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Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

nytimes.com

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Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#21

Post by blankenship »

I’m 33. I "discovered" Brubeck four or five years ago, primarily wearing out Jazz Impressions of New York while looking to detox a bit from a year of Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis.

In April 2011 my wife and I took a train from South Carolina to Washington D.C. to catch one of Dave's four sold out shows at Blues Alley. I paid more money than I had ever paid to see a concert, knowing this would likely be my only chance to ever see him live. He played an amazing set, with minimal onstage banter, giving his players plenty of room to shine during their solos.

He ended the set with a few of his more well-known standards, and then—just before leaving the stage—simply said, “They’ve got me on oxygen. But I made it through the whole set without needing the damn thing.”

Class act.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#22

Post by leothekim »

Dave Brubeck took a stand against racism and would refuse to play in segregated venues. He turned down offers to perform in South Africa because of ordinances that prohibited racially mixed groups. He apparently started one the first racially integrated bands in the U.S. army during WW II.

We lost a musical genius and a good human being.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#23

Post by kleiba »

Oh my... I had no idea he was still alive until now! Shame on me :-(

A while ago, I randomly bought a Dave Brubeck CD. I'd heard of him and knew he was a jazz pianist, but was not familiar with his work at all, so I thought I'd give it a try.

It happened to be this one: http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Impressions-York-Dave-Brubeck/dp/...

For the next couple of weeks, it didn't leave my CD player - I had it on constant repeat. It's just really good.

Funnily, I was into text adventures / IF at that time as well, so now in my brain the "Jazz Impressions of New York" are forever entangled with "A Mind Forever Voyaging".

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#24

Post by kleiba »

objclxt wrote: post #8
andrewcooke wrote: post #5

"put jazz back in vogue"? i've searched the article and still can't work out what this is referring to. is he particularly prized in the usa? was he some kind of tv personality? (i listen to a fair bit of jazz; respect to the guy - he made one of the famous jazz records - but if he was the first jazz musician on time's cover that, in honesty, says a lot more about time, american culture, and his skin colour (no criti…

> "but if he was the first jazz musician on time's cover that, in honesty, says a lot more about time" That's a mistake in the obituary: he was the second jazz musician to make the cover of Time. Louis Armstrong was first, five years earlier in 1949 ( http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19490221,00.html )

So it should really be "put jazz back in time" ;-)

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#25

Post by wglb »

We saw him a few years ago at a concert at Ravinia (https://www.ravinia.org/) along with Ramsay Lewis. Dave was clearly not a full physical strength, and it seemed that he was playing fewer notes, but his enthusiasm was tops.

I recommend the boxed set http://www.amazon.com/For-All-Time-Dave-Brubeck/dp/B0001FGB9...

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#26

Post by jazzychad »

Brubeck and Paul Desmond inspired me musically at an early age to pick up the sax and fueled my love of jazz. "Time Out" was the first CD I ever bought with my own money (my grandfather had an original vinyl copy I would listen to at his house). My nick can even be traced back to Dave's early influence in my life. I don't have many personal heroes or idols in my life, but Dave Brubeck is one of them. This is sad news.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#27

Post by kylebgorman »

leothekim wrote: post #22

Dave Brubeck took a stand against racism and would refuse to play in segregated venues. He turned down offers to perform in South Africa because of ordinances that prohibited racially mixed groups. He apparently started one the first racially integrated bands in the U.S. army during WW II. We lost a musical genius and a good human being.

Brubeck's career benefitted MASSIVELY from being white (ish: he was of mixed ancestry), a fact he was himself quite ashamed of.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#28

Post by scrumper »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #4

I learned of Dave's music when I tracked down the theme song used in "The Secret Life of Machines" (which was "Take Five"). I bought his album "Time out" that had that song on it and really enjoyed it. Then bought the Christmas Album. Sad to hear he has died, but glad he chose to share his music with us.

Time Out is a pretty unique jazz album that's often overlooked. Most jazz, like rock, is in 4/4 time (with the odd waltz-time tune to liven it up.) Not good enough for Dave Brubeck: Time Out has all kinds of weird compound time stuff going on. Take Five is in 5/4, which gives it its unusual vibe; Three to Get Ready gives you two bars of 3/4 and two of 4/4, alternating (which to me it feels a bit like a car on the verge of starting; I don't actually like that tune.) There's other stuff going on there too but it's been a while since I listened to it. Will dig it out again tonight in his honour.

Non jazz-heads wanting a similar experience could do worse than listen to Money, by Pink Floyd: 7/4 for the verses, then 4/4 for the solo.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#29

Post by scrumper »

antr wrote: post #6
ChuckMcM wrote: post #4

I learned of Dave's music when I tracked down the theme song used in "The Secret Life of Machines" (which was "Take Five"). I bought his album "Time out" that had that song on it and really enjoyed it. Then bought the Christmas Album. Sad to hear he has died, but glad he chose to share his music with us.

the amazing thing about his music is that it still sounds extremely contemporary, take five is the perfect example - david holmes does a better job of sounding "old"

I think I meant to reply to your comment, not the parent. The contemporary vibe comes in part from the unusual structures. It still sounds really fresh.

Re: Dave Brubeck, Who Helped Put Jazz Back in Vogue, Dies at 91

#30

Post by clicks »

j2labs wrote: post #18

I am proud to have paid him homage by naming my web framework after him. He deserves so much more.

Interesting, that's actually the first thing I thought of, and not the pianist (I did not know about him).

It may sound crass, but I may as well ask: how's Brubeck (the framework) coming along?

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