Clifford Brown & Max Roach＜限定盤＞

1954年後半から1955年初めに録音されたこのアルバムは、1956年にクリフォード・ブラウンが自動車事故で亡くなるまで、「その時代で最も決定的なボップ・グループ」と評された彼らの最高傑作です。ブラウンとマックス・ローチが共同制作した4枚のアルバムのうちの2枚目である『Clifford Brown & Max Roach』では、ハロルド・ランド(テナーサックス)が参加し、リッチー・パウエル(ピアノ)とジョージ・モロー(ベース)がローチを中心としたリズムセクションを固めた。ブラウンの作曲した「The Blues Walk」、「Joy Spring」、「Daahoud」は、ハードバップの最高傑作として注目されており、バド・パウエルの「Parisian Thoroughfare」やデューク・ジョーダンの「Jordu」も特筆に値する。
ゲイトフォールド仕様
〈パーソネル〉 Clifford Brown(tp) Harold Land(ts) Richie Powell(p) George Morrow (b) Max Roach(ds)

According to the original 1955 liner notes to Clifford Brown & Max Roach, the announcement that Clifford Brown and Max Roach had begun recording and playing together sent shock waves throughout the jazz community and predictions ran rampant about how the two might shape bop to come. The last duo to really shape the music had begun over ten years earlier, with the relationship between Bird and Diz. This recording was early fruit from a tree that would only live as long as Clifford Brown was around to water it (1956, the year of his tragic auto accident). The result is by far some of the warmest and most sincere bebop performed and committed to tape. Brown's tone is undeniably and characteristically warm, and he keeps the heat on alongside Roach's lilting vamps and pummeling solos. What really keeps this record on the orange side of things (other than the decidedly orange cover) is the solo work of saxophonist Harold Land, who plays part Bird and part Benny Goodman. His tone is as delightful as it gets on the sultry "Deliah" and as bop-expressive as it gets on "The Blues Walk" and "Parisian Thoroughfare," where he and Brownie go head to head blowing expressive runs of sheer New York-style jazz. This collection of songs runs a nice gamut between boplicity and pleasant balladry. It represents bop at its best and is recommended for collectors and casual fans alike. ~ Sam Samuelson