FAREWELL DAVE BRUBECK

From the Washington Post:

Dave Brubeck, worldwide ambassador of jazz, dies at 91

Dave Brubeck, a jazz pianist who had unparalleled commercial success, expanding musical boundaries with his daring compositions and carrying jazz throughout the world on tours sponsored by the State Department, died Dec. 5 at a hospital in Norwalk, Conn. He died one day before his 92nd birthday.

His manager, Russell Gloyd, said Mr. Brubeck was on his way to a regular medical checkup when his heart gave out.

In a seven-decade career, Mr. Brubeck wrote hundreds of tunes, including the oft-recorded “In Your Own Sweet Way” and “The Duke.” His quartet, featuring alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, was one of the most popular jazz groups in history and in 1959 recorded the million-selling instrumental hit “Take Five.”

Mr. Brubeck composed ambitious classical and choral works, released nearly 100 albums and remained a charismatic and indefatigable performer into old age. In December 2010, the month Mr. Brubeck turned 90, his quartet won the readers’ poll of DownBeat magazine as the best group in jazz — 57 years after he first won the poll.

More here.

Brubeck was one of the first jazz musicians I loved.  I knew his immortal "Take Five" from my childhood in the early 1970s--indeed, the song was so popular that it was still around in the popular consciousness by the time I was on the scene a decade after its release; it's still popular today, with people half my age grooving on it.  It's worth noting how early in my life I developed a taste for Brubeck because I didn't become the bigtime jazz fan I am today until I took a jazz appreciation class my first year at the University of Texas.  The stuff I was into before that, for the most part, I quickly outgrew.  Spyro Gyra, Dave Grusin, some others, I never listen to that shit anymore.  But Brubeck continued with me.  He was tested when I learned about Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, and I quickly realized that he ought to be mentioned in the same breath, always, as the absolute greatest in the field.  He really was that great.

My CD collection reflects that.  I've got 10+ Miles disks, 10+ Duke disks, 10+ Beatles disks, and, of course, 10+ Dave Brubeck disks.  He never wears out.  Always new.  Always groovy and fabulous.

It's a bit weird to me to go back and forth from talking about him like the legend he was, and talking about him like I'm a pathetic fanboy.  I really am a pathetic fanboy with Brubeck.  It just so happens that he's in the same league as the Beatles in terms of composition and execution.  To me, it's not so much that we've lost one of the definitive figures of American jazz music as much as it is that I've lost the guy who's been haunting me with "Take Five" since I was a little boy.

I hear you're mad about Brubeck
I like your eyes, I like him too
He's an artist, a pioneer
We've got to have some music on the new frontier 
-Donald Fagen

Farewell Dave Brubeck.




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