BOP IN PEACE :

Jazz Bassist Ray Brown Dies at 75 (AP, 7/03/02)

Ray Brown, a legendary jazz bassist who played with giants such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, died Tuesday at 75.Brown died in his sleep in Indianapolis where he was concluding the U.S. leg of a tour, said John Clayton, a friend and fellow bassist.

Brown had played golf earlier in the day and went to take an afternoon nap, Clayton said.

Glenn Dryfoos, our jazz correspondent, remembers : "A great bass player and a great guy. Like Bing, he went happyÉi.e., after a round of golfÉthe few times I met Ray at Catalina's, he was telling anyone who would listen about that afternoon's roundÉ.I'm sure Dizzy was waiting for him at the Pearly Gates.

According to a story I heard on the radio today, Brown left Pittsburgh for NY when he was 18 (1945)É.on his first day in the City, he fell into a jam session with Parker, Gillespie and Bud PowellÉ.nice startÉ.."

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 3, 2002 11:50 AM