Love Let's fall in love Why shouldn't we fall in love? Our hear…
Don't Get Sassy Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Cou…
Easy To Love I know too well that I'm just wasting precious time In…
Everything I Have Is Yours Everything I have is yours You are part of me Everything I…
Evidence Yo todo lo tengo I have it all Yo todo lo tengo I…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
Georgia On My Mind Back down memory lane, I began as my mother's bright…
Get Happy Pack up your troubles and just get happy Ya better…
Honey Scene is a June night, flooded with moonlight Fragrant rose…
How Come You Do Me How come you do me like you do do do? How…
How High The Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there…
I Love Paris The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
I Want To Be Happy I'm a very ordinary man Trying to work out life's happy…
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gettin…
In A Mellow Tone In a mellow tone Feeling fancy free And I'm not alone I've g…
Indiana I have always been a wanderer Over land and sea Yet a…
It Happened in Monterey In my imagination, I'm finding consolation Somewhere along t…
It's Only A Paper Moon Say, it's only a paper moon Sailing over a cardboard sea But…
Just Friends Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Like Someone In Love Lately, I find myself out gazing at stars, Hearing guitars…
Love L is for the way you look at me. O is…
Love For Sale When the only sound in the empty street, Is the heavy…
Love Walked In Love walked right in and drove the shadows away Love walked…
Mona Lisa Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you You're so like…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
My Foolish Heart The night is like a lovely tune Beware my foolish heart How…
My One and Only Love The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
Night And Day Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom When the jungle…
Oh Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Papa Was a Rolling Stone It was the third of September; that day I'll always…
Paradise And then she holds my hand, mm And then I understand.…
Phineas Can Be Started out good [We started out so good] To end up…
Rosalie Rosalie, my darling, Rosalie, my dream. Since one night …
Sophisticated Lady Sophisticated lady tryin' to change my ways Just because you…
Spring Is Here Spring is here! Why doesn't my heart go dancing? Spring is…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
Stardust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
Street Of Dreams Midnight, you heavy laden, it's midnight Come on and trade …
Sunday Ooh Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty, God of love, pleas…
That's All I can only give you love that lasts forever, And the…
That's It It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
The Good Life Every time it rains It rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
The Man I Love The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
The Nearness Of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Same Old Song You're sweet as a honeybee But like a honeybee stings Y…
The Song Is You I hear music when I look at you, A beautiful theme…
This Is Always I was a hum-drum person Leading a life apart When love flew…
Volare Sometimes the world is a valley of heartaches and tears And…
When You Go When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
Willow Weep For Me Yes, willow weep for me Willow weep for me Bend your branc…