In his brief career before dying at age 25 in an automobile accident, Clifford Brown became one of the most influential trumpeters in jazz, with a rich brassy sound, an almost classical precision, and a clarion fluency of line that would inspire players from Lee Morgan to Terence Blanchard. While string settings have had a mixed reception in jazz, beloved by some musicians while rejected outright by purist listeners, Brown's is one of the more successful. The arrangements by Neal Hefti provide lush settings for the trumpeter's gorgeous sound, while Brown's usual bandmates--pianist Richie Powell, bassist George Morrow, and drummer Max Roach--provide some necessary propulsion. "Laura" and "Stardust" have seldom been caressed with the romance and grace heard here. --Stuart Broomer