DEEPBROWN

ASTYLESTUDY

OF

JAZZBASSISTRAYBROWN

by

AndrewRice

AThesisSubmittedin

PartialFulfillmentofthe

RequirementsfortheDegreeof

MasterofMusicinJazzStudies

at

TheUniversityoftheArts

Philadelphia,Pennsylvania

December2009

MajorTeacher:MicahJones

DivisionHeadofGraduateStudies:DonGlanden

2
TableofContents

Introduction

BrownsTimeline

DeepBrown

RhythmDrops

ArpeggioVoicings

10

15

HarmonicSuperimposition

17

TwoFeel

19

Phrasing

20

DoubleStops,TripleStops,andTenths

21

InConclusion

23

OtherCommonPatterns

Introduction
RayBrownssignaturestyleandmasteryofhisinstrumentsethimapartasa
trueindividualjazzmusician.RayBrownstime,feel,sound,andhisprofound
controlofhischoseninstrumentareallthingsthatcomeupinwritingsaboutthe
bassist.MyearliestmentorsinJazzalwaysreferredtohimwhentryingtoteachme
howtoswinganddrivearhythmsection.
BrownsTimeline

RayBrownscareerstartedoutwhenhebeganplayinggigsonthebassthat

heborrowedfromhishighschool.Afterpayingdueslocallyandgraduatinghigh
school,hehittheroadwithvariousdancebands.Heeventuallyfoundhiswayto
NewYorkCitytotryhisluckinthejazzsceneofthemidforties.Hequicklylandeda
gigwithDizzyGillespieandthenasthehousebassistwiththeJazzatthe
Philharmonicconcerts.ThisbroughthimintocontactwithEllaFitzgerald,whohe
wouldbackupandeventuallymarry,manage,andamicicablydivorce.Through
JATP,healsometOscarPetersonandtheybeganplayingasaduo.Theywouldgo
ontoplaytogetherforfifteenyearsintheOscarPetersontrio.Theyrecordedmany
recordsandtravelledtheworldoutswingingbigbandswiththeirpowerfultrio.He
alsopublishedaninstructionalbook,andbecameveryactiveinteaching.
AfterhistenurewithOscarPeterson,RaymovedtoLosAngelesandhis
careerpathchangedfromlotsofjazzworktocommercialstudioworklikemovie
andtelevisionsoundtracks.Hespentlesstimeontheroadandalsodelvedintothe

businesssideofmusic,managingtheModernJazzQuartetandQuincyJones.Hedid
alotofworkforHenryMancini,gotintocomposing,andtaughtclassesatUCLA.
Herecordedmanyalbumsasaleaderandcoleader.Notably,hemadeaduo
albumwithDukeEllingtonandledhisowntrio.HealsoformedabandcalledThe
L.A.Fourandtheywouldplayablendofjazz,Brazilian,andclassicalmusic.The
latterpartofhiscareerfoundhimmostlyplayingwithhisowntrioandteaching
masterclasses.
DeepBrown
ThemainthingthatstandsoutaboutRayBrownisthatheplayedthebasson
alevelthatsurpassedhisinstrumentstraditionalroleastimekeeperandrootnote
player.Hedisplayedadepththatisseeninhisrhythmicsophistication,strong
harmonicknowledge,andmotivicdevelopment.Inadditiontohissoundandtime
feel,thisdepthiswhatdefinesRayBrownasanimportantjazzbassist.
Hewasonsuchadeepmusicallevelthatheimprovisedbasslinesthewaythata
mastercomposerpresentsamotifanddevelopsit,likeastoryunfoldingoverthe
courseofatune.
Brownwasverycomfortable,technically,onhisinstrument,andalsowithall
mannerofharmonicmovement.TherewasaconstantcuriositywithRayBrown.
Whenontourinanewcity,hecouldbefoundstudyingwith,orjusttalkingabout
thedoublebasswithlocalsymphonybassists(Lees.)DizzyGillespiesaidaboutthe
youngRayBrownthathewasveryinquisitiveandalwayswantedtoknowabout
whatDizzywasdoing,harmonically(Lees1920.)Thispursuanceoffurther
developmentcontinuedintohistenurewithTheOscarPetersonTriowhenPeterson

wouldaskRaytoplayarrangementsthatwereverychallengingandhewouldpush
himselftogetthemright(Lees19.)Ifeelthatthiscuriosityandpursuanceofnew
informationisthemainreasonforhisdepth.Itisacommoncharacteristicinpeople
ofcreativegreatness.Thispaperisgoingtoworkfromtheinsideoutwiththe
analysis,startingfromthesimplestrhythmicmotifs,movingontohisnotechoices
onameasurebymeasurebasis,andthenontolongerscalarandchromaticphrases.
RhythmDrops

