Ray Brown – born October 13, 1926, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – was a jazz
double bassist best known for his work with Ella Fitzgerald (who he was briefly
married to), Dizzy Gillespie, and Oscar Peterson. Originally, Brown took piano
lessons but switched to upright bass in high school. During his early years, he
became known in Pittsburg jazz circles while playing with bands like the Jimmy
Hinsley Sextet and the Snookum Russell Band. Brown relocated to New York when he
was 20 and joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band. In 1947, Ella Fitzgerald joined
Gillespie on a tour and by the end of...