Clifford was a trumpeter, whose life tragically ended early one summer morning in 1956. It was the result of a car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which also claimed the life of promising young pianist Richie Powell. At 25, Clifford Brown had already left an indelible mark on jazz.

He was poised to take his place among the premier jazz trumpeters of his time (names like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie come to mind). This man's legacy lives on the festival acknowledges Clifford Brown as one of Wilmington, Delaware's most influential and prodigious talents.