An accomplished trumpeter and cornetist, it was Ruby Braff’s 1953 recordings with Vic Dickenson that drew the appreciation of jazz fans. His lyrical and expressive style, shot through with bursts of white-hot excitement, lent itself especially well to ballads. During the rest of the '50s, he made several excellent records in the company of Buck Clayton, Mel Powell, Bud Freeman, and Benny Goodman. Though commercial success tapered off for Braff in the '60s, he proved his continuing excellence through musical partnerships with George Barnes and Dick Hyman, resulting in some of his most superb music. In the '90s he recorded a series of acclaimed albums with pianist Roger Kellaway, and continued touring until his death in 2003.