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Celebrating Ray Brown at the Dakota, April 20-22 Print E-mail
Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor   
Thursday, 17 April 2008

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Ray Brown

Few bassists in jazz have had the influence of the late Ray Brown. His collaborations extended from Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald to the early edition of the Modern Jazz Quartet and his long tenure with the late Oscar Peterson. Among his many accomplishments as performer and manager were his efforts to promote the careers of young lions such as fellow bassist Christina McBride, pianist Benny Green and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. McBride, Green and Hutchinson celebrate the life and music of Ray Brown with a three-night stand at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis on April 20-22 (two shows per night at 7 and 9:30 pm).

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Christian McBride
Christian McBride is one of few modern bassists with the resume and ability to ably perform bass duties in a tribute to a legend like Ray Brown. The native of Philadelphia started out on electric bass at age nine, picking up acoustic bass at age 11.His father (Lee Smith) was a well known bassist in Philly, and young Christian studied both classical and jazz, graduating from Philadelphia’s High School for Creative and Performing Arts and earning a scholarship to Juilliard. However, shortly after his arrival in New York, he joined Bobby Watson’s Horizon and was soon working in Manhattan clubs. He left Juilliard a year later to tour with Roy Hargrove, then served a three-year stint with Freddie Hubbard. In 1991, McBride joined Ray Brown’s Super Bass Trio with John Clayton, moving on to Pat Metheny’s Special Quartet. He also played a bass player in Robert Altman’s Kansas City and recorded with Joshua Redman. Other collaborators during his career have included David Sanborn, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Milt Jackson, Diana Krall, McCoy Tyner, Sting and Kathleen Battle.

McBride has long been dedicated to jazz education, serving on the faculty of the Brubeck Institute and hosting “jazz chats" on sonicnet.com. In 1995, he was appointed as co-director of the Jazz Museum in Harlem where he focuses on programs to expose young people to jazz. He also followed Dianne Reeves as Creative Chair for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Most recently, McBride has toured with his own band (with Ron Blake, Geoffrey Keezer and Terreon Gully) and with the Pat Metheny Trio. His most recent release is the three-volume set, Live at Tonic (Ropeadope Records, 2006).

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Benny Green
“Benny Green could be the monster pianist of the 21st century.” Thus prophesized no less than the incomparable Joanne Brackeen in describing the Oscar Peterson protégé. Now 44, Green followed his lineage (dad was a jazz saxophonist), playing with Eddie Henderson as a teenager before joining Betty Carter, then Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and then Freddie Hubbard. In 1993 Oscar Peterson chose Green as the first recipient of the City of Toronto's Glen Gould International Protégé Prize in Music. Shortly thereafter, Green replaced Gene Harris in Ray Brown's Trio, working with the veteran bassist until 1997. From that point on, Benny resumed his freelance career, leading his own trios and performing solo piano. After recording for Criss Cross and Blue Note in the 1990s, Green moved to Telarc in 2000. His most recent releases are two duo sets with guitarist Russell Malone, with whom he tours when not busy with vocalist Belinda Underwood’s ensemble and his own solo efforts. Citing his key influences as Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Hank Jones, Ahmad Jamal, Phineas Newborn, Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson, Green summarizes his approach to jazz as “…to just swing and have fun, and share those feelings with the audience … and if I'm able to convey that, then I feel like I'm doing something positive.”

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Greg Hutchinson
Yet another alum of the Ray Brown Trio, Gregory Hutchinson is a native of Brooklyn. His first pro gig was with Red Rodney at the Village Vanguard when he was just 17, and by the time he was 20 he had played with George Adams, Frank Wess and more. Soon he joined Betty Carter, and then recorded with icon Joe Henderson on Lush Life. His next major partner was Roy Hargrove, which lead to his tenure with Ray Brown. More recently, Hutchinson has played or recorded with Eric Reed, Christian McBride, Dianna Krall, Joshua Redman and Dianne Reeves.

Three nights of music dedicated to one of the genre’s legends will also highlight the virtuosity of three of the modern era’s jazz giants when Christian McBride, Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson come together to salute Ray Brown, April 20-22.

The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; www.dakotacooks.com. The Ray Brown Tribute will be held April 20-22, two sets each night; reservations strongly recommended.This article previously posted on the Twin Cities Jazz Society CODA.

 
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