Time Out Dave Brubeck Quartet

In 1998, Columbia reissued a bunch of CDs by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, often adding one or two previously unissued selections to the sets. Buried Treasures: Recorded Live in Mexico City, however, is something different, for none of the music had been out before. Recorded live in 1967 during a tour of Mexico that also resulted in the album Bravo! Brubeck!, the set features the classic Brubeck Quartet (with altoist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello) performing seven selections they had previously recorded, which was probably why this particular music stayed in the vaults for decades. The quality is certainly quite high, with Brubeck and Desmond really digging into such songs as "Koto Song" (coming up with some inspired ideas over its vamp), "You Go to My Head," a lengthy "St. Louis Blues," and a fairly concise version of "Take Five," one of the few versions by Brubeck of the hit song that does not have a drum solo. Suffice to say, Dave Brubeck fans only need to be notified of two things: they do not already own this music, and the Quartet is heard throughout in prime form. Recommended.

Music from West Side Story is a 1986 compilation album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet of music from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim musical West Side Story, with other tracks taken from Brubeck's albums Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein (1960) and Anything Goes: The Music of Cole Porter (1966) and My Favorite Things (1965).
"Maria" done as a swinging, uptempo ballad, while "Tonight" becomes a jumping-off point for all concerned into a jazz excursion across several decades' worth of tunes. By contrast, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is done in a slow, pensively lyrical, lilting fashion. Paul Desmond's playing shines every bit as much as Brubeck's, and the whole record - including the Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart material - swings in some unexpected directions that still delight five-plus decades later.

Drummer Joe Dodge left the Dave Brubeck quartet in 1956 to spend more time with his wife and children. He was replaced by Joe Morello. Bassist Norman Bates also left the group the following year for the comforts of home and family. Brubeck chose Eugene Wright to take his place on bass. With Morello and Wright in the fold, the "Classic Quartet" was born. Although Brubeck and Desmond played with several musicians over the years, this group of Brubeck, Desmond, Wright and Morello would become the most famous of Brubeck's bands. The US State Department hired them for this "goodwill" tour of Europe including dates in England, Scotland, Germany, Denmark,Belgium, Holland, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. This long unavailable concert appears here in its entirety for the first time ever - including two previously unissued tracks 'The Duke' and 'One Moment Worth Years'.

Inspired by a trip with his family to Disneyland, Dave Brubeck recorded eight songs taken from four Disney movies (Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Snow White, and Cinderella), including such melodies as "Give a Little Whistle," "Heigh Ho," "When You Wish Upon a Star," and "Someday My Prince Will Come." The funny part is that while all of these songs were already in the Brubeck Quartet's repertoire, the results are still pleasing.

In 1982 pianist Dave Brubeck welcomed clarinetist Bill Smith (who he had played with back in his octet days in the late '40s) as a permanent member of his Quartet along with drummer Randy Jones and Chris Brubeck on electric bass and occasional bass trombone. This album features the new Quartet at the Concord Jazz Festival playing what would become their typical mixture of songs: three Brubeck compositions ("Benjamin," "Koto Song" and "Softly, William, Softly"), a standard ("Black and Blue") and yet another remake of "Take Five." These are fine performances.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet (with altoist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello) is in excellent form for this typical program from the mid-'60s. In addition to standards such as "St. Louis Blues," "Tangerine," and "These Foolish Things," they perform Brubeck's originals "Cultural Exchange" and "Koto Song" along with a brief version of "Take Five."

This live compilation contains tracks from at least three separate concerts, all taped without authorization as Brubeck was exclusively a Columbia artist during this time frame. "Some Day My Prince Will Come," a Disney-associated tune that Brubeck introduced to the jazz world, fares well here, with the pianist only lightly comping behind Paul Desmond's alto sax solo; while Brubeck's dramatic "Forty Days" is as formidable as any of its commercial recordings. "Summer Song" is actually the beautiful Brubeck ballad "Softly, William, Softly." Several tracks from the Take Five Live CD are repeated here, complete with their incorrect titles and poor sound. The one track featuring Gerry Mulligan likely comes from a 1968 appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; though it is marred by feedback from the on-stage monitors, it is worth hearing…

This set is a near-classic, one of many from this period, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Drummer Joe Dodge had just joined the group, and he works with bassist Ron Crotty in laying down a solid and subtle foundation. The real action, however, takes place up front with pianist Dave Brubeck and altoist Paul Desmond. Their individual solos are full of creative ideas on six standards - most memorable are "All the Things You Are," "Laura," and "I'll Never Smile Again" - and their interaction and tradeoffs are timeless.

One of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's lesser-known albums, this LP features the group performing six instrumental versions of songs from The Real Ambassadors plus "Dizzy Ditty" and a 12-minute rendition of "Brandenburg Gate." Brubeck, altoist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello seem inspired during this concert by the fresh material, making this hard-to-find album a bit of a collector's item.

This is one of Dave Brubeck's more obscure recordings but not because of its quality. Somewhat lost in the shuffle, this excellent quartet session with clarinetist Bill Smith, Chris Brubeck (on electric bass and bass trombone) and drummer Randy Jones finds the pianist/leader performing eight of his compositions; only "Blues for Newport" caught on a little. The emphasis is on slower tempos and wistful solos (particularly on the Paul Desmond-tribute "We Will All Remember Paul") but the music is stimulating enough to hold one's interest throughout. Dave Brubeck has never allowed himself to become predictable.