OneofthethingsaboutRayBrownsplayingthatisoftenmentionedwhen

discussingwhatmakeshimsorecognizable,ishisaggressivesenseoftime.Namely,
thatheplaysaheadofthebeat,pushingthetime.Theuseofrhythmdropsinhis
basslineshelpstogivethemusicafeelingofforwardmomentum.InRayBrowns
BassMethod,thereisachapteronrhythmdrops,whereheintroducesfour
differenttypesoffiguresthatcanbeusedinwalkingbasslines.Arhythmdropisa
rhythmicvariationofthestandardquarternotewalkingbassline.Hesaysinthe
introduction:myviewisthatdropsshouldbeplayedinholes,orusedtogivethe
rhythmsectionaboost.(Brown,p.63)

Thefirstofthefourisafigurewithaneighthnotefollowedbyadotted

quarternote.Inthebook,heprovidesthefollowingexercise:

Inhisownplaying,heusesthisparticularrhythmicfiguresparingly,likely

becauseitputsanemphasisontheandofthebeatandwoulddrawthelisteners
attentionawayfromtheharmonicmovementbyaccentingtheoffbeat,whichisnot

alwaysappropriate.Headvisesatthebeginningofthischapter:Aboveall,dont
playdropsjustanywhere.(Brown,63)Brownprimarilyusesthisparticularfigure
attheendofatune(example1b),orinconjunctionwithachromaticascendingline
wherealeapdownisresolvedbystepupasinanappoggiatura(example1c.)
Example1b:Thingsaintwhattheyusedtobe.DukeEllington/RayBrownThisonesforBlanton

Example1c:NightTrainTheOscarPetersonTrioNightTrain

Thisfigureisalsousedinconjunctionwithchordanticipationwhenappliedtobeat
four:
Example1d:F.S.R.TheRayBrownTrioBamBamBam

Orasawaytokeeptherhythmsectionmovingforwardasonbeattwoofthesecond
measurehere:
Example1e:StellabyStarlightTheRayBrownTrioWalkon

ThenexttworhythmdropsareillustratedinthefollowingexcerptfromRay

BrownsBassMethod.Thetripletfigurewillbecalledrhythmdrop#2andthe
dottedeighthsixteenthnotefigure,rhythmdrop#3.
Example2a:exercisefrompage70ofRayBrownsBassMethod

Brownemploysrhythmdrop#2onanyofthefourbeatsinameasure.When

thefigureisdescending,itconsistsmostlyofchordtonesandgenerallycontains
leaps:
Example2b:StellabyStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkon.

Example2c:ThingsAintwhattheyusedtobe.DukeEllington/RayBrownThisonesfor
Blanton.

Whentherhythmdrop#2isascending,ittendstobemorescalarorchromatic:
Example2d:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
Festival.

Therearealsoinstances,whenplayingina2beatfeel,thatBrownheavilyemploys
rhythmdrop2,butnotinthewaysgivenbefore.Here,heusesthelasttwonotesin
thetripletfiguretoincludeadropinhislines.
Example2e:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

Rhythmdropnumber2isthemostcommononethatoccursandcouldbe

notatedthreedifferentways.Itcouldbenotatedastwoeighthnotesoratriplet
figurewiththefirsttwonotestiedtogether.HereitwillbenotatedasitisinThe
BassMethod.Adottedeighthnotefollowedbyasixteenthnote.
Example3a:F.S.R.RayBrownTrioBamBamBam

Manytimes,thisparticulardropinvolvesopenstrings,asonthefirstbeatof
thesecondmeasureofthisexample:
Example3b:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

Mostly,thisisduetothefactthat,technically,itmakessense.Ifanoteisplayedon
theGstring,itisfairlynaturaltousetheDstringinarhythmdropbecausethe
pluckingfingerisinpositiontopulltheDoncetheGhasbeenpulled.Infact,most

oftheinstancesofdropsinthesetranscriptions,eveniftheyinvolvestopped
strings,typicallygofromahighstringtoalowstring.
Example3c:ThingsAintWhattheyusedtobeDukeEllington/RayBrownThisOnesFor
Blanton.

