Five-Star Collection... Dave Brubeck

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Gone With The Wind

A good deal has been said in print about the merits of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, what it stands for in relation to jazz, what it has contributed to the facade of jazz, etc., and as you listen to the easy flow of melodic lines and the development of each standard composition in this recording, you will know that this is the Quartet at its best. We feel that the music speaks for itself, and that no words need be said here by way of explanation.

From the very first take, we all knew that this was going to be a swinging session, and it was. I believe it is significant that three-fourths of the compositions contained herein are "first-takers", if I may coin a word. On listening to the first play-back by Dave and the group, the comment would almost invariably be: "That's it! Let's make the next one". This happened throughout the entire session in the studio, until it was time to leave for Dave's evening concert at Orange Grove College in Costa Mesa, California, where we also recorded.

Some of the compositions that were used as a basis for improvisation here were played by the group for the first time at the recording studio, and in several cases the arrangements you hear were not previously planned, but worked out spontaneously while recording.

*Teo Macero (from the liner notes)*

The Dave Brubeck Quartet is swinging these days. This is common knowledge. Here is an album that has captured this particular aspect of the group very well. There are interesting solos passages, in particular a delightful percussion excursion by Joe Morello on "Short'nin' Bread" and a fine long bass solo by Gene Wright on "Ol' Man River". Paul Desmond plays throughout with his usual melodic intensity, shimmering tone and long, swooping lines. There's more solid jazz content in this LP than is usually granted Brubeck, yet it is still the middle-of-the-road modern jazz that has the strongest appeal to the layman. As an introduction to Brubeck's work and as a fair sampling of him in his swinging, or recent period, this LP ranks high.

*Ralph J. Gleason (HiFi Stereo Review, November, 1959)*

It has often been noted that since the addition of Morello and Wright, the Brubeck group has swung more; this LP is the best example so far of this freedom and swing. In this collection of southern songs, the quartet achieves a looseness and rapport of greater degree than their previous albums. And how these men listen to each other!

A few words about Brubeck's playing might be in order at this point. Dave has been severely criticized in the past for his heavy handedness, but little has been said about the man's harmonic concept, his remarkable sense of time, and his ability to construct solos with a beginning, middle, and end. Some of these heaviness remains, but it is overshadowed now by these positive qualities. All of these facets of the Brubeck talent are very much in evidence in this album, especially on "The Lonesome Road" and "Georgia On My Mind".

Desmond is his usual eloquent self, displaying a virility in some of his work that has been lacking sometimes in the past. Wright provides solid support throughout and does a good job on River, his featured spot. Morello cooks all the way, using brushes most of the time. His wit and humor shine throughout the LP, but they shine the brightest on Bread in which he plays "melody".

This is a happy, swingin' LP lacking in pretentiousness and played by a group of men who obviously enjoy their work and each other. *Don DeMichael (Down Beat, October 1, 1959 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Swanee River

(Stephen Foster)

2 - The Lonesome Road

(Gene Austin, Nat Shilkret)

3 - Georgia On My Mind

(Stuart Gorrell, Hoagy Carmichael)

4 - Camptown Races

(Stephen Foster)

Side 2

5 - Camptown Races

(Stephen Foster)

6 - Short'nin' Bread

(Traditional)

7 - Basin Street Blues

(Spencer Williams)

8 - Ol' Man River

(Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II)

9 - Gone With The Wind

(Hebert Magidson, Allie Wrubel)

Dave Brubeck (piano), Paul Desmond (ato sax), Gene Wright (bass), Joe Morello (drums). 

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, April 22 (#1, #2, #3, #7, #9) and 23 (#4, #5, #6, #8), 1959

The Dave Brubeck Trio - Distinctive Rhythm Instrumentals

In the short space of two years, Dave Brubeck has risen from the obscurity of an unknown jazz pianist, to a point where he is accepted in this country and abroad  as one of the leaders of the modern school of musicians. 

