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
Street of Dreams
Ray Brown Lyrics
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Come on and trade in your old dreams for new
Your new dreams for old
I know where they're bought
I know where they're sold
Midnight, you've got to get there at midnight
And you'll be met there by others like you
Brothers as blue
Love laughs at a king
Kings don't mean a thing
On the street of dreams
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
On the street of dreams
Gold, sliver and gold
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
Poor, no one is poor
Long as love is sure
On the street of dreams
Midnight, look at the steeple, it's midnight
Unhappy people, it's ringing with joy
It's ringing with cheer
'Cause yesterday's gone
Tomorrow is near
Midnight, the heart is lighter at midnight
Things will be brighter the moment you find
More of your kind
Smiling on the street of dreams
Love laughs at a king
Kings don't mean a thing
On the street of dreams
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
On the street of dreams
Gold, sliver and gold
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
Poor, no one is poor
Long as love is sure
On the street of dreams
The lyrics of Ray Brown Trio's song Street of Dreams speak to people who are feeling heavy-laden and unhappy, offering them a chance to trade in their old dreams for new ones on the street of dreams. The setting of the song is at midnight, a time when people who are awake at that time are met by others who are "brothers as blue" and hoping to find new sources of inspiration. The song also speaks of love as something that laughs at kings and makes no one poor as long as it is sure.
The motif of trading in old dreams for new reflects a sense of hope and renewal that is significant in the song. The contrast between yesterday and tomorrow reflects the idea that there is always a chance to start anew and that tomorrow can always be brighter. Additionally, the street of dreams itself is symbolic of the potential for new opportunities and dreams to be found, as well as being a meeting place for people who are feeling lost or unhappy in their lives. The idea that love can make anyone rich is also significant, emphasizing the importance of love and connection as a source of comfort and joy when everything else may seem uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight, you heavy laden, it's midnight
It's midnight and you're feeling weighed down by your problems
Come on and trade in your old dreams for new
Forget about your past aspirations and focus on creating new ones
Your new dreams for old
You don't have to hold onto your current dreams if you're not satisfied with them
I know where they're bought
The artist knows where you can find new dreams
I know where they're sold
The artist knows where you can get rid of your old dreams
Midnight, you've got to get there at midnight
In order to find new dreams, you need to reach a certain place at midnight
And you'll be met there by others like you
When you arrive, you'll meet other people who have also let go of their old dreams
Brothers as blue
These people are feeling just as down as you are
Smiling on the street of dreams
Despite their hardships, these people are happy to be on the path to new dreams
Love laughs at a king
Even the powerful can't escape the struggles of love
Kings don't mean a thing
People in positions of power are no more immune to life's hardships than anyone else
On the street of dreams
This idea applies to everyone who is pursuing their dreams
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
Even the most shattered dreams can be pieced back together
Gold, sliver and gold
Everything you could ever want is within reach
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
The world is full of possibilities waiting for you to reach out and grab them
Poor, no one is poor
As long as you have love and hope in your heart, you will never truly be poor
Long as love is sure
With the assurance of love, all of life's struggles can be overcome
Midnight, look at the steeple, it's midnight
The clock tower strikes midnight, signaling a new beginning
Unhappy people, it's ringing with joy
Even those who might be unhappy now can feel a sense of joy and hope for the future
It's ringing with cheer
The sound is a reminder that things can and will get better
'Cause yesterday's gone
The past is in the past, and there is nothing you can do to change it
Tomorrow is near
The future is full of endless possibilities
Midnight, the heart is lighter at midnight
At the stroke of midnight, you can feel a sense of relief from your burdens
Things will be brighter the moment you find
Things will start to get better once you start working towards your dreams
More of your kind
Surround yourself with people who share your goals and aspirations
Smiling on the street of dreams
When you finally achieve your dreams, you will be smiling on this street
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind