Watch the Dave Brubeck Quartet on the Classic Jazz 625 Show, 1964

The great jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who died in December only a day short of his 92nd birthday, pulled off a rare feat: He made music that was at once experimental and highly popular. His quartet’s 1959 album Time Out, with its unconventional time signatures and unique blending of exotic and classical influences, is a landmark in jazz history.

On June 9, 1964 the Dave Brubeck Quartet played a pair of half-hour sets for the Jazz 625 show in London. We’re happy to bring you one of those two episodes in its complete form. It’s an excellent show, featuring performances of five numbers, famous and obscure, and a discussion between Brubeck and host Steve Race about Brubeck’s composing methods. The quartet is made up of Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Here’s the set list:

  1. Danny’s London Blues (D. Brubeck)
  2. Dialogues for Jazz Combo & Orchestra, 2nd Movement (H. Brubeck)
  3. The Wright Groove (E. Wright)
  4. Take Five (P. Desmond)
  5. Sounds of the Loop (D. Brubeck)

Related Content:

Remembering Jazz Legend Dave Brubeck (RIP) with a Very Touching Musical Moment

10 Great Performances From 10 Legendary Jazz Artists: Brubeck, Coltrane, Miles and More


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Comments (5)
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    • Mike Springer says:

      Yes of course, Dan. It was essentially a typo. (I might just as easily have said “Joe Desmond on alto sax.”) Thank you for calling the error to my attention. It’s fixed.

  • Dan McDonald says:

    Sorry for shouting. Joe Morello is one of my percussion heroes. And yes, I transpose names too. :)

    Thanks.

  • Mike Springer says:

    No problem, Dan. I appreciate your note because otherwise I might never have realized the error. And I agree–Joe Morello was a fantastic drummer.

  • Pete Poulos says:

    Dave Brubeck was a good man indeed, he would not compromise and turned down 100’s of thousands of dollars, serious money back then because he would not replace Eugene Wright the Bass Player with a White Bass Player for any scheduled concerts in the South in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Besides being a true Gentleman, he was a creative force that only comes around once in a lifetime, all Four of these men were the best and very creative!

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