Memorial Album (Clifford Brown album)

Memorial Album is an album by American jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown recorded on June 9, 1953 and August 28, 1953 and released on Blue Note in September 1956. The two sessions were originally released on ten-inch LPs as New Faces – New Sounds (1953) (credited to Lou Donaldson–Clifford Brown) and New Star on the Horizon (1953), respectively.

Background
Apart from a few obscure recordings, the album represents the first tracks recorded under Brown's leadership.

Release history
The 2001 RVG Edition of the album features a re-organized track listing and remastering. Van Gelder says in the liner notes that "the original LP mixed various sessions in incomplete form", while the CD reissue "presents the music of each session as it was recorded and in complete form." The reissue also contains alternate takes that were originally released on vinyl as Alternate Takes in the U.S. and More Memorable Tracks in Japan.

Legacy
Blue Note annotator Bob Blumenthal for the 2001 re-issue called the compilation an early chapter "in the tragically brief legacy of one of the greatest musicians in jazz history. They helped introduce trumpeter Clifford Brown to the world, contributed to his meteoric rise to prominence, and set an incredibly high standard for debut recordings that successive generations have found difficult to match."

Reception
The AllMusic review by Alex Henderson stated: "Recorded in 1953, the material on this 18-track CD isn't quite as essential as some of Brown's work with drummer Max Roach in 1954 and 1955, but is still superb... Casual listeners would be better off starting out with some of Brown's recordings with Max Roach; nonetheless, seasoned fans will find that this CD is a treasure chest".

June 9, 1953

 * Clifford Brown – trumpet
 * Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
 * Elmo Hope – piano
 * Percy Heath – bass
 * Philly Joe Jones – drums
 * recorded at WOR Studios, NYC

August 28, 1953

 * Clifford Brown – trumpet
 * John Lewis – piano
 * Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone, flute
 * Charlie Rouse – tenor saxophone
 * Percy Heath – bass
 * Art Blakey – drums
 * recorded at Audio-Video Studios, NYC

Technical personnel

 * Alfred Lion – producer
 * Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer, mastering
 * Francis Wolff – photography
 * Leonard Feather – liner notes