Brubeck's big band makes N.Y. debut

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

Brubeck's big band makes N.Y. debut

06/23/2006 4:45 PM, AP

Charles J. Gans

Dave Brubeck turned back the clock at a JVC Jazz Festival concert, belatedly celebrating his 85th birthday with the N.Y. debut of his big band.

Years before the pianist formed his legendary quartet with alto saxophonist Paul Desmond in 1951, Brubeck began his musical career as a teenager playing in big bands in dance halls in Sierra Nevada towns near the northern California cattle ranch where he grew up.

At Wednesday night's concert at Carnegie Hall, Brubeck recalled the music of his youth from the Swing Era with his composition "The Basie Band Is Back in Town," in which he played some stride piano and his big band incorporated some characteristic Count Basie riffs. For an encore, the Brubeck big band played the Duke Ellington Orchestra's theme, "Take the `A' Train."

The highlight of the big-band segment of the program was a rare live performance of "Elementals," a composition Brubeck wrote in 1963 for orchestra and jazz quartet that interweaves fundamental elements of Western music: Gregorian chants, a Bach chorale, a Viennese waltz, jazz swing, polyrhythms, and 12 tone. Last fall, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company premiered a ballet in New York, "Elemental Brubeck," choreographed to music from "Elementals."

The big band — which incorporated Brubeck's quartet at its core — added a whole rich palette of orchestral colors from the trumpet, trombone and sax sections to two famed odd-metered tunes from his groundbreaking 1959 "Time Out" album: "Blue Rondo a la Turk," based on the 9/8 rhythms the pianist heard Turkish street musicians play in Istanbul during a State Department tour, and Desmond's "Take Five" with its compelling 5/4 rhythm.

Comedian Bill Cosby, an avid jazz fan who plays the drums, hosted the concert and recalled the first time he shared a bill with Brubeck back in the early 1960s at the Concord Pavilion in northern California. Cosby urged the audience to savor the moment because we can't act "as though our geniuses will always be alongside us."

I'm not saying that Dave is leaving," quipped the 68-year-old Cosby. "There's nothing wrong with 85 except being 68 and trying to get there."

The silver-haired Brubeck, who turned 85 on Dec. 6, received a standing ovation before playing a single note, opening the program with his quartet with the hard-blowing alto saxophonist Bobby Militello, the versatile bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Randy Jones, who has been with Brubeck for nearly a quarter century.

Though frail in body and less talkative than usual, Brubeck was a commanding presence at the keyboard, playing a multitude of styles in his improvisations, as the quartet re-imagined such standards as "Stormy Weather" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays."

Brubeck played an exquisite solo demonstrating a deft touch in the introduction to the ballad "Theme for June," written by his late older brother Howard Brubeck. The quartet was also up to the challenge on Brubeck's demanding briskly tempoed new composition "London Flat, London Sharp."

In a comic interlude before the big band took the stage, Cosby mused about the aging process. "We have no right to live to be 90 and 100," the comic said, and pointing to the short distance from the stage door to the piano, joked, "Dave is able to walk from there and back and know who he is."

Brubeck, who will be touring in the U.S. this summer with his quartet, is hard at work on his next major composition, which will take him back to the California of his youth. He has been commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival to write a suite based on John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row," which is to have its premiere at the festival on Sept. 17. Singers Kurt Elling and Roberta Gamberini will be performing lyrics penned by Brubeck's longtime collaborator, his wife, Iola.

"I love the book. I love the characters. I knew the pre-tourist Monterey that Steinbeck described, and I've known such characters that he has portrayed," Brubeck wrote in his latest newsletter.

____

[fasstrack]

Brubeck's big band makes N.Y. debut

06/23/2006 4:45 PM, AP

Charles J. Gans

Dave Brubeck turned back the clock at a JVC Jazz Festival concert, belatedly celebrating his 85th birthday with the N.Y. debut of his big band.

Years before the pianist formed his legendary quartet with alto saxophonist Paul Desmond in 1951, Brubeck began his musical career as a teenager playing in big bands in dance halls in Sierra Nevada towns near the northern California cattle ranch where he grew up.

At Wednesday night's concert at Carnegie Hall, Brubeck recalled the music of his youth from the Swing Era with his composition "The Basie Band Is Back in Town," in which he played some stride piano and his big band incorporated some characteristic Count Basie riffs. For an encore, the Brubeck big band played the Duke Ellington Orchestra's theme, "Take the `A' Train."

The highlight of the big-band segment of the program was a rare live performance of "Elementals," a composition Brubeck wrote in 1963 for orchestra and jazz quartet that interweaves fundamental elements of Western music: Gregorian chants, a Bach chorale, a Viennese waltz, jazz swing, polyrhythms, and 12 tone. Last fall, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company premiered a ballet in New York, "Elemental Brubeck," choreographed to music from "Elementals."

The big band — which incorporated Brubeck's quartet at its core — added a whole rich palette of orchestral colors from the trumpet, trombone and sax sections to two famed odd-metered tunes from his groundbreaking 1959 "Time Out" album: "Blue Rondo a la Turk," based on the 9/8 rhythms the pianist heard Turkish street musicians play in Istanbul during a State Department tour, and Desmond's "Take Five" with its compelling 5/4 rhythm.

Comedian Bill Cosby, an avid jazz fan who plays the drums, hosted the concert and recalled the first time he shared a bill with Brubeck back in the early 1960s at the Concord Pavilion in northern California. Cosby urged the audience to savor the moment because we can't act "as though our geniuses will always be alongside us."