Metronome  editor  Barry  Ulanov wrote:  "Dave's success was and is inevitable. More than most jazz musicians he has the equipment for both  commercial  and musical success. He  communicates his ideas through a series of levels — melodic, harmonic, rhythmic — that may escape the technical comprehension of his listeners but  rarely eludes their more easily given responses, emotional and  intellectual. Perhaps the best word to sum up Dave  Brubeck's music is 'legitimate'. It is certainly a better word  than  'classical', which suggests a tie to traditional music stronger than Dave's actually is, for the core of his contribution is a disciplined employment of all the musical devices which make sense in jazz, whatever their source... In that employment Dave has broadened jazz just a little more and given jazz another badly needed large voice".

In these sides, with Dave Brubeck trio, you will find the "fine beat", the "subtle wanderings in polytonality", and the "delicate balance of three instruments" that so excited Barry Ulanov. They can excite you, too. *Ralph J. Gleason*

Really great early work from Dave Brubeck — recorded with his early trio that included Cal Tjader on both drums and vibes — instruments he'd sometimes play on the same track! The rest of the trio is completed by Ron Crotty, an excellent bassist who did plenty of great work on the San Francisco scene in the 50s — and the package features material from the first 3 early 10" LPs on the Fantasy Records label!  *dustygroove.com*

The Dave Brubeck Trio

Distinctive Rhythm Instrumentals

Fresh, Percussive and Complex.

On most of the songs contained here, it's Cal Tjader's vibes and percussion that make for the excitement. Of course, Dave Brubeck's burgeoning piano voice and interesting tempos also give these songs a cool style that was very original for the time.

If you like the west coast cool jazz sound, very catchy piano playing and great rhythm accompaniment, you can discover this record anew—just as California jazz enthusiasts found it in 1954.

Another interesting way to hear this record is considering how Cal and Dave's music changed when they each achieved popular success. They did not play together after these recordings unfortunately, because each lead their own groups—blazing separate musical paths. Also, neither did a record quite like >Distinctive Rhythm Instrumentals< which were, for the time, fairly experimental. Really, there was no other group at the time using so few instruments with such complex arrangements. Fortunately, the results were quite pleasing; hence the reissue.

More superficially, the music is very relaxing and quite easy to enjoy. One may pay close attention and appreciate the interplay between Dave and Cal, or let the music fill in the background of a party. It's quite versatile, like the best jazz, and holds up well after many listens. Full of surprises too. This record may grow on you. My old man certainly enjoyed it back in the day and I still do.

*Monty Orrick*

1 - You Stepped Out Of A Dream

(Nacio Herb Brown, Gus Kahn)

2 - Lullaby I Rhythm

(Benny Goodman, Walter Hirsch, Clarence Profit, Edgar Sampson)

3 - Singin' In The Rain

(Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed)

4 - I'll Remember April

(Gene DePaul, Pat Johnston, Patricia Johnston, Don Raye)

5 - Body And Soul

(Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour)

6 - Let's Fall In Love

(Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)

7 - Laura

(Johnny Mercer, David Raksin)

8 - Indiana

(James F. Hanley, Ballard MacDonald)

9 - Blue Moon

(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)

10 - Tea For Two

(Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans)

11 - Undecided

(Sydney Robin, Charlie Shavers)

12 - That Old Black Magic

(Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer)

13 - September Song

(Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill)

14 - Sweet Georgia Brown

(Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey, Maceo Pinkard)

15 - Spring Is Here

(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)

16 - 'S Wonderful

(George and Ira Gershwin)

17 - Perfidia

(Alberto Dominguez)

18 - Avalon

(Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson, Vincent Rose)

19 - I Didn’t Know What Time It Was

(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)

20 - Always

(Irving Berlin)

21 - How High The Moon

(Nancy Hamilton, Morgan Lewis)

22 - Squeeze Me

(Fats Waller, Clarence Williams)

23 - Heart And Soul

(Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser)

24 - Too Marvelous For Words

(Johnny Mercer, Richard A. Whiting)

Dave Brubeck (piano), Ron Crotty (bass), Cal Tjader (vibes, conga, bongo, drums).

Recorded in San Francisco, California, September 1949 (#7 to #10), March 1950 (#1 to #6), June 1950 (#11 to #16), October 1950 (#19, #21, #22, #23, #24), November 1950 (#17, #18, #20).