“Cherokee” by Clifford Brown and Max Roach

Clifford Brown’s death in a car crash at the age of 25 was one of the great tragedies in jazz history. He was already one of the top trumpet players in the business and consistently got better with every passing year.

“Cherokee,” from 1955’s “Study In Brown,” showcases Brown playing at the top of his game with his best band. Taking a cue from the song’s title, the group plays a vaguely Native American-sounding intro before launching into an impossibly fast rendition of the melody.

Brown’s two-measure solo break is constructed so perfectly and delivered with such in-your-face authority that most jazz musicians could hum it from memory.

The rest of Brown’s solo is a case study in bebop perfection, and his band mates follow with admirable efforts. Drummers will enjoy Max Roach’s blistering solo, but there are plenty of better, more creative Roach solos on record. Brown is the real star here.

If you’re one of the many who wish “Brownie” could have stayed around a little longer, or you’ve never heard of him but are now intrigued, do yourself a favor and check out this track.

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