Trumpeter Clifford Brown was born into a musical family in Wilmington, Delaware on October 30, 1930. At age thirteen his father bought him a trumpet and provided him with private lessons. Clifford played in a jazz group while in high school and would go on to be one of the leading lights of hard bop during his tragically short career. His compositions Sandu, Joy Spring and Daahoud have all become jazz standards.

Brown briefly attended Delaware State University as a math major before transferring to Maryland State College where he played in the fourteen-piece jazz-oriented Maryland State Band. In June 1950, he was injured in a car crash after a performance. While in the hospital, he was visited by Dizzy Gillespie who encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Brown was also encouraged and influenced by Fats Navarro.

Early in his professional career Clifford Brown played with Tadd Dameron, in Lionel Hampton’s big band and with trombonist J.J. Johnson. He was also a founding member of The Jazz Messengers along with drummer Art Blakey, pianist Horace Silver, sax man Lou Donaldson and bassist Curley Russell. A week at Club Harlem in May 1952 featured alto saxophonist Charlie Parker alongside Brown.

In 1954 Brown formed a group co-led by drummer Max Roach. After some experimentation with other musicians, the lineup included saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell (Bud’s brother) and former Count Basie bassist George Morrow. Their band became the definitive hard bop ensemble and recorded several stellar albums over their brief existence.

On a rainy night in June 1956 Brown and Powell left Philadelphia after a jam session on a drive to Chicago for their next gig. Powell's wife Nancy was at the wheel so that Clifford and Richie could sleep. While driving at night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike she is presumed to have lost control of the car, which went off the road, killing all three instantly in the resulting crash.

Brown developed an innate sense of solo form, a rich tone, and a virtuoso technique in all ranges. He was especially noted for the melodic qualities of his improvising, which often flowed in long phrases. His playing was influential to trumpeters like Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd. Clifford Brown won the DownBeat magazine Critics' Poll for New Star of the Year in 1954 and was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 1972.

Here is a link to a Clifford Brown composition played by the famous quintet he co-led with Max Roach. The tune's title is Brown's nickname for his wife:

"JOY SPRING"