Neal Hefti, Clifford Brown

I Remember Clifford

About this album:'It was 1961 and I was 13 years old. I was about to perform on my first major jazz gig at the Atlantic City Jazz Festival on the bill with Dinah Washington, Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson and Art Blakey. I remember vividly like it was yesterday, looking out from the wings of that stage, waiting to go on and being mesmerized by Dinah Washington's singing. During this same time, I was introduced to the Clifford Brown/Neal Hefti string album by my brother Bob and it changed my musical life. Clifford was my first major influence on trumpet after Louis Armstrong and coincidentally, he did classic recordings with Dinah Washington so everything seemed to meld together stylistically for me at that point of my life. I wore out the LP of 'Clifford with Strings' listening to it every night to go to sleep before school the next day. He had such warmth in his sound, something he was known for as Dinah Washington's lyrics state so beautifully in 'I Remember Clifford'. He also had a wonderful way of playfully articulating on the trumpet at times. Like Charlie Parker, Clifford also had incredible technique, with so much maturity, economy and beauty with his simple interpretations of the melody. Clifford was a clean cut, sweet family man who changed the perception of the jazz musician of the day. It was a very emotional journey for me to come full circle from that 13 year old boy waiting in the wings to 52 years later doing this album and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you Clifford for showing me the way and for all you gave to us in such a short time. You will not be forgotten. 'With Love, Glenn Zottola