Itgoeswithoutsayingthatjazzmusicisnotastrictartform,andsoitgoes
withtheapplicationsoftheserhythmdrops.RayBrowndefinitelymixesand
matchesallofthesedropsinmanydifferentways.Heoftenwillplaydrops
consecutivelyandofthesametype:
Example4a:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespeareanfestival.

Example4b:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

Othertimes,hemixesdifferentrhythmdropstogetherinameasure(example4c)or
overthecourseofafewmeasures(example4d)
Example4c:ThingsAintWhattheyusedtobeDukeEllington/RayBrownThisOnesFor
Blanton.

10

Example4d:ThingsAintWhattheyusedtobeDukeEllington/RayBrownThisOnesFor
Blanton.

ArpeggioVoicings

Itsnecessaryheretomakeaclarificationontheuseofanunorthodoxuseof

thetermVoicings.Thistermisnottypicallyusedwhenreferringtobasslines,but
itisusedheretodescribethecombinationofnotes,employedinagivenmeasure,
byabassplayerincourseofaline.Inastandardswingfeel,thiswilltypicallybea
fournotecombination,withorwithouttheadditionofarhythmdrop.Justlike
pianoorguitarchordvoicings,numberswillbeusedthatcorrespondwiththechord
memberstodistinguishbetweenthedifferentvoicings.

ThemostcommonvoicinginRayBrownsbasslinesisthevoicing1751.

Thisisadescendingvoicingbeginningonanupperrootandcontinuingdownto
eachnextlowerchordtone.
Example5a:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1751

Thisvoicingcaneasilybeplayedinanypositionwithoutanyshifting,sothats
probablywhyitissoprevalent.Variationsofthisvoicingoccuronthelastbeatof
themeasure,eitherbyoctavedisplacementorrhythmdrops,whichfunctionasnon
harmonictones,mostly.Forinstance,whenalowernoteisnotavailableduetothe

11

rangeofthebass,thelastnoteisplayedinthesameoctaveasthefirstnoteinthe
voicing.
Example5b:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1751

HereisanexampleofaninstancewherethechoicewasmadetoplaythenoteE
oneoctavebelowthenormalvoicing.
Example5c:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGetRequests

1751

Example5disaninstancewherethelastnoteinthevoicingwasplayedanoctave
highertofacilitateadropusingtheopenstringsGandD.
Example5d:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespeareanfestival.

1751

Raysdepthisexpressedhereinhowheusesthissimplechordvoicingasamotif
throughaseriesofchords.
Example5e:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespeareanfestival.

175117511751

12

Example5f:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGetRequests

17511751

The1351voicingBrownemploysisusedprimarilyasanascending
pattern.
Example6a:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespeareanfestival.

1351

Displacingtheoutertwonotesbyoctavescreatesamuchlesslinearsound.Inthe
followingexample,thenoteGisplayedopentofacilitateashifttoalowerposition.
Example6b:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespeareanfestival.

1351

Heusesdropswiththisvoicingtomovethemusicforwardandalsotocreatesome
tensioninbetweenthechordtonesbyincludingchromaticpassingnotesinthe
drops.
Example6c:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1351

13

Displayinghisconceptoftheentiremusicalpicture,Brownappliesthisvoicingto
severalmeasuresinarow,evenoverlappingthelasttwovoicings.
Example6d:PreludeOpus28No.4/HowInsensitiveL.A.FourTheL.A.FourScores!

13511351351

Inmostoccurrencesofthe1531voicing,itisprimarilyadescending
pattern.
Example7a:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGetRequests

1531

Othertimes,itdoesnotnecessarilyascendordescend,butremainsinthesame
place,asthepatternendsonthesamenoteonwhichitstarted.
Example7b:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1531

Thefollowingexampleshowsaninstancewherebothofthosevariationsofthe
voicingareplayedinarowwithtwodifferentdrops.

