Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck dead at 91

Reuters ^ | Dec 5, 2012 | Christine Kearney

[Alaska Wolf]

(Reuters) - Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, whose choice of novel rhythms, classical structures and brilliant sidemen made him a towering figure in modern jazz, has died at the age of 91, his longtime manager and producer Russell Gloyd said on Wednesday.

Brubeck died of heart failure on Wednesday morning after he fell ill on his way to a regular medical exam at Norwalk Hospital, in Norwalk, Conn., a day short of his 92nd birthday, Gloyd said.

His Dave Brubeck Quartet put out one of the best selling jazz songs of all time: "Take Five," composed by alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Like many of the group's works, it had an unusual beat -- 5/4 time as opposed to the usual 4/4.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Brubeck's band doing Desmond's Take Five on YouTube, 1996.

[Alaska Wolf]

Take 5, Dave. RIP!

[fhayek]

Brubeck and Desmond. It does not get better.

[stop_fascism]

One of the all time greats of American music, and a UOP grad. RIP.

[fhayek]

Maybe I should have said that it doesn't get any better. Godspeed, Mr. Brubeck.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the link; post. Condolences to Dave Brubeck’s family and friends.

[Stepan12]

Me trying to play Take Five (audio recording) back in 1995. I was sending music to a German penpal then.

[Biggirl]

RIP famous CT resident. “Take Five!”

[Biggirl]

What is UOP? Thanks!

[jaz.357]

Best album cover EVER!

(when I was 13)

[Alaska Wolf]

Best album cover EVER!

Definitely a 10. Beautiful teeth!

[Alaska Wolf]

Me trying to play Take Five (audio recording) back in 1995. I was sending music to a German penpal then.

Well done. I attended a Brubeck concert in the 60s, but I was never a big fan of jazz.

[Fiji Hill]

What is UOP?

The University of the Pacific, in Stockton, Calif.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Our man in washington]

I’ll take a post to say “thanks for the great music, Mr. Brubeck!”

[Our man in washington]

In fact, I’ll take two posts.

[Our man in washington]

No, three posts.

[Our man in washington]

No, four posts.

[Our man in washington]

What the heck...I’ll take five.

[Revolting cat!]

IBHWA (In Before ‘He Was Amazing’!)

[edpc]

He’s an artist, a pioneer
We’re gonna need some music
On the new frontier

[Betis70]

So sad. Watched this today and am still impressed by the quality of these musicians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA5UEGKZoGA

[MD Expat in PA]

Nice Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) reference. :)

[Tucker39]

I went into the Army in 1957 as a Rock & Roll fan, but after Basic, my advanced training put me in an outfit with mostly Joe College types.

It was one of those guys who put me onto progressive jazz, by introducing me to Brubeck and Desmond for openers, which led to Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Freshmen, Julie London, and many more I’ve forgotten. Great memories. Want to dig out my old vinyl albums!

[chajin]

It was listening to Brubeck and Jimmy Smith that made me love jazz as a teenager. I only saw Brubeck live once, in 1972 when I was 18, with Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax. He lived as long as he did, in part because in 1944 he was pulled out of Patton's Third Army to play background piano for a Red Cross function in Paris. There he met Darius Milhaud, who had studied with Widor but who also loved American jazz, and for whom Dave named his son Darius. Darius Brubeck went to South Africa as apartheid was ending, and taught music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal for almost 20 years; one of his students was the singer Pamela (de Menezes) Myburgh of the girl-band duo The Arrows. Dave wrote the cantata “The Gates of Justice,” and today he went through those gates. I'm sure his Lord was able to take five and meet him.

[stop_fascism]

Tniversity of the Pacific. Actually, it was probably College of the Pacific when he attended its music conservatory.

[Quick Shot]

He played a concert in my high school in 1974 or 75. Our school had the best acoustics 2000 seat auditorium in the area. He was scheduled to play that night, and at the last minute added a couple hours during the day for the students. Was incredible, what a talent. That day they had fun. (also the place had an incredible smell of burning leaves all day).

When I play practice golf now always have him on in earphones. Helps as the rhythms keep changing.