Pawn Ticket – Ray Bryant
This uptempo piece is a masterful ride through Ray Bryant's swing vocabulary.
- Recording: Ray Bryant - Ray Bryant Trio
- Recorded on: May 11, 1956
- Label: Epic (LN 3279)
- Concert Key: D
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - Ray Bryant
- Bass - Wyatt Ruther
- Drums - Osie Johnson
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
This composition was immediately popular. Guitarist Johnny Smith recorded it next, with Johnny Rae on vibes, a few months later on September 29, 1956. Smith chose a more relaxed tempo (approximately 224). Next, George Shearing, Ray's good buddy and always a champion of Ray's music, recorded it at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 5, 1957—click on the next album cover). We clock this performance at a brisk 246. At the end of that month, Shearing recorded another version (click the third album cover), at a slightly more relaxed tempo (approximately 238). In May, 1958, Billy May arranged it for his "Big Fat Brass" album on Capitol Records. Ray Bryant recorded it again in Japan in October, 1989, for his "All Mine & Yours" recording (EmArcy).
Related Songs
Email Send Pawn Ticket to a friend
- Recording: George Shearing - At Newport
- Recorded on: July 5, 1957
- Label: Pablo (PACD 5315)
- Concert Key: D
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - George Shearing
- Vibes - Emil Richards
- Guitar - Toots Thielemans
- Bass - Al McKibbon
- Drums - Percy Brice
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Related Songs
Email Send Pawn Ticket to a friend
- Recording: George Shearing - In The Night
- Recorded on: August, 1957
- Label: Capitol (T1003)
- Concert Key: D
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Piano - George Shearing
- Vibes - Emil Richards
- Guitar - Toots Thielemans
- Bass - Al McKibbon
- Drums - Percy Brice
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Related Songs
Email Send Pawn Ticket to a friend

Ray Bryant
December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011
Following performances in his native Philadelphia with guitarist Tiny Grimes and as house pianist at the Blue Note Club with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and others, Ray Bryant came to New York in the mid-1950s. His first jazz recording session in New York was with Toots Thielemans (August, 1955) for Columbia Records. That session led to his own trio sessions as well as sessions with vocalist Betty Carter for Epic Records in May and June ("Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant"). On August 5, 1955, Ray recorded with Miles Davis, and on December 2, 1955, with Sonny Rollins, both for Prestige Records. Read more...