Legendary jazz musician Clifford Brown’s grandson Clifford Brown III talks about his debut Indian gig

At the grand finale of the International Jazz Festival, held at the NCPA yesterday, the Clifford Brown Legacy Band celebrated the trumpet wizardry of the late Clifford Brown. The group was put together by the maestro’s son Clifford Brown Jr and featured his grandson Clifford Brown III on the trumpet. Rayford Griffin and saxophone player Bennie Maupin joined him to pay tribute to Spring Joy composer.

ON HIS DEBUT INDIAN GIG

I had never visited India before. I’ve heard great things about the jazz scene here. This is a special performance and we plan to play several of my grandfather’s arrangements exactly as he performed them. My uncle Rayford Griffin has an album Reflections of Brownie that showcases how Clifford Brown songs might sound if they had been written today; we will play a selection from that recording. We are also planning to play a couple of my original compositions. In addition to that, we will honour the late Roy Hargrove, a trumpeter who professed to be heavily influenced by my granddad.

THE FIRST CLIFFORD BROWN COMPOSITION

It was a while ago, but now I think it was LaRue — a tune my granddad wrote for his wife, my grandmother LaRue Brown-Watson. A slow ballad, the pulse is just about at resting heart rate and it’s full of long beautiful resonant tones. It was never recorded by Clifford Sr; instead, he lost the privilege of recording this very special song to his good friend trumpeter Kenny Dorham in a chess match. Clifford died before getting the chance for a rematch. I think KD did a righteous job with the tune and I have to feel that my grandfather would have loved both his and my version of the song.  On being nervous about revisiting great pieces

I am nervous about visiting a place I’ve never been, I like to call those tingly feelings excitement, instead of nervousness. However, I’m not anxious about the content of the performance or reception. I’m not my grandfather. His work is part of the language we jazz musicians speak. If you’re into jazz, Clifford Brown is required listening. If you’re a jazz musician, it’s requisite study. I’ve been playing this music my whole life and just like none of us speaks or communicates exactly as our forefathers did, I don’t play the tunes exactly like Clifford did. I do my best and I believe I give the songs the respect they deserve. Taste being subjective, it’s okay if people don’t like it, and great if they do. But I find that whether you enjoy, love, or hate what I do, there is communication. That there is an active exchange of ideas and feelings.

HIS FAVOURITE SONG

On my first album Released, I pair up with the formidable vocalist Karin Carson and tenor saxophone player Dayna Stephens to recreate Crazy He Calls Me. That’s probably my favourite piece to play, especially with the right accompanying cast.

MAINTAINING ORIGINALITY 

I try to ensure I’m being honest in my approach, that I am saying things I believe through the horn. Playing sounds I like and having an intelligent reason for not playing them... whatever I play will be a reflection of those goals if I succeed. 

The rest is what it is.