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Double Bass R.I.P. Ray Brown's Silvestre
- Thread starter dylanjohnson
- Start date
It was 'Johnny Mann's Stand Up and Cheer' from 1971 to 1973 (I was 21-23 years old), made up of 18 singers doing a variety of pop and patriotic songs, with guest stars like William Shatner, Jim Backus, Bob Crane, Milton Berle, Ken Berry, Joey Bishop, even Lassie. The studio musicians included Tommy Tedesco, Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Frankie Capp, Monty Budwig, Tommy Vig, Paul Smith, Chic Corea, Will Schwartz. I was also the road manager when they went on tour, including opening for Don Rickles in Las Vegas.
Wow. Very cool! I just checked some of it out online.
Jazz Congress 2025 Felt Redemptive Amid Tragedy - JazzTimes
Lakecia Benjamin shadowboxed from her seat and got a laugh out of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room. Audience-wide, that tension needed serious breaking. As … Read More "Jazz Congress 2025 Felt Redemptive Amid Tragedy"
jazztimes.com
Of the three instruments Ray Brown owned at the time of his death, John Clayton got one, Christian McBride got the one which is now in the Smithsonian, and Cecilia Brown gave Mr. McBride the third when he gave the second to the Smithsonian.
A longer version of the story is here.
+ + +
My sister and her husband -- both former master violin-restorers -- live about six miles from the Eaton fire evacuation zone as far as I can tell.
It's cold up here in Maine. It gets dark early. It's nowhere near as diverse as LA. But we are still so lucky to live here.
A longer version of the story is here.
+ + +
My sister and her husband -- both former master violin-restorers -- live about six miles from the Eaton fire evacuation zone as far as I can tell.
It's cold up here in Maine. It gets dark early. It's nowhere near as diverse as LA. But we are still so lucky to live here.
I write a monthly theater column for a small L.A. community paper called The Larchmont Chronicle. Here's the February column. It might help a little.
Ray Brown was my hero, friend and mentor.
I have known John Clayton for about 25 years. He is like my big brother; he was my best man when I got married.
About six weeks after I had open-heart surgery in 2018 (all is fine), here comes John with Ray's Silvestre. He delivered it to my house personally, and let me babysit it for an entire week. I was still physically weak, but I played the daylights out of that thing! It was unforgettable. It was also big and unforgiving, requiring a little more reach and a little more pressure everywhere. I had a friend take some pictures for posterity.
From that experience, I learned two main things:
1. You need a lot more than a fine instrument to do what Ray Brown gave us.
2. John Clayton is still the best man I know.
My heart goes out to JC and his wife Tineke, and to their daughter Gina and her husband Mark-Anthony who also lost their Altadena home in the fire. To help both families, a GoFundMe has been set up here.
Stay in the pocket,
Tom Elliott
bassist
San Francisco
I have known John Clayton for about 25 years. He is like my big brother; he was my best man when I got married.
About six weeks after I had open-heart surgery in 2018 (all is fine), here comes John with Ray's Silvestre. He delivered it to my house personally, and let me babysit it for an entire week. I was still physically weak, but I played the daylights out of that thing! It was unforgettable. It was also big and unforgiving, requiring a little more reach and a little more pressure everywhere. I had a friend take some pictures for posterity.
From that experience, I learned two main things:
1. You need a lot more than a fine instrument to do what Ray Brown gave us.
2. John Clayton is still the best man I know.
My heart goes out to JC and his wife Tineke, and to their daughter Gina and her husband Mark-Anthony who also lost their Altadena home in the fire. To help both families, a GoFundMe has been set up here.
Stay in the pocket,
Tom Elliott
bassist
San Francisco
Oh damn. If it's the bass I think it is, (which I'm pretty sure he left at home if he was travelling) it moved some SERIOUS air. I think it was over 15 years ago I did a bass camp with JC and he had us put our hands in front of the F hole. You could dry your hair with the amount of air moved. Terrible loss fs and saddened for John.
Just a heads up that there's a GoFundMe page for John and his family. Donate to Support John Clayton: Everything lost in Eaton Fire., organized by Jeff Hamilton
Wow, that's great! Almost 200k raised with Wynton kicking down $7164, and iReal honcho Massimo Biolcati giving $2500. Match that y'all!
While the fires devoured his home and his basses, John was with Wynton, Dr Roger Dickerson and others to receive the Bruce Lundvall Award at the annual Jazz Congress. The money being donated to John is like a ‘national endowment’ to a most deserving artist and educator. His losses are in some ways incalculable, but the bread at least gives us a way to thank him for his commitment to excellence…and to people.
I played my old bass on last Saturday’s gig as a tribute to John and in memory of his magnificent Silvestre.
In the words of another John (Keats):
‘Heard melodies are sweet,
But those unheard are sweeter.’
Swing on, Mr. Clayton.
I played my old bass on last Saturday’s gig as a tribute to John and in memory of his magnificent Silvestre.
In the words of another John (Keats):
‘Heard melodies are sweet,
But those unheard are sweeter.’
Swing on, Mr. Clayton.
As for jazz musicians rising Phoenix-like from the ashes of a disaster, consider the case of Dr. Roger Dickerson of Louisiana.
Having been flooded out of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, he accepted an invitation to stay with friends in Roswell, NM.
He gave a concert that so inspired the locals that they created the Roswell Jazz Festival.
Dr. Dickerson has continued playing, writing and teaching, and was recently presented the Satchmo Lifetime Achievement Award at Lincoln Center.
Next October will mark the 20th anniversary of the Roswell Jazz Festival. Fittingly, the festival will honor Dr. Dickerson - and he in turn will honor Roswell by presenting an original jazz choral composition.
Having been flooded out of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, he accepted an invitation to stay with friends in Roswell, NM.
He gave a concert that so inspired the locals that they created the Roswell Jazz Festival.
Dr. Dickerson has continued playing, writing and teaching, and was recently presented the Satchmo Lifetime Achievement Award at Lincoln Center.
Next October will mark the 20th anniversary of the Roswell Jazz Festival. Fittingly, the festival will honor Dr. Dickerson - and he in turn will honor Roswell by presenting an original jazz choral composition.
