# Vaya con dios, Dave Brubeck



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

I was sad to learn of *Dave Brubeck's *passing yesterday at age 91:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/wo...+pianist+Dave+Brubeck+dies/7655198/story.html

Brubeck is certainly a dominant figure in Jazz - when Ken Burns features you on one of his documentaries, you know you've made it...

What stands out for me is his incredible - and odd - sense of rythm and use of odd meters: 9/8 (Blue Rondo à la Turk), 5/4 (Take Five), 7/4 (Unsquare Dance), 11/4 (aptly, Onze Fou), 13/4 (World's Fair), etc.

The classical connection with Brubeck is *Darius Milhauid*, with whom he worked at the University of the Pacific (under the GI Bill, if I'm not istaken), who forced him into re-learning to play the piano (as he couldn't really read music, he played by ear until then).

He will be sadly missed. Hoping he's jamming again with his old partner *Paul Desmond*.


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## Cnote11 (Jul 17, 2010)

As I mentioned in another thread, I was going to the Detroit Jazz Festival a few years back to see him, but he ended up pulling out for health reasons. He is one of my favorite artists and I was very disappointed that I didn't get to see him. I think of him as one of the greatest pianists. 

I really like this quote from the article 

"Many people don't understand how disciplined you have to be to play jazz. ... And that is really the idea of democracy — freedom within the Constitution or discipline. You don't just get out there and do anything you want."


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

Cnote11 said:


> As I mentioned in another thread, I was going to the Detroit Jazz Festival a few years back to see him, but he ended up pulling out for health reasons. He is one of my favorite artists and I was very disappointed that I didn't get to see him. I think of him as one of the greatest pianists.


I was fortunate enoough to see Mr. Brubeck live, accompanied by the Montreal Symphony, at the gala opening of the Montreal Jazz Festival, that would have been 1987 or 88. I have nothing but fond memories of that concert performance, which included some music he wrote with a Symphony in mind (as I recall, it was a very latin-sounding mass movement of some sort). I wish I'd heard him in a more traditional jazz setting - which I never did "live" although we all have seen him on television or heard some of his quite fresh sounding live performances.


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## Hassid (Sep 29, 2012)

Not only jazz. Have by him a chromatic fantasy in 4 movements for string quartet. A short and chromatic (!) work.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

He is truly one of the musical giants of his generation--as well as all others--and will be greatly missed. In his personal life as well, he struck me as being a very decent, compassionate and humble man.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

Just saw this today but he was and is one of my favorite jazz artists of all time. I pray he rests in peace.

Kevin


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