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Devoted to "adoration of the melody", trumpeter-cornetist Ruby Braff forged a timeless style, at once lyrical, fluent and personal. Geoffrey Smith highlights some classic recordings from his fifty-year career.
Geoffrey Smith's Jazz, a personal journey taking in great musicians and great music.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 9 Jun 201900:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Mel Powell

    Thigamagig

    Composer: Powell Performers: Ruby Braff, t; Mel Powell, p; Bobby Donaldson, d. 25 August 1954

    • Four Classic Albums Plus.
    • Avid.
    • AMSC1063. D1, Tr. 8 (2.28).

  • Vic Dickenson

    Keeping out of Mischief Now

    Composer: Waller, Razaf Performers: Vic Dickenson, tb; Edmond Hall, cl; Ruby Braff, t; Steve Jordan, g; Walter Page, b; Sir Charles Thompson, p; Les Erskine, d. 1953

    • the Essential Vic Dickenson.
    • Vanguard.
    • VCD99 (1); Tr. 2 (5.49).

  • Ruby Braff

    Romance in the Dark

    Composer: Green Performers: Ruby Braff, t; Samuel Margolis, ts, cl; Vic Dickenson, tb; Nat Pierce, p; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d. 1955

    • Linger Awhile.
    • Vanguard.
    • VCD 79608-2. Tr.8 (6.53).

  • Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff

    Where or When

    Composer: Rodgers, Hart Performers: Ruby Braff, c; Ellis Larkins, p. 1956

    • Ellis Larkins and Ruby Braff: Duets Vol.1.
    • Vanguard.
    • VCD 79609-2. Tr. 2 (4.53).

  • Ruby Braff

    Marie

    Composer: Berlin Performers: Ruby Braff, t; Benny Morton, tb; Pee Wee Russell, cl; Dick Hafer, ts; Nat Pierce, p; Steve Jordan, g; Walter Page, b; Buzzy Drootin, d. 3 April 1957

    • Three Classic Albums Plus.
    • Avid.
    • AMSC1011; D1, Tr. 5 (4.43).

  • Ruby Braff

    This is My Lucky Day

    Composer: DeSylva, Brown, Henderson Performers: Ruby Braff, t; Roy Eldridge, t; Hank Jones, p; Mundell Lowe, g; Leonard Gaskin, b; Don Lamond, d. 19 August 1958

    • Three Classic Albums Plus.
    • Avid.
    • AMSC1011; D1, Tr. 16 (2.26).

  • The Ruby Braff, George Barnes Quartet

    Struttin' with Some Barbecue

    Composer: Armstrong Performers: Ruby Braff, c; George Barnes, eg; Wayne Wright, g; Mike Moore, b. 1974

    • Live at the New School.
    • Chiarascuro.
    • CR 126-A. S1/5 (3.45).

  • Dick Hyman

    Someday

    Composer: Armstrong Performers: Ruby Braff, c; Dick Hyman, p; Milt Hinton, b; Carmen Mastren, g; Bobby Rosengarden, d. 1974

    • Satchmo Remembered.
    • Atlantic.
    • K 50161 S2/2 (3.20).

  • Ruby Braff

    Heartaches

    Composer: Hoffman, Klenner Performers: Ruby Braff, c; Scott Hamilton, ts; Howard Alden, g; Dave McKenna, p; Frank Tate, b; Alan Dawson, d. 30 April 1991

    • Ruby Braff and His New England Songhounds. Vol 2.
    • Concord Jazz.
    • CCD4504 (1); Tr.4 (2.19).

  • Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins

    This Year's Kisses

    Composer: Berlin Performers: Ruby Braff, c; Ellis Larkins, p. June, July 1994

    • Calling Berlin Vol.1.
    • Arbors.
    • ABCD 19139. Tr.11.

  • Ruby Braff

    It's the Same Old South

    Composer: Eliscu Performers: Ruby Braff, c; Brian Lemon, p; Allan Ganley, d. 23 September 1996

    • Braff Plays Wimbledon: The First Set.
    • Zephyr.
    • ZECD15; Tr. 7 (3.26).

  • Ruby Braff

    When You Wish Upon a Star

    Composer: Harline, Washington Performers: Ruby Braff, t; Samuel Margolis, ts, cl; Vic Dickenson, tb; Nat Pierce, p; Walter Page, b; Jo Jones, d.