14

Example7c:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

15311531

InF.S.R.(forSonnyRollins)Rayplaysthe1531patternalmostevery
singletimeanEb7chordappearsforawholemeasure,withonevariation(example
7d)wherehedisplacesthefirstnoteupanoctavefromthetypicalpattern(example
7e)heusesintherestofthetune.
Example7d:F.S.R.RayBrownTrioBamBamBam

1531

Example7e:F.S.R.RayBrownTrioBamBamBam

1531

Othercommonpatterns

Theintentionoftheindividualplayeraside,abasslineonlyneedstofollow

onesimpleguidelineinordertostronglyspelloutthechordchanges:Alwaysplaya
chordtoneonthestrongharmonicbeatsofthemeasure,beatoneandbeatthree.
ThisisthebareminimumandRayBrown,ofcourse,tooktherolealittlebitdeeper.
Heplayedmanydifferentpatterns(voicings)tooutlinechordsthatarealittlemore

15

linearandmelodicthanthearpeggiosofthelastsection.Inadditiontochordtones,
thesepatternsincludescalenotesandchromaticpassingnotes.
InmusictheoryI,everymusicstudentlearns,whenlearningaboutgood
melodies,thataleap(spananintervallargerthanamajor2nd)mustalwaysbe
resolvedbystep.RayBrownoftenphraseshisbasslinesinthisveryfashion.
Typicallyyouwillseeanascendingscalarorchromaticpatternfollowedbya
descendingpatterncontainingleapsormoreoftenthannot,anarpeggiationofsome
sort.Also,youwillfindcombinationsofthescalarandchromaticpatternscreating
alonger,slowerlinethatcreatestheeffectof,notnecessarilyplayingeachchord
change,butrathermovingthroughatonalityandarrivingatthenext.
Oneverycommonascendingpatternthatisfoundinmuchofthismusicis1
235.Herethe1751arpeggiovoicingfollowsit.
Example8a:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

12351751

Whenscalarpatternsarecombined,theyformlongerlinesthattakethebassline
slowlyuptherangeofthebass.Hereagain,thestepwisemotionisfollowedby
leapsbackdowntothelowerrangeofthebass.
Example8b:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

12b3312345

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Thesameconceptcanbeseendescending,butthistimewiththeleapsinbetween
scalarpatterns.
Example8c:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1765173115511235

Scalepatternsareanimportantpartofanybassplayersrepertoire.Hereis
anoccasionwhereBrownascendstheBbmajorscale,managingtofitsixofthe
sevennotesinthemeasure.
Example8d:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

Belowisanexampleofalinethatincorporatesascalepatternforthefirsttwo
measuresandthenastepwisepatternthatendsinachromaticnotethatleadstothe
rootofthefinalmeasure.
Example8e:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

1234543212b331765

HarmonicSuperimposition

ManytimeswhenthechordchangesareaiiV7,Brownwilloftenplayabass

line,whichoutlinesonlytheVchordthroughoutbothchords.Itwascommon
practiceamongbebopmusicianstodothesamethingintheirsololines.Thismakes

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perfectsenseconsideringBrownspentsomeofhisearlyformativeyearswithDizzy
Gillespie,oneoftheoriginatorsofbebop.TheoutlineoftheD7chordisspelledout
clearlyinthisexample,
Example9a:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

andhereisalongerexamplewheretheC7chordisprettyclearlyspelledoutonthe
G7chord.
Example9b:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

Onotheroccasions,hisbasslineswilloutlinecommoncadencesapproaching
upcomingchords,whenthoseparticularchangesarenothappeninganywhereelse
inthemusic.Heusuallydoesthisoverthespanoftwobeats.Hereittakesplacein
measure4oftheexample.ChordtonesofC7areplayedonallfourbeats,clearly
implyingtheV7chordofF7,whichisthefollowingchord.
Example9c:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGetRequests

18

InthisexcerptofF.S.R.thechordprogressionIVIiiV,isclearlyoutlinedinthe
firstmeasure.
Example9d:F.S.R.RayBrownTrioBamBamBam

Thisisacommonturnaroundattheendofformstobringitbacktothebeginning.
Thespotwhereheplaysthisisattheendoftheformandthatisexactlywhatis
happeninghereastheexampleisattheendoftheform.OveranAbmaj7chord,he
playsa12b33patterninF,implyingtherelativeminorchord.
Example9e:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

RayBrownclearlynotonlyhasaveryfirmgraspontheexistingharmony,
butalsotheharmonythathehasthepowertoimplybybeingonthebottomofallof
thechords.
TwoFeel

RayBrowncouldandwouldplayjustaboutanythingoveratwofeel.He

couldplaytwohalfnotesinameasureorplaytripletsonallfourbeats.Hisnote
choiceonthetwofeelismostly1and5fromthechordofthegivensection.Here,
heplaysanextendedversionofthe1531voicingovertwomeasures.

