Clifford Brown

Clifford Brown was the Golden Boy of jazz, bursting onto the national scene with such fanfare that despite his tragically brief career, he soon became the one of the most influential trumpeters and bandleaders in all of Bop. Brown began touring internationally in 1953. The following year, he started a band with pioneering Bop drummer Max Roach. In the mere two years of his band's existence, they released eight recordings and became Jazz gurus of sorts, penning several standards and developing a sprightly, rhythmically dense style that retained a warmth and sincerity that became the template for countless imitators. Brown's trumpet style was particularly influential -- his crisp, melodic phrasing and bright, burnished-gold tone attracted the admiration of musicians and jazz theorists worldwide. His tragic death in a car accident in 1956 dealt an enormous blow to the Jazz world. Many have imitated him, but none have replaced him.