JSngry Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 (edited) One of Brubeck's lesser known and better Columbia sides, I think. Not a lot in the way of overt "experimenting", although the pieces all reflect the concerns signified by the title. But whereas some similar efforts by this group in this vein sound "forced" or too "clever" for my taste, this one seems to lay in the cut just right. Desmond's in GREAT form here and gets plenty of room to blow, Brubeck does what he always does, only he seems more relaxed about it than usual to my ears, and the Benjamin/Morello tandem do what they did best - give the other two guys the best possible support they needed to do what they did. All told, a most satisfying album, I think. Desmond, of course, I always dig, and Brubeck is somebody I've always ran hot and cold with, depending on the selection (although my respect for him continues to grow as I mature and no longer reserve my respect solely for that which I like), but I've never felt the need to delve TOO deeply into the Brubeck 4tet Columbia catalog, if you know what I mean. (The Fantasy stuff is a WHOLE 'nother matter, though). THIS album, though, I think is prime stuff, even for those who shy away from this group or are content knowing their "highlights". Anybody agree? Disagree? Check it out! Edited January 22, 2004 by JSngry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 I like this one a lot, though it doesn't knock Time Further Out or Bossa Nova USA off their pinnacles for me, though those reside there rooted with sentimental weight. . . . I really dig this quartet and its evolvement and output and am looking forward to more on cd soon. (I think!) Cool stuff, this one. . . .Recommended by me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 I did shy away from the Brubeck catalogue when I was starting to get interested in jazz. Brubeck and Kenton were musicians who were dismissed by the French jazz critics in the '50s and '60s and I had my jazz interests elsewhere then. I have grown up since and I know better. And I have a lot of respect for what Brubeck is doing. Got hold of this 'Jazz Impressions of Eurasia' a long time ago. It's one of my favorites. With great compositions from Brubeck, including the Chopinesque 'Thank You'. And Paul Desmond is delightful as ever. The album is also a rare opportunity to hear the Brubeck quartet with 'Crazy' Joe Benjamin on bass. There were a couple more Jazz Impressions albums by the Brubeck Quartet: one on Japan and another on New York. All successful. Wonder when Columbia will reissue these opuses. I also love the corny cover photo of the Eurasia album with Brubeck hamming it up with those PanAm bags that are history by now. The cover shot which is an instant trip to nostalgia comes from the camera of the excellent Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby. They don't make album covers like that any more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 Both the Japan and NYC Impressions have been out for some time, the Japan being a recent reissue. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 I love the Japan album! Will have to check out this Eurasia one---you guys are making it sound damn good. brownie--I had a similar experiance to yours as a young jazz listener. Brubeck didn't seem too important at first, and what little I heard didn't sound very swinging. But I grew wiser with time...plus a friend played "Blue Rondo A La Turk" for me. I do agree with the perception that the Fantasy material is generally better, much of it essential IMHO, but it's nice that Columbia has been making their Brubeck stuff more available on CD in recent years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 Re: some of us "not taking Brubeck seriously". I went the other route, and have come back, almost full circle. At first, I thought he was hipper than shit. Then I thought he was kinda corny (him, not Desmond. A mantra, that should be, it seems...). Now, I have come to realize the integrety of most all of his work, and although he is still lower on the "totem pole" as far as personal enjoyment goes than many, I have tremendous respect for him and his work. I think that every one of these "phases" was rooted in the fact that Brubeck uses traditional jazz "means" w/o using much traditional jazz "specifics", and that my view of him was/is related to how much importance I put in the relative weight of those two things. Anymore, hey, what the hell! This EURASIA album, though, is one that I've always dug, no matter what my personal take on Brubeck was at the time. Just seems like it's all where it needs to be, no muss, no fuss, just pure goodness from start to finish.(Although "Brandenburg Gate" flirts w/prissyness QUITE a bit, it never succumbs). Glad to hear that some dig it, and that some others have had theire interest piqued. I think it's a keeper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjobbe Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 (edited) .....lesser known.... ... , not really from my end as it was my first Jazz Record I got (my farther gave it to me when I was twelve) and I still have it... to me that was one milestone for to Jazz music ... maybe today the Jazz impression series (as thats not the only one that I found worthwhile to listen to) he did with the Quartet has been somewhat out of focus but at that time the wording of "Jazz impression of" has even reused by others (Vince Guaraldi e.g.) and it got a kind of trademark Cheers, Tjobbe Edited January 22, 2004 by tjobbe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 (edited) Got this album a few days ago. Good stuff! My favorite so far is probably the last track----"Calcutta Blues" I think. What a nice piece of work that is. Thanks for the recommendation, J. Edited January 29, 2004 by BruceH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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