I'm not saying that Dave is leaving," quipped the 68-year-old Cosby. "There's nothing wrong with 85 except being 68 and trying to get there."

The silver-haired Brubeck, who turned 85 on Dec. 6, received a standing ovation before playing a single note, opening the program with his quartet with the hard-blowing alto saxophonist Bobby Militello, the versatile bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Randy Jones, who has been with Brubeck for nearly a quarter century.

Though frail in body and less talkative than usual, Brubeck was a commanding presence at the keyboard, playing a multitude of styles in his improvisations, as the quartet re-imagined such standards as "Stormy Weather" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays."

Brubeck played an exquisite solo demonstrating a deft touch in the introduction to the ballad "Theme for June," written by his late older brother Howard Brubeck. The quartet was also up to the challenge on Brubeck's demanding briskly tempoed new composition "London Flat, London Sharp."

In a comic interlude before the big band took the stage, Cosby mused about the aging process. "We have no right to live to be 90 and 100," the comic said, and pointing to the short distance from the stage door to the piano, joked, "Dave is able to walk from there and back and know who he is."

Brubeck, who will be touring in the U.S. this summer with his quartet, is hard at work on his next major composition, which will take him back to the California of his youth. He has been commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival to write a suite based on John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row," which is to have its premiere at the festival on Sept. 17. Singers Kurt Elling and Roberta Gamberini will be performing lyrics penned by Brubeck's longtime collaborator, his wife, Iola.

"I love the book. I love the characters. I knew the pre-tourist Monterey that Steinbeck described, and I've known such characters that he has portrayed," Brubeck wrote in his latest newsletter.

You go, Dave! I love reading stuff like this. Music keeps us young.

[sheldonm]

......always did like Brubeck!

m~

[Lazaro Vega]

Brubeck's imitation of Basie is about the closest you'll come to the original these days, which is strange because he plays spare, light and swinging when doing it, and has earned the unflattering nick-name "old iron hands" when he doesn't.

[garthsj]

Brubeck's imitation of Basie is about the closest you'll come to the original these days, which is strange because he plays spare, light and swinging when doing it, and has earned the unflattering nick-name "old iron hands" when he doesn't.

Funny ... in all the years (since about 1953) that I have been an avid brubeck (and Desmond) fan, I have read a lot of criticism about Dave's playing being too bombastic, unswinging, abstract, unsubtle, etc., but I have never heard the expression "Old Iron Hands" ... what is the source for this quote?

For what is is worth, hearing Dave in concert is still an enormous thrill for me ... He seems to have lost little of his enthusiasm and this is very contagious .. if anything, he is more "playful" than when I first saw him at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1958.

[AllenLowe]

watching Brubeck play the piano is, for me, like watching something shuffle cards over and over and never get around to playing - he's all mannerism and gesture, to my way of thinking, but surely I'm in the monority here. Though I do agree he is a nice guy - and he has a nice smile -

Edited July 2, 2006 by AllenLowe

[garthsj]

watching Brubeck play the piano is, for me, like watching something shuffle cards over and over and never get around to playing - he's all mannerism and gesture, to my way of thinking, but surely I'm in the monority here. Though I do agree he is a nice guy - and he has a nice smile -

Did you mean "moanority"?

[AllenLowe]

actually, I meant: stereo-ority - monority refers to people who hate multi-track recordings -

[Ken Dryden]

I've heard Dave Brubeck many times over the past 33 years and those critics who keep complaining about his heavy hands haven't been paying attention to his recent performances and recordings. Yes, he hasn't abandoned his distinctive style (while I can think of a number of active pianists which are often indistinguishable), but he often shows a lyrical side on ballads.

At least he hasn't sold out by turning to fads or listening to producers who demanded that he record material in which he had no interest.

[Lazaro Vega]

Right, Brubeck's major compositions have been purposeful, whether they be the Catholic Mass or the Chief Seattle speech set to music. He dosn't trifle with trends.

The "old iron hands" comment is from listeners, just people. His tendancy to thunder out block chords at the climax of his solo is the reference point. Personally I love the man and his music. I heard him imitate Basie during a Grand Rapids Symphony Pops Concert and it was uncanny. Brubeck has a long performance history in Michigan, notably last Spring, just a couple of months ago, at The University of Michigan where they brought in two or three choirs, a symphony, and his quartet to stage a wide ranging retrospective of his career then honored him with a life time achievement award. The University Musical Society.

[JSngry]

Worth noting, perhaps, that Willie The Lion Smith praised Brubeck's blues playing in no uncertain terms in a DB BFT back in the day.

[Ken Dryden]

Worth noting, perhaps, that Willie The Lion Smith praised Brubeck's blues playing in no uncertain terms in a DB BFT back in the day.

I remember reading the blindfold test that Leonard Feather conducted of the Lion. High praise from a giant of the piano.

[JSngry]

Well, make what you will out of Brubeck's "heavy-handedness" (and I for one get tired of it fairly quickly), even if it is largely a result of a physical injury. What he always has had, and what The Lion responded to, was authority. Cat plays it like he means it in ni uncertain terms. Always has. Gotta respect that.

[AllenLowe]

I tend to think that Willie the Lion was just having a senior moment -

[Hot Ptah]

Dave Brubeck may sound "heavy handed" on some of his vintage recordings. However, I have attended three of his concerts in the past five years, including one in May of this year. Each time he was never heavy handed. I heard only nimble, light, swinging improvisations, without the pounding block chords of the past recordings. I thought that he was playing better than on his famous albums of the past.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Big band, quartet, trio -- feh! The best Brubeck around is the solo piano work he has done for Telarc in the past few years: great selections, great sound.