Today at BBR we hail erstwhile label collaborator Wycliffe Gordon on his 50th birthday.
Wycliffe didn’t record on our Gold Sounds project but he may as well have been the 5th member of the quartet that did, popping up more than once to play live with Mssrs. Carter, Chestnut, Veal and Jackson. Not only is Wycliffe the best trombone player in the world for our money, but a super nice guy. Once at a concert at Columbia’s Miller Theater he told a roomful of people about a short encounter with a Brother which made our day. His playing, deeply steeped in New Orleans first line feeling, never fails to move us. His technique is so masterful he can coax sounds from his horn that alternatively sound like a bird chirping or a willow wailing. One of the proudest moments in label history was when 5 tracks of trombone coalesced into The Co-Op closer “Okay”. Wycliffe, in his characteristic modesty, didn’t highlight the genius of that composition and let us name the tune, which we did with oxymoronic humor. Wherever you are today Wycliffe, Brown Brothers Recordings can only hope they are celebrating your half century mark with all the people and things you love and deserve. We can’t wait to hear you play live again, we can’t wait to hug you again. Love,
The Brown Brothers.
The Browns - with Love, always... 