Born to Play

The Ruby Braff Discography and Directory of Performances

Thomas P. Hustad

• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9780810882652
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music Biographies

Jazz trombonist Jack Teagarden once referred to Ruby Braff as the "Ivy League'sLouis Armstrong." That legacy of great trumpet performance and recording is brought to readers in Thomas Hustad's Born to Play: The Ruby Braff Discography and Directory of Performances. Braff's uncompromising standards, musical taste, and creative imagination informed his consummate artistry in creating music beautifully played. He achieved swiftly what few musicians accomplish in a lifetime by developing a unique and immediately recognizable style. For a reminder of that we need but play any of the more than 150 released recordings on which he appears. These records span a total of 54 years, from 1949 to 2002, a feat almost unmatched in jazz recording. This was five years longer than even Louis Armstrong.

Although prepared in discographical style, capturing information about both commercial recordings and previously undocumented performances, Born to Play serves as a biography of the artist, detailing the path he paved as a performer and featuring personal recollections of his musical career with commentary from other figures. Images over the course of his half century of playing fill out this comprehensive survey of Braff's performing and recording career. This bio-discography of the man who jazz drumming legend Buddy Rich declared "one of my favorite trumpeters" and singing giant Tony Bennett described as "my great friend who now holds the reigning position of the best cornet player in the world" is sure to be of interest to jazz fans and scholars alike.

Table of contents

• Series Editor’s Foreword
• Introduction
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1 A Beginning
• Chapter 2 The Earliest Days: Boston, Trips to New York, and Building a Relationship with George Wein
• Chapter 3 Ruby Braff Meets John Hammond: At the Threshold of Jazz Stardom
• Chapter 4 Ruby’s Growing Reputation: Recording with Teagarden, Goodman, and the Buck Clayton Jam Sessions for Major Record Labels
• Chapter 5 Ruby on Broadway and Television: John Hammond Introduces Ruby to Richard Rodgers and Ruby's Vanguard Recordings
• Chapter 6 Ruby's Growing Jazz Stardom: Frequent Recordings
• Chapter 7 The Growing Role of Festivals and the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars: George Wein's Festivals and International Tours: July 1959– October 1964
• Chapter 8 The Growing Role of Festivals and the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars: George Wein's Festivals and International Tours: May 1965 — December 1967
• Chapter 9 The Growing Role of Festivals and the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars: George Wein’s Festivals and International Tours: January 1968–May 1970
• Chapter 10 Tony Bennett and New York Clubs: Ruby Reaches New Audiences
• Chapter 11 Ruby Braff and Two of His Next Champions: Carl Jefferson and Hank O'Neal—Beginning the Relationships with Concord Jazz and Chiaroscuro Records
• Chapter 12 The Ruby Braff—George Barnes Quartet: One of the Finest Small Groups in the History of Jazz
• Chapter 13 New York Clubs and International Tributes to Louis Armstrong
• Chapter 14 Ruby Braff: European Tours
• Chapter 15 The Pianists and the Growth of Jazz Parties: November 1977–June 1979
• Chapter 16 The Pianists and the Growth of Jazz Parties: July 1979–February 1982
• Chapter 17 The Pianists and the Growth of Jazz Parties: February 1982—September 1986
• Chapter 18 The Pianists and the Growth of Jazz Parties: October 1986–August 1988
• Chapter 19 The Pianists and the Growth of Jazz Parties: September 1988–September 1993
• Chapter 20 Ruby Braff and Mat Domber: Finding Creative Freedom at Arbors Records
• Chapter 21 Reflecting on a Wonderful Career: Ruby's Final Studio Recordings
• Chapter 22 Ruby's Final Tour: Honoring His Audience until the End
• Appendix: Album Notes: Recovered Treasures
• About the Author