About Ruby Braff
Lived 1927 – 2003 (aged 75). Ruby Braff was an American jazz musician, trumpeter and musician.
Reuben "Ruby" Braff (March 16, 1927 – February 9, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Jack Teagarden was once asked about him on the Garry Moore television show and described Ruby as "the Ivy League Louis Armstrong".
Braff, who was of Jewish heritage, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He had spent a good part of his life living in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York City.
Discography As leader/co-leader Buck Meets Ruby (Vanguard, 1954) with Buck Clayton Jazz at Storyville, Vol. 1 and 2 (Savoy, 1955) with Pee Wee Russell Ruby Braff Swings (Bethlehem, 1955) Holiday in Braff (Bethlehem, 1955) Ball at Bethlehem with Braff (Bethlehem, 1955) Braff!! (Epic, 1956) Ruby Braff featuring Dave McKenna (ABC-Paramount, 1956) Hi-Fi Salute to Bunny (RCA Victor, 1957) The Ruby Braff Octet with Pee Wee Russell & Bobby Henderson at Newport (Verve, 1957) Ruby Braff Goes 'Girl Crazy (Warner Bros. Records, 1958) Easy Now (RCA, 1959) You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (Stere-O-Craft, 1959) Blowing Around The World (United Artists, 1959) The Ruby Braff Marshall Brown Sextet (United Artists, 1961) Very Sinatra (Finesse, 1982) Live at the Regattabar (Arbors, 1993) Ruby Braff Remembers Louis Armstrong: Being with You (Arbors, 1997) You Can Depend on Me (Arbors, 1998) Born to Play (Arbors, 1999) Ruby Braff and Strings: In the Wee, Small Hours in London and New York (Arbors, 2000) The Cape Godfather (Arbors, 2000) Music for the Still of the Night (Arbors, 2001) I Hear Music (Arbors, 2002) Relaxing at the Penthouse with the John Pizzarelli Trio (Victoria, 2002) Variety Is the Spice of Braff (Arbors, 2002) Watch What Happens (Arbors, 2003) You Brought a New Kind of Love (Arbors, 2005) Controlled Nonchalance' at the Regattabar, Vol. 2 (Arbors, 2006) Ruby Braff And The Flying Pizzarellis: C'est Magnifique! (Arbors, 2007) Little Things - Live In Dublin 1976 (Nagel-Heyer Records, 2007) For the Last Time - Ruby Braff's Historic Final Performance With Scott Hamilton (Arbors, 2008) Our Love is Here to Stay (Arbors, 2010)
With George Barnes The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet (Chiaroscuro, 1974) The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet Salutes Rodgers and Hart (Concord Jazz, 1974) The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet – Live at the New School (Chiaroscuro, 1974) The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet Plays Gershwin (Concord Jazz, 1974) The Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet – To Fred Astaire with Love (RCA, 1975)
With Ellis Larkins 2 Part Inventions in Jazz, Vol. 2, (Vanguard, 1955) The Grand Reunion (Chiaroscuro, 1972) Ruby Braff & Ellis Larkins: The Complete Duets (Definitive Classics, 2006) Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins: Calling Berlin, Vols. 1 & 2 (Arbors)
As sidemanWith Larry AdlerLarry Adler Again! (Audio Fidelity, 1959)With Louis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong and His Friends (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam, 1970)With Tony BennettTony Bennett Sings 10 Rodgers & Hart Songs (Improv, 1976) Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart (Improv, 1977) Tony Bennett Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook (Concord, 2005; reissue of Improv recordings, plus unreleased takes) With Buck Clayton Jumpin' at the Woodside (Columbia, 1955) All the Cats Join In (Columbia 1956)With Scott Hamilton and Dave McKennaControlled Nonchalance at the Regattabar, Volume 1 (Arbors) Controlled Nonchalance, Volume 2 (Arbors)With Woody HermanIt Had To Be Us (Chiaroscuro 1998)With Milt HintonThe Judge at His Best (Chiaroscuro, 2001)With Dick HymanAmerica, The Beautiful (Arbors) Ruby Braff and Dick Hyman Play Nice Tunes (Arbors) Manhattan Jazz (MusicMasters) Music from My Fair Lady (Concord) Music from South Pacific (Concord)With Pee Wee RussellThe Individualism of Pee Wee Russell (1952) A Portrait of Pee Wee (1958)With Ralph SuttonR & R (Chiaroscuro, 2002) Remembered (Arbors DVD)With George Wein'''Wein, Women and Song and More, George Wein Plays and Sings (Arbors)George Wein & the Newport All-Stars (Impulse!, 1962)George Wein's Newport All-Stars'' (Atlantic, 1969)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Ruby Braff's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Ruby Braff's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ruby Braff?
American musician (1927–2003)
When was Ruby Braff born?
Ruby Braff was born on 16 March 1927 in Boston.
When did Ruby Braff die?
Ruby Braff died on 9 February 2003 in Chatham, Massachusetts.
What was Ruby Braff's occupation?
Ruby Braff was a jazz musician, trumpeter and musician.
What nationality was Ruby Braff?
Ruby Braff was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ruby Braff. https://biography.guide/ruby-braff/
MLA: "Ruby Braff." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ruby-braff/.
Chicago: "Ruby Braff." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ruby-braff/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:27 UTC