I Remember Clifford: 5 years of Influential Recordings
This project is my proposed Presidential Research Project through the Presidential Scholars Program at SUNY Potsdam, which empowers motivated and talented students to design independent projects in support of their academic and career goals. Under the guidance of faculty mentors and with program funding, students develop and complete projects that extend learning beyond the traditional classroom.
​
For my project, I aim to explore the life, music, and lasting influence of jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. As a fourteen-year-old, my first transcription assignment was Brown’s solo on Sandu. Though the solo is only forty-six seconds, it took my jazz instructor, Dr. Chisholm, three months to dissect the twenty-seven-measure passage—a testament to Brown’s melodic genius and enduring significance. This experience sparked my curiosity: why does Clifford Brown remain a touchstone in jazz improvisation despite only four years of recordings, and what sets him apart from his contemporaries?
​
My project will combine research, performance, and recording. I will:
-
Research Brown’s life, recordings, and impact on jazz using Lougheed’s databases.
-
Curate a selection of his works that highlight key periods of his career and influential pieces.
-
Record a quintet in Crane’s MADSTOP studio, performing these selections in the style of Brown.
-
Present a lecture-recital in which I perform the selections while discussing the historical context and influence of each piece.
​
Through this project, I will deepen my understanding of jazz history, enhance my improvisational skills, and gain hands-on experience in live music recording—opportunities not fully available in my dual-major curriculum.
​
For more information, visit https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/appliedlearning/studentresearch/presidential/molly-collins
