If you are looking for musicians to celebrate a bassist as unmistakable and influential as Ray Brown this trio surely sits near the very top of the list. And here they were, presenting a show titled “Remembering Ray Brown”. Benny Green and Gregory Hutchinson both played in Ray’s 90s trio and as Green recalled, Ray Brown once said “If had a son who played bass I’d want him to play like Christian McBride.”
Fittingly, the show started with the bass-led Ray Brown composition F.S.R. (For Sonny Rollins), based on the changes of Doxy. McBride’s tone was instantly reminiscent of that distinctive Ray Brown sound. This was followed by an uptempo version of Miles Davis’s Milestones, again started on the bass with the melody not played until the head out. The interplay and encouraging shouts between the band members such as “Look out, let’s do it!” reflected the 35 years they’ve known and played with each other.
After the inevitably hard-swinging introduction the group brought the volume right down with Neal Hefti’s L’il Darlin’. The mellow mood transformed the atmosphere of the club in an instant. McBride’s performance was a stand-out as he delivered an expressive solo full of blues, soul and impeccably articulate double-time phrases along with beautifully executed 10ths in response to the melody.
It was now Hutchinson’s time to take the lead as he spoke fondly of Ray brown’s fatherly role in his life – a common theme for the all members of this band. He went on to set up the New Orleans beat of Gumbo Hump, another of Ray’s 90s compositions. The infectious groove got the place moving again especially when Hutchinson broke it down and got the audience to clap in four parts – quite effectively, too.
McBride now took over the microphone duties, recalling funny stories about Ray Brown and shining further light on the character of the man who was clearly a big mentor to the three musicians on stage. The trio then continued with Tin Tin Deo and Tanga. Green’s blistering solo break on the explosively fast Tanga got a lively audience response. The solo did not let up in its intensity – much like his studio performance of the song with Ray in the 90s.
All in all, the evening was a tremendous honouring of one of the greatest bass players in jazz, delivered flawlessly by three of his disciples with the same enthusiasm and virtuosity you can expect to find on any of Ray’s recordings or live performances.
Remembering Ray Brown with Christian McBride (b), Benny Green (p) and Gregory Hutchinson d). Ronnie Scott’s, London, 4 November 2025
