Ray Brown’s Last Trio Date Due in July

Almost one full year after Ray Brown’s death at 75, Telarc will release the revered bassist’s final trio recordings on July 22. The 12 tracks on the posthumous Walk On were recorded in January 2000 and includes an unheard Brown piece, the three-part “Ray Brown Suite,” as well as jazz perennials like “Stella by Starlight” and “Honeysuckle Rose.” The trio on the album comprises Brown, drummer Karriem Riggins and pianist Geoffrey Keezer, who at the time of the session had said it would be his last with the band.

Telarc will package Walk On with a bonus CD of previously unreleased Brown recordings with the same personnel. These are mostly standards with two Brown originals thrown in for good measure. Track lists for both discs are listed below.

Walk On

Disc 1

American the Beautiful

Sunday

Stella by Starlight

Lined with a Groove

Honeysuckle Rose

Fried Pies

You Are My Sunshine

That’s All

Ray Brown Suite Movement. 1

Ray Brown Suite Movement. 2

Ray Brown Suite Movement. 3

Hello Girls

Disc 2

F.S.R.

Stardust

Evidence

Woogie Boogie

In a Mellow Tone

The Nearness of You

Much in Common

This Is Always

Three by Four

Down by the Riverside

Photograph by Jeff Sedlik

Originally Published June 9, 2003