Author Jay Sweet, the newest board member of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, brings a wealth of talent as a professional jazz bassist, educator, writer, and researcher. In his first full-length biography, he shines a spotlight on one of the titans of jazz: Ray Brown: His Life and Music. This labor of love is an eye-opening timeline of one of the music industry’s most recorded musicians.
In a career that spanned six decades, Brown played on more than two thousand recording sessions, collaborating with nearly every major jazz performer of the twentieth century—as well as artists from many other genres. Jay, who considers Ray a major musical influence, was privileged to see him perform and to meet him before his passing in 2002.
Born in Pittsburgh to music-loving parents, Ray began studying piano as a child. He switched to bass in junior high when he realized there was too much competition for piano in the school orchestra—and an opening for a bass player. Influenced early on by upright bass greats Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford, Ray quickly found his musical calling.
This biography offers a wealth of information: from Ray’s early years in the big bands of the 1940s, to his marriage and divorce from Ella Fitzgerald, to the birth of bebop and his long-standing relationship with Norman Granz and Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP). Jay Sweet chronicles Ray’s journey step-by-step, offering insights into the music that could only come from someone with deep understanding and reverence for the art form.
The thread of racism and the turbulent social events of mid-twentieth-century America are woven throughout this fascinating story. Whether or not you’re familiar with Ray’s multidecade association with the Oscar Peterson Trio, the L.A. Four, or the many other musical collaborations he undertook later in life, Jay shares fascinating details and discoveries that will enlighten any reader.
Ray Brown is profiled not only as an accompanist, soloist, teacher, and mentor—but above all, as a loyal friend to those in his inner circle. One of the reasons for his long and successful career was his decision to steer clear of drugs, a downfall for many of his peers. He also possessed a keen business sense, which Jay highlights with examples throughout the book.
Many musicians who played with Ray are quoted in the biography. One memorable story involves pianist Benny Green, who by age 23 had already played with legends like Art Blakey and Betty Carter. After a performance led by Ray Brown, Benny timidly approached him and asked, “When you were playing ‘Misty,’ what were the changes you were playing in the fifth and sixth bar of the bridge?” Ray leaned in and replied, “The right changes, kid.” Suffice it to say, Benny went on to join the Ray Brown Trio for a successful run.
The book is filled with firsthand accounts like this, as well as a discography of nearly everything Ray recorded—complete with Jay’s musical and historical insights. Whether you’re a casual fan or a devoted jazz aficionado, you’ll walk away with a deeper appreciation for this most American art form.
Ray Brown: His Life and Music is part of the Popular Music History series from Equinox Publishing and is available on Amazon.