One of the nicest and coolest musicians ever.
Take Five Dave. RIP.
Dave Brubeck passes at 91
by Dagney 23 Replies latest jw friends
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wha happened?
another legend is gone
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Londo111
I love the album Time Out.
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Dagney
Me too Londo.
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00DAD
Blue Rondo a la Turk!
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Londo111
An excellent piece. I love the buildup. My favorite on the album.
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Dagney
Playing that now. Love it as well.
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Apognophos
I know someone who met him in field service once. Turns out... he was a very nice man!
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I quit!
I used to have Time Out in cassette. Even then it was probably 15 years old. Take Five just makes you feel good listening to it.
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Terry
Dave Brubeck was a natural.
He couldn't read music and was on the verge of being kicked out the music conservatory when his professors discovered he was "flying blind".
His way with counterpoint and harmony was innate and advanced. His teachers made him promise that if they passed him he would never teach!!
Brubeck was in General George Patton's third army and only missed the famous Battle of the Bulge because he volunteered to play for the Red Cross.
His performance was such a hit he was coerced into forming his own band! He created a mixed-race band (which was very no no in those days.)
Brubeck was a musical intellectual. He wanted to know every style, form and theory so that he could approach his own improvisations "knowingly".
He felt that reading music was more of a limiting factor than having the freedom to "stray".
He was fascinated with odd rhythms and unusual time signatures. His most famous TAKE FIVE was a collaboration with saxaphonist Paul Desmond (who composed the melody). The album was a best seller, yet, ironically his group was very rarely asked to perform gigs.
The music could not be danced to and most listeners didn't really "get it"! But, the real reason was that in the Pre-Civil Rights era many clubs
would object to a black member. Brubeck refused to play without him and would cancel his contract.
Brubeck finally became "in" during the 60's and he was recording 4 albums a year. He used his popularity and influence to start an All Jazz radio station WJZZ-FM with himself as program director.
Brubeck was socially conscious of inequality among races. His own picture on the cover of TIME magazine was deeply embarassing to him.
Why? He felt Duke Ellington was more deserving and that he (Brubeck) was chosen because he was white.
He was walking with his son, Darius, to a cardiology appointment when he collapsed. A brithday party had been planned afterward. It was changed to a memorial service instead.
Dave---rest in peace, my friend!