Dave Brubeck Music

I've been listening to jazz for a quarter century (and I am familiar with the music of most of the artists featured in the KEN BURNS JAZZ series). However, I really never got to know Dave Brubeck's music beyond the one or two tracks that everybody is familiar with (e.g., TAKE FIVE). So this CD of fifteen tracks spanning almost forty years comes as a pleasant surprise.

Although some would probably disagree, I would recommend this CD over any others for those who want one Brubeck album for their collection, due to it being a wide-ranging overview of his career. Of course, this one has the original version of TAKE FIVE and BLUE RONDO A LA TURK (from TIME OUT). Also included are Dave's own versions of self-penned songs associated with Miles Davis (THE DUKE, IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY), a remarkable 1991 piano/clarinet duet of the standard STAR DUST, a sly protest song of sorts (THE REAL AMBASSADOR with Lambert, Hendricks, Ross...and Louis Armstrong!), and a number of examples of Brubeck's classic quartet. Brubeck's and reedman Paul Desmond's solos are excellent throughout.

The frustrations of some fans regarding which artists were chosen for/omitted from this "Ken Burns Jazz" CD series are understandable. However, I attribute this less to Burns himself than to record label politics, and perhaps the controversial views of some of those who assisted Burns in compiling the video series' narrative. All twenty-two artists who were included in these single-CD compilations are worthy representatives of the art. Yet certainly the number of artists included in the series could have been at least doubled with no loss in overall quality! Ultimately, we have to accept that even if arguably some "better" artists than Brubeck were omitted, Dave was nonetheless good enough to be included (at least by the evidence presented on this CD).

This album leaves me with sharply divided feelings. I like Brubeck's music, & am glad there's an intelligently selected one-CD version of it. Yet I can only be angered by Ken Burns' decision to feature Brubeck over many of the key innovators in jazz. Why should Brubeck get a disc to himself when that honour isn't accorded Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano, Andrew Hill or Keith Jarrett (to merely name pianists)? The 5-CD overview set that is the centrepiece of this project doesn't have a single track under Bill Evans' leadership, for heavens' sake. Brubeck is a fine player & composer--indeed somewhat underrated, since the automatic association of his name with "Take Five" & odd time signatures does as little justice to his achievements as it does in the case of Don Ellis; yet the idea that he should displace Bud Powell (the architect of bop piano) or Bill Evans (the preeminent influence, with McCoy Tyner, on all post-1960 jazz piano) is absurd.

Don't take the star-rating above as a reflection on the music or selection: Brubeck & his star altoist Paul Desmond should be heard, & this is a useful CD. But I am extremely disappointed that the history purveyed by Burns's jazz project should be so misleadingly slanted.

Up until this cd, the only exposure I had had to Brubeck was his "Time Out" album which I love. And so, to have the three big hits from that album on this one, along with 12 other wonderful songs, is a treat. This album contains works from 1953 through to 1991, and is the Ken Burns cd series' salute to 'West Coast Jazz'. This album is a great one to have for those people like me, who would like to know more about Brubeck's work, beyond the immensely popular "Time Out" album. The booklet includes 3 photos and an essay on Dave. Recommended.

I bought this after wearing out two copies of the album. Dave plays here with an intensity and joy that is unsurpassed in any other piano-driven jazz I've ever heard. -[...]

"Last Set at Newport" is a short but interesting Brubeck release. Of special note is the extended version of "Take Five," on which Gerry Mulligan reinterprets the sax part into a gritty acid-jazz. Not essential, but worthwhile nonetheless.

The intensity of Brubeck's playing is amazing and I find the sound quality very flattering to his pianistic style. The liner notes state that he was quite nervous before going out, and this energy is transformed in beautiful ways on stage. The Quartet cooks and know how to play with fire without getting burned in the process.

The CD only has 3 tracks and the journey is too brief at just over half an hour, but I'd rather have 35 minutes of music like this than 70 minutes of mediocre tracks. I consider it a must-have CD.

When I first bought this CD, I was disappointed due to the fact that it only plays for just over 35 minutes. However, if is now my favourite. The quartet is in full swing in this recording displaying enormous energy to every piece. The three pieces are explored in the solos to a significant length and it is this element that makes this CD so appealing. This is not a CD for a mellow night at home. Rather it will get your heart pumping.

I bought this after wearing out two copies of the album. Dave plays here with an intensity and joy that is unsurpassed in any other piano-driven jazz I've ever heard. -[...]

"Last Set at Newport" is a short but interesting Brubeck release. Of special note is the extended version of "Take Five," on which Gerry Mulligan reinterprets the sax part into a gritty acid-jazz. Not essential, but worthwhile nonetheless.

The intensity of Brubeck's playing is amazing and I find the sound quality very flattering to his pianistic style. The liner notes state that he was quite nervous before going out, and this energy is transformed in beautiful ways on stage. The Quartet cooks and know how to play with fire without getting burned in the process.

The CD only has 3 tracks and the journey is too brief at just over half an hour, but I'd rather have 35 minutes of music like this than 70 minutes of mediocre tracks. I consider it a must-have CD.

When I first bought this CD, I was disappointed due to the fact that it only plays for just over 35 minutes. However, if is now my favourite. The quartet is in full swing in this recording displaying enormous energy to every piece. The three pieces are explored in the solos to a significant length and it is this element that makes this CD so appealing. This is not a CD for a mellow night at home. Rather it will get your heart pumping.

Dave Brubeck was never shy about coming down hard on his piano keyboard, and this live performance at the 1971 Newport Jazz Festival is perhaps the least subtle of all his recordings. After hearing these tracks and the responsiveness of the crowd, listeners will have no doubt that this is exactly what the occasion called for.
Alan Dawson (drums) and Jack Six (bass) do an excellent job of preserving the Brubeck tradition while contributing to their legendary leader's evolution in the 1970s. And of course, Gerry Mulligan, who set the standard for baritone saxophonists, is a perfect solution to the dilemma of what to do after Paul Desmond. He makes "Take Five" sound like a brand new tune. And check out what Brubeck and Mulligan do in the opener "Blues for Newport." Many times since I acquired the original LP in the early 1970s, I've found myself humming this tune - and stealing licks from it for my own solos.
This is a short program with only three tracks totaling just under 35 minutes, but it's fun to hear how much energy can be generated by an acoustic quartet. It's a must-have for fans of Brubeck and Mulligan.