THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET
(featuring Paul Desmond)Recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival (1953),
this Dave Brubeck recording is, among the
vast production of the artist, the one that
obtained the largest success with his fans
in the U,S,A,
Brubeck has been considered by the public as well as
the professionals as the most popular jazzman of the
West Coast.
The compositions performed in this album are
standards of jazz. Brubeck and Desmond largely
improvise on these themes and seem to be at the
best of their capacity.
I'll never smile again, a side from solos by Brubeck
and Desmond, has a bass solo by Ron Crotty.
Let's fall in love gets a slight Christmas Carol sound
in the beginning and Brubeck has a solo of an unusual
mood. Desmond, of course, is heard at length and
Crotty is also given time for a short statement.
Sturdust shows the pattern with which the group has
always played it. The audience applause following
Desmond's long improvisation, quickly brings to mind
the familiar picture of Desmond acknowlodging it
with a light smile, hands folded over the saxophone as
he steps back to stand, with head cocked to one side,
listening attentively to the chorus by Brubeck which
followed.
All the things you are is a bright number with Paul
beginning his solo with a light, almost clarinet tone
and Dave interpolating a quote from "My Man" into
his solo. Note particularly the way in which Desmond
creeps in his own solo on the tail of Brubecks's closing
phrase.The two then begin their celebrated dual impro-
visation.
Why do I love you is the shortest piece in the album
and is almost a "tour the force" for Desmond. Brubeck
enters closely tied to Desmond's solo and there is an
interesting passage by both before the bright duet at
the end.
Too marvelous for words has an interesting Brube-
ckian touch of almost boogie woogie trilling in the
in the middle of the piano solo which follows Paul's
opening improvisation. You may catch an eco of
"Digga Digga do" in Brubeck's chorus prior to the
entry of Ron Crotty for his last bass solo on the al-
bum. - The ending of this tune and the album is
replete with the double echoes of alto and piano as
Paul and Dave again join musical thoughts.
CONTINUA... to be continued...
