Dave Brubeck Music

Brubeck successfully incorperated three major musical influences into his quartet; jazz, classical, and Bossa Nova. This album is a classic, yet fails to make it big on cd. (in America anyway) The most memorable songs on this album were the opener, Bossa Nova USA, and Trolley Song. All the other songs got good melody hoooks and good musicianship. During this time, drummer Joe Morello had developed some interesting latin rythms and drum beats. It's great how Brubeck incorperated this great style of music into his brilliant jazz, because Stan Getz Bossa Nova, is a little boring for me.

Brubeck successfully incorperated three major musical influences into his quartet; jazz, classical, and Bossa Nova. This album is a classic, yet fails to make it big on cd. (in America anyway) The most memorable songs on this album were the opener, Bossa Nova USA, and Trolley Song. All the other songs got good melody hoooks and good musicianship. During this time, drummer Joe Morello had developed some interesting latin rythms and drum beats. It's great how Brubeck incorperated this great style of music into his brilliant jazz, because Stan Getz Bossa Nova, is a little boring for me.

This is one my favourite Brubeck albums ;all the tunes are excellent ; the quartet is in top form .
Brubeck blends jazz and classical music amazingly.People want him to swing but they're talking to the wrong man ; Brubeck is from a classical background ( learning from people like DARIUS MILHAUD )
so it's natural that he has a tendency towards classical music and no one
mixed classical music and jazz quiet as brubeck did.
Turn the lights off and listen to this jazz symphony.

Classical and jazz can be mixed--he just didn't do it right here. All you get in the title track is the same theme and changes, repeated over and over for nearly 20 minutes. The thing just "changes clothes" in terms of arrangement each run-through. Even at that, I'm not sure that orchestral arrangements necessarily add up to classical/ jazz fusion--look at Henry Mancini, for example. Maybe Brubeck hadn't developed his version of it by this album's creation in 1959--he was to do much better five years later in 1964's "Time Changes", with the 18-minute "Elementals" (is that thing out of print? I can't find it here). And in my opinion, Chuck Mangione really perfected the concept in 1971 with his live "Friends & Love" album, joined by the Rochester NY Philharmonic Orchestra. Rayburn Wright of that very same orchestra had helped Brubeck arrange "Elementals" in '64. Coincidence? Perhaps not. Maybe this album simply lacks balance--the orchestral format continues into the short pieces further along in this album, while "Time Changes" starts out in quartet format--then it gives you "Elementals" as a grand finale. But this album at times verges on Muzak in the same way Miles Davis' Gil Evans series tends to do. I guess it takes some doing to drag in a symphony orchestra without making your music soporific. Brubeck didn't quite succeed in dodging that pitfall in this, his freshman effort in symphonia.

I bought this record on vinyl when it first came out. I found it again recently in my parents' attic. I took it home, and put it on my aging turntable again--and remembered why I didn't take it with me the first time when I left the house year's ago.

Seems many, it not all jazz musicians (up through at least the '60's) felt the need to "legitimize" their work by playing in front of a full concert orchestra--or in the case of the immortal Duke, even composing for one.

I like classical music. I like jazz. I also like orange juice and milk. But with music, as with beverages, I don't like the mixture.

This album does not swing. It may lull you to sleep.

I love every tune on this album--but not the versions on the album. The later versions are lush and phony--sounding like bad hollywood sound tracks, at best.

The most telling example of degeneracy is the title piece, 'Brandenburg Gate,' first recorded on 'Jazz Impressions of Eurasia.' (A stupendous album, by the way.) Originally concieived as a Bach-like composition, both contrapuntal and polyphonic in form and execution, it is a masterpiece of integrating 18th century elements and reconceiving them in swing. And just like a great Bach keyboard work, it is spare and crisp--nothing wasted, yet nothing missing.

Now, however, the same piece orchestrated in the style of Holly Ridge Strings loses every smidgeon of grace. The real "classic" elements of the original composition--the 18th century form, feeling, and intellectual tone--are subverted by a string arrangement that owes nothing to Bach and much to muzak.

Don't buy this CD unless you are, like me, a fan, and would listen to anything DBQ ever did--even if it were awful.

This is usually one of the first albums I reach for when I am looking for a smooth-over: the very first phrases of the first track are like a great big sigh, and it draws you into a fully engaging CD of classical and jazz. I notice this isn't one of Amazon's essential Brubeck recordings - his body of work must be stellar!

After 35 years of having been stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army where I first heard this Album, it is finally available on CD! The music perfectly captures the mood, feeling, and hope, and tragedy of the German people and the Berlin Wall. The songs weave back and forth from classical to jazz, and it is Brubeck's most beautiful music........just shut your eyes and take yourself back to Berlin and the Wall. Even it you don't like jazz, you will be caught up in this recording. A MASTERPIECE AND ALBUM FOR THE AGES !

this album is great i love it and you should and will too
peace in the east
!

This album has some good spots. Cieto Lindo is great. In fact, I first herd Cieto LIndo,(Brubeck's same version from this album)on a compilation, thinking the album that the song came from was great since the song was, I was rather disaponted. The album has some great streight ahead 4/4 jazz tunes, but compared to some other Brubeck albums, this album, I thought was boring. This album's all right, but lacks some great 5/4 or 7/4 tunes that made Brubeck famous. It just doesn't live up to Time Out, Time Further Out, or the concert At Carnigie Hall.

This is not quite the then-cutting-edge jazz of Brubeck's eponymous "Take Five" CD of course, but it is nevertheless immensely enjoyable.

The combination of Mexican rhythms and accents with Brubeck's unique style was stunning, plus will be accessible to a much wider audience. Tracks 4-6 are especially masterful.

To me, the whole story started in the small city of Na-Trang, Vietnam, in 93. I was crossing town, little girls were singing the sweet melody of Besame Mucho in their karaokes...

These pictures flashed back when I listened to the last CD of Diana Krall (The look of love - by the way not barely as good as when I look in your eyes). I looked for other interpretations of Besame Mucho and this is how I came to know this recording.

The tandem Brubeck/Desmond works perfectly - Adrenalin rushed strong when I listened to "La Paloma Azul", "Nostalgia de Mexico". The rest of the album is just very good.

A real treasure...

I would give this album a 6 star rating if it was possible! Beginning with the bright& happy rendering of "Cielito Lindo",through the cheerful,"Over The Waves", that makes you feel like you are sailing across the ocean on a sun-brightened afternoon,to the climatic,high-energy "La Bamba",with it's exciting back & forth exchanges between Brubeck,Morello & Agueros,EVERY song is splendid!
Even the chronology of the songs is nice,interjecting songs like Brubeck's beautiful arrangement of "La Paloma Azul",right
where it gives you a chance to let your adrenalin subside briefly,(along with platforming Paul Desmond's magnificent gifts),prior to launching you into another up-tempo number.
The only fault I find with this album is it's irresistable power to compel a non-dancer like myself to attempt to get up and tango,(or mambo or cha cha cha?)around the room each time I hear "Nostalgia de Mexico"!

I am really happy with my purchase, the audio quality is excellent as well as the performance of Dave. Excellent song list selection.
I truly recommend this product.