For more than four decades Ray Brown has been one of the most important double bassists in jazz history. Along with Oscar Pettiford, Brown expanded the bass tradition established by Jimmy Blanton in the early 1940s and all but defined the role of the bass in bebop. From his early days with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, through the founding of the Modern Jazz Quartet, his definitive work with the Oscar Peterson Trio and his kaleidoscopic activities of the 1970s and 80s, Brown has continued to be a model of creativity, technique, expansive sound and – perhaps above all – perfect time.
With pianist Cedar Walton and drummer Elvin Jones, Brown is at the top of his game in all of those departments in “Something for Lester”.
Ray Brown (bass), Cedar Walton (piano), Elvin Jones (drums).
7 Tracks. Recorded at Contemporary’s studio, Los Angeles, June 22-24, 1977.