Five years ago, I mentioned that one of my favorite Jazz musicians to chill out to was Dave Brubeck. he passed away this week a day shy of his 92nd birthday.
Even if you don’t know Brubeck, you probably know of him via the song Take Five. It was on the album Time Out, which was the first million selling jazz disc.
Take Five may be the single best known Jazz recording of all time (argue amongst yourselves as to whats better known).
Brubeck is one of those rare musicians where you can just about randomly select anything he’s recorded — and its all pretty great. Its perfect music to just kick back and relax to.
If you want some suggestions, I consider these my favorite Brubeck albums:
Time Out
Concord on a Summer Night
Jazz at Oberlin
Live at the Berlin Philharmonie
Jazz at the College of the Pacific
I even find his “goofy fun stuff” terrific — check out Quiet as the Moon. It is his “Peanuts inspired” work, and except for a song or two, its not the actual Peanuts music (that was Vince Guaraldi doing the actual Peanuts recording, A Boy Named Charlie Brown).
Also worth checking out are Dave Digs Disney and Brubeck Plays Music From West Side Story. Simple, fun stuff.
See also:
His Music Gave Jazz New Pop (NYT Obit)
Pianist behind one of the world’s most famous jazz tunes takes his final five (Indepedent)
When the World Was ‘Mad About Brubeck’: Dave Brubeck (Stop the Presses)
Friday Night Jazz: Gerry Mulligan II (May 23, 2008)
videos after the jump
Take Five
Blue Rondo A La Turk
St Louis Blues 1961
Other Videos Worth Checking Out:
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