In 1954, popularity and controversy swirled around Dave Brubeck. On one hand, his appeal on college campuses brought him great notoriety, culminating with his appearance on Time magazine's cover of November 8. Brubeck was the first jazz musician to receive that kind of national attention. On the other hand, many musicians and critics dismissed his cool-toned, cerebral work as decidedly non-jazz; many musicians were peeved, thinking that Brubeck had stolen the thunder of more deserving jazzmen.
The recordings on this compilation--which include the full album Brubeck Time and four songs from the live set Jazz: Red, Hot and Cool--almost seem as if Brubeck and alter ego Paul Desmond had something to prove. Most of the songs are up-tempo, buoyant, and energetic, especially for the "cool" Brubeck. His quartet swings softly but firmly on a collection of standards and a few originals. At its best, Brubeck's group had a drive and a pulse, even though they were often subtle, submerged, or implied. Desmond's alto work is playful and childlike: He often joked that he was the world's slowest sax player, but his airy and jumpy lines are sublimely lyrical, humorous, and very well constructed. Desmond's alto was the perfect foil for Brubeck's serious, angry, and tense piano, which often owed more to classical music than to jazz. The two display a tremendous rapport whether it be through contrapuntal lines or call and response. The original "Stompin for Mili," named for a filmmaker who'd been one of their fiercest critics, generates as much heat as any Brubeck recording.
If you like Dave Brubeck, check out:
Gerry Mulligan With Chet Baker
Dave Brubeck Time Out
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