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Example10a:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1531

Thehalfnoteisdefinitelytherootofthetwofeel.Usually,Brownwillbranchout
fromthatgradually,startingwithquarternoteorquarternotetripletvariations.
Example10b:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

1235

ThefollowingpassageisagoodexampleofhowBrownoftenwouldbuilduphis
lines,inrhythmandinregister.Astherhythmgetsbusier,hemoveshigherupthe
bassinregister.
Example10c:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

Phrasing
ThefollowingexampleiseightmeasuresfromHowHighTheMoon.In
containsalmosteveryconceptaddressedsofar.Measureoneisanarpeggiovoicing.
MeasuretwoistheextensionofaV7chordoverthespanofawholeii7V7
sequence.Measurethreeistheresolutionoftheleapsinthearpeggiointoa
stepwisesequencethatmoreorlessrepeatsinthenexttwomeasure.Thefinal
threemeasuresshowtherepetitionofanarpeggiovoicingthroughthosemeasures.

20

Example11a:HowHightheMoonOscarPetersonTrioLiveattheStratfordShakespearean
festival.

1353D7Arpeggio12b331235

12b33175117511751

.DoubleStops,TripleStops,andTenths

Inhisbassmethod,Brownencouragesstudentstopracticethetenths

exercisesinhisbookbecausehedidnotthinkbassplayersoftodayortheolder
dayshavedoneenoughexperimentinginthisdirection.(Brown,33.)Theycanbe
playedseparatelyordoublestopped.OnethingthatstandsoutaboutRayBrown,
especiallyinasmallgroupsituation,ishiswillingnessandenthusiasmforputting
thebassintothespotlight.Oneofthewayshedoesthisistoplaydoubleandtriple
stopsandtenths,givingthebassmoreofachordalinstrumentrole.
Onewaythatheincorporatedtenthsintohislineswastosimplyinsertthemintoa
repetitivebasslinethathassomesortofrhythmicostinatolikethislinefromQuiet
NightsofQuietStars.HewasalreadyplayingthisrhythmandutilizedtheopenD
stringandthetenthaboveitontheGstringtocreatethisdoublestoppedsound.

21

Example:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGet
Requests

ThebeginningofStellaByStarlightisagreatexampleofhowBrownwould

playtenthsinamelody,accompanyinghisownrubatotreatmentthisjazzstandard.
Example:StellaByStarlightRayBrownTrioWalkOn

OneverymemorableuseofdoubleandtriplestopsinRayBrowns

discography,istheduoversionofThingsAintWhatTheyUsedtoBewithDuke
EllingtonfromtheiralbumThisOnesForBlanton.ThisisasimplebluesinD,
involvingonlytheI,IV,andVchords.Thebasicconceptofwhatheisdoinghereis
playinganopenstringincombinationwithatritoneintheupperregisterofthe
bass,makingthesoundofthe7chords,whichisnecessarytogetthebluessound.
Example:ThingsAintWhattheyusedtobeDukeEllington/RayBrownThisOnesForBlanton.

Startingatthefifthmeasure,iswhatRayBrownplaysbehindEllingtonssolo.

22

RayBrownalsolikedtoemploythistechniqueattheendoftunesonharmonic
turnarounds,likeinthisexcerpt:
Example:QuietNightsofQuietStars(Corcovado)OscarPetersonTrioWeGet
Requests

InConclusion

RayBrownsbassplayingstylecanbesummedupasacompositeofallofthe

thingsbroughtupinthispaper.Hismethodbookgivessomeclueswiththe
inclusionofthechaptersonrhythmdropsandtenths.RayBrownwasamanof
extraordinarymusicaldepth,inthathewasmeticulouslydetailedwithhisnote
choice,butclearlyhadthebigpictureinmindatthesametime.Hehada
commitmenttojazzmusic,tohisinstrument,andtoaestheticofthemomentin
whichhewasimprovising.Oneneedsnotbeabassplayertolearnsomethingfrom
thisjazzmaster.

23

WorksCited
Brown,Ray.RayBrownsBassMethodMilwaukee,WI.HalLeonardCorporation,
1963,1999.
Lees,GeneInwalkedRay:TheinsdestructibleRayBrown.DownBeatAugust31,
1961.pp1820.JazzInstituteDarmstadt.

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