Fats Navarro, bop trumpeter
Fats Navarro, like Clifford, died at a young age, but his impact on Brown is undeniable. Clifford first heard Fats' music during a trip to New York in 1948 and the trumpeter became Brownie's main influence. When asked, “Who are your favorite musicians on your instrument?” Brown responded, “the late Fats Navarro.”[1]
Dizzy Gillespie, bop innovator and trumpeter
Dizzy Gillespie is considered one of the creators of bebop, so it is no surprise that Clifford was profoundly influenced by his inventive lines and incredible technique.
“It is that when Clifford Brown began going to Philadelphia, one of his goals was to hear Dizzy play.” - Nick Catalano
[1]Nick Catalano, Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), 35.
