Ray Brown / Monty Alexander / Russell Malone
Before he left us in July 2, 2002, Ray Brown reigned as the king of jazz  bassists for over five decades. As a disciple ofOscar Pettifordand Jimmy  Blanton, Brown's sturdy tone, impeccable technique, and swinging drive  propelledElla Fitzgerald,Oscar Peterson,Milt Jackson, and countless other jazz stars to fame. On this CD, his 18th recording for the Telarc label and  his fifth in his celebrated Best Friends series, Brown is joined by the young  guitar wizardRussell Maloneand the lyrical, Jamaican-born pianistMonty Alexander. The drumless lineup is a tribute to the groundbreaking trios Brown lead with Oscar Peterson, and the music is simply remarkable. With Alexander's flowing pianisms shadowed by Malone's articulate guitar work, Brown's deep grooves are only topped by his flawless melodic ideas. If that isn't enough, this specially priced set also contains another CD with  tracks from Brown's previous Telarc releases, selected by producer Elaine  Martone. It further proves that no one has, or will, play the bass like Ray  Brown.--Eugene Holley Jr.