Brubeck’s solo is repetitive and mesmerizing, a delightful concoction of style and substance. “Two Part Contention” is a bit stranger, with Desmond’s horn and Norman Bates’ bass aligning in knotty ways. “In Your Own Sweet Way” is a tender ballad, with the trustworthy Paul Desmond leading the group. Recorded on Jand released later that year, the first two songs are Brubeck originals. We’ll start out with a new ballad called, ‘In Your Own Sweet Way.’” Although Brubeck’s band is only featured on tracks 1-4, it's an interesting insight into Brubeck’s development as a songwriter. Not just because we’re recording, but I feel this is an opportunity to try some of the new things I’ve written. Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at NewportĪfter being introduced on stage, Brubeck announces his intention for the show: “We’d like to do all new things tonight. The show finds Brubeck’s group moving away from the constraints of hard bop throughout, favoring a cooler, simmering style and more experimentation from Brubeck’s soloing. This record is perhaps most well known for Lloyd Davis’ performance, during which the drummer allegedly had an 103-degree fever. “Perdido” has much more energy, moving along with hard bop hits and speedy playing from Desmond. The latter half of “These Foolish Things” envelops in a cascade of piano chords, although the brushed drums and walking bass keep the chaos under control. It’s an understated album, but the group does get boisterous at times. Still with Paul Desmond, this time Brubeck rounds out the group with Lloyd Davis on drums and Ron Crotty on bass. This is Brubeck’s most widely known live record, a smooth 37-minute journey that clearly displays the chops of both the pianist and his band. Later, they put out records from Vince Guaraldi and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With Brubeck’s records selling extremely well for the label, the group acquired more jazz acts, including Chet Baker, before expanding into comedy and poetry LPs with releases from Lenny Bruce and Allen Ginsberg. He moves from heavy, angry chords to a more free-formed note-style performance, eventually returning to the song’s chorus to back up the great playing of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond.ĭave Brubeck Quartet was released on Fantasy Records, a label Brubeck would semi-regularly return to after signing with Columbia. The piano solo on “Look for the Silver Lining” is a fascinating highlight, occupying nearly half of the song’s length without losing steam over this run time. The record has elements of ragtime and more traditional modes of jazz blended with the hardpop style he’d appeal to later, in addition to some heady experimentation that introduced some of his more outré ideas in a palatable way. Dave Brubeck Quartetĭave Brubeck’s first quartet album isn’t available on Spotify, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth searching for. But make no mistake, Dave Brubeck is a generational talent, a defining voice of West Coast jazz - of jazz in its entirety. For his enormous impact, he’s still relatively overlooked. In the pantheon of jazz giants, Brubeck’s name rarely appears where it should. Brubeck’s career features the hilly contours of a California map, never predictable but always consistent. Of course, there’s Time Out, his 1959 Columbia release that features “Take Five.” But there are also some rarities - a few not available on Spotify - and a silly, yet exciting choice. With more than 70 releases over a 50-year career, it’s nearly impossible to encapsulate the various styles and forms that Brubeck has helped start, elevate, or riff upon, but this list includes obvious standouts and some unexpected choices. With Vinyl Me, Please’s re-issue of Brubeck’s seminal Jazz Impressions of Japan as the Classics Record of the Month this month, we decided to dive into the pianist’s expansive catalog and highlight a few favorites. An absolutely delicate monster on the piano, Brubeck’s strength lay in his ability to mix heavy, menacing chords with delicate, quiet runs up the instrument’s higher notes. He was an early adopter of cool jazz, a pioneer of West Coast jazz, and one of the first post-hard bop players to redefine a different kind of jazz outside of its dominant iteration. Born in California in 1920, Brubeck’s influence has manifested itself in many ways.
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