Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Russell Malone

Before he left us in July 2, 2002, Ray Brown reigned as the king of jazz bassists for over five decades. As a disciple of Oscar Pettiford and Jimmy Blanton, Brown's sturdy tone, impeccable technique, and swinging drive propelled Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and countless other jazz stars to fame. On this CD, his 18th recording for the Telarc label and his fifth in his celebrated Best Friends series, Brown is joined by the young guitar wizard Russell Malone and the lyrical, Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander. The drumless lineup is a tribute to the groundbreaking trios Brown lead with Oscar Peterson, and the music is simply remarkable. With Alexander's flowing pianisms shadowed by Malone's articulate guitar work, Brown's deep grooves are only topped by his flawless melodic ideas. If that isn't enough, this specially priced set also contains another CD with tracks from Brown's previous Telarc releases, selected by producer Elaine Martone. It further proves that no one has, or will, play the bass like Ray Brown. --Eugene Holley Jr.