LaRue – Clifford Brown
This passionate ballad was never recorded during Clifford Brown's lifetime. The first recording, a year after he died, was by Kenny Dorham; our lead sheets include the intro and coda from this version.
- Recording: Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contrasts
- Recorded on: May 27, 1957
- Label: Riverside (RLP 12-239)
- Concert Key: No key center
- Style: Ballad
- Trumpet - Kenny Dorham
- Harp - Betty Glamann
- Piano - Hank Jones
- Bass - Oscar Pettiford
- Drums - Max Roach
Our lead sheet is based on the Kenny Dorham recording. It includes the recorded intro, which features harp chords—mostly a descending series of major 7ths with sharp 5ths—over a bass pedal point. The coda extends the melody for four more measures, with rhythm section chords answering the melody notes. After the head on the recording, Kenny Dorham solos on the two A sections and B and takes the melody out at C; this solo format is shown in our lead sheet, but this song could certainly be opened up for longer solos.
Our audio clip starts just before Kenny's entrance.
"One starlit evening we went to Santa Monica Beach. Clifford was playing with the sounds of the Pacific Ocean accompanying him. The music was lovely! The tune was one that he had just written and I was hearing for the first time. He called it LaRue. He asked me to marry his music and him." - LaRue Brown Watson
First of all, my interpretation is that the song was written shortly before they were married. They were married June 26, 1954. My wife Maureen just found my notes from a conversation I had with LaRue back in the last century. On the notepaper I had written: "K.D. won Scrabble" therefore Kenny got to record LaRue first." I also remember LaRue saying that Kenny Dorham was a good friend of theirs, and that all three of them liked to play Scrabble together.
Clifford never recorded LaRue.
Kenny's first released leader album after Clifford's death in 1957 was "Jazz Contrasts." The second session for that record was on May 27, 1957, where he recorded LaRue. I'm sure it was a very emotional recording for Kenny.
The following year (January 6, 1958), it was Harold Land's opportunity to record LaRue on a session for the Curtis Counce project "Carl's Blues." Harold plays his heart out on his tribute to Clifford!
Here are four more great trumpet players who've also recorded LaRue. Bobby Shew (1981), Warren Vache - cornet (Alan Barnes 1999 session), Jason Palmer (2009), Jeremy Pelt (Dimitry Baevsky 2010 session).
Clifford Brown
October 30, 1930 – June 27, 1956
Clifford Brown was a legendary and influential trumpet player who had everything going for him: an incredible sound, dazzling technique and ideas, and a great compositional gift. Brown was in the limelight for just five years (he died in a car accident at age 25) yet his mark on jazz is indelible. Early performances at jam sessions with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Fats Navarro (his major influences) led to work with R&B bandleader Chris Powell, which included his first commercial recording (March 21, 1952). His second commercial recording was with Lou Donaldson for Blue Note Records (June 9, 1953), a session that also included Philly Joe Jones and Elmo Hope (Carvin' The Rock, De-Dah and Bellarosa). On this session, Clifford also got to record one of his own compositions (Brownie Speaks), which became his first recorded composition. Read more...