    • Linger Awhile.
    • Vanguard.
    • VCD 79608-2. TR.9 (5.56).

Ruby Braff

TITLE THIGAMAGIG

Artists: Mel Powell

Composers: Mel Powell

Album Title: Four Classic Albums Plus

Label: Avid AMSC1063

Performers: Ruby Braff (trumpet); Mel Powell (piano); Bobby Donaldson (drums)

TITLE KEEPING OUT OF MISCHIEF NOW

Artists: Vic Dickenson

Composers: Fats Waller, Andy Razaf

Album Title: The Essential Vic Dickenson

Label: Vanguard VCD99

Performers: Vic Dickenson (trombone); Edmond Hall (clarinet); Ruby Braff (trumpet); Steve Jordan (guitar); Walter Page (bass); Sir Charles Thompson (piano); Les Erskine (drums)

TITLE ROMANCE IN THE DARK

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Lil Green

Album Title: Linger Awhile

Label: Vanguard VCD 79608-2

Performers: Ruby Braff (trumpet); Samuel Margolis (tenor sax/clarinet); Vic Dickenson (trombone) ; Nat Pierce (piano); Walter Page (bass) ; Jo Jones (drums)

TITLE WHERE OR WHEN

Artists: Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff

Composers: Rodgers, Hart

Album Title: Ellis Larkins and Ruby Braff: Duets Vol.1

Label: Vanguard VCD 79609-2

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); Ellis Larkins (piano)

TITLE MARIE

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Irving Berlin

Album Title: Three Classic Albums Plus

Label: Avid AMSC1011;

Performers: Ruby Braff (trumpet); Benny Morton (trombone); Pee Wee Russell (clarinet); Dick Hafer (tenor sax); Nat Pierce (piano); Steve Jordan (guitar); Walter Page (bass); Buzzy Drootin (drums).

TITLE THIS IS MY LUCKY DAY

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson

Album Title: Three Classic Albums Plus

Label: Avid AMSC1011

Performers: Ruby Braff (trumpet); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Hank Jones (piano); Mundell Lowe (guitar); Leonard Gaskin (bass); Don Lamond (drums)

TITLE STRUTTIN’ WITH SOME BARBECUE

Artists: Ruby Braff & George Barnes Quartet

Composers: Louis Armstrong

Album Title: Live at the New School

Label: Chiarascuro CR 126-A

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); George Barnes (electric guitar); Wayne Wright (guitar); Mike Moore (bass).

TITLE SOMEDAY

Artists: Dick Hyman & band

Composers: Louis Armstrong

Album Title: Satchmo Remembered

Label: Atlantic K 50161

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); Dick Hyman (piano); Milt Hinton (bass); Carmen Mastren (guitar); Bobby Rosengarden (drums)

TITLE HEARTACHES

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Al Hoffman, John Klenner

Album Title: Ruby Braff and His New England Songhounds. Vol 2

Label: Concord Jazz CCD4504

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); Scott Hamilton (tenor sax); Howard Alden (guitar); Dave McKenna (piano); Frank Tate (bass); Alan Dawson (drums)

TITLE THIS YEAR’S KISSES

Artists: Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins

Composers: Irving Berlin

Album Title: Calling Berlin Vol.1

Label: Arbors ABCD 19139

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); Ellis Larkins (piano)

TITLE IT’S THE SAME OLD SOUTH

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Edward Eliscu/ Jay Gorney

Album Title: Braff Plays Wimbledon: The First Set

Label: Zephyr ZECD15

Performers: Ruby Braff (cornet); Brian Lemon (piano); Allan Ganley (drums)

TITLE WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

Artists: Ruby Braff

Composers: Leigh Harline, Ned Washington

Album Title: Linger Awhile

Label: Vanguard VCD 79608-2

Performers: Ruby Braff (trumpet); Samuel Margolis (tenor sax/clarinet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Nat Pierce (piano); Walter Page (bass); Jo Jones (drums). 

Broadcasts

  • Sun 4 Aug 201300:00
    BBC Radio 3
  • Sun 9 Jun 201900:00
    BBC Radio 3

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    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music