Jazz Bassist Ray Brown Dies at 75

Ray Brown, a legendary jazz bassist who played with giants such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, died Tuesday at 75.

Brown died in his sleep in Indianapolis where he was concluding the U.S. leg of a tour, said John Clayton, a friend and fellow bassist.

Brown had played golf earlier in the day and went to take an afternoon nap, Clayton said.

When he did not show up to perform, a bandmate went to his hotel where his body was found in his room.

Brown started his career in the 1940s and performed during jazz’s Golden Age with Gillespie, Parker and Bud Powell.

He was a founder of bebop and appeared with Gillespie in the 1946 film “Jivin’ in Be-Bop.”

Brown became musical director and husband of singer Ella Fitzgerald, whom he divorced in 1953.

He lived in the Sherman Oaks area with his wife, Cecilia.

A more detailed obituary on Brown will appear in Thursday’s editions of The Times.