Sweet/Ray Brown, 3. Dizzy, Bird, and Bop (1945-1946)

In 1945, 19-year-old bassist Ray Brown seized an opportunity to move to New York, mailing jazz agencies with Snookum Russell's "World's Greatest Bass Player" flyers. Dizzy Gillespie offered him a spot in his bebop band, leading to a groundbreaking stint at Billy Berg's Club in Los Angeles. Despite challenges and pressure to commercialize, the band showcased bebop's intensity on the West Coast. Brown's first recordings with Gillespie and Charlie Parker, including the Jubilee broadcast and Dial Records sessions, marked significant moments. However, a West Coast trip ended with Gillespie and Parker's relationship strained. Brown, influenced by Gillespie, avoided Parker's destructive path.