Dave Brubeck - Dave Brubeck - Greatest Hits

While greatest-hits CDs abound, Dave Brubeck has been one of the few modern-jazz musicians to have actually enjoyed an occasional hit record. This CD compiles material from Brubeck's Columbia recordings of the 1950s and 1960s, revealing his deft combination of modernist harmony and unusual time signatures with the immediately accessible. Whether it's his own fine song "In Your Own Sweet Way" or Stephen Foster's "Camptown Races," his homage to Duke Ellington or the Mozart-inspired "Blue Rondo," Brubeck balances his taste for innovation with traditional melodic values. The quartet with altoist Paul Desmond was Brubeck's finest instrument. Desmond's gauzy sound and fluent improvisations provided effective contrast to Brubeck's own assertive, slightly stiff piano playing, and drummer Joe Morello smoothed out the most challenging rhythms. Desmond's "Take Five" has become a jazz standard, and this once-controversial music now conveys a special period charm. --Stuart Broomer Amazon.com

Take Five in One

Some people affirm that the early years of Dave Brubeck's production are his best. If you agree, this may well be your best Brubeck in one disc: Blue Rondo, Take Five, Unsquare Dance... May 7, 2007

Brubeck's Greatest Hits, Great Album

This album contains many of the Brubecks's songs that I used to listen many years ago, including "Its a Raggy Waltz" and "Take Five", two of his true classics. It's a Raggy Waltz is a masterpiece, a very beautiful jazz song. I think it is interesting that you listen the samples.

Dave give us nice compositions with a sophisticated harmony.
Do not forget Paul Desmond, a very talented saxophonist that was essential to Brubeck's success.

Enjoy it September 19, 2005

WHEN JAZZ GOES POP

Well, I've been a jazz music fan for a very short time so I can't yet say I'm this big connoisseur and all but...but I bought Dave's Greatest Hits cd yesterday and as I got home I put it into my cd player right away and listened to it three times in a row!!Couldn't help tapping and snapping to it. What a GREAT music, folks! I love all the tracks, especially that "Rondo a la Turk" one which I didn't know was one of Dave's milestones.
If you are looking for a real jazz masterpiece, try this cd and then tell me if I'm right. @. April 28, 2005

THE GREATEST SELECTION OF BRUBECK TUNES!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven't herd any Brubeck music, this is the album you must get first, besides Time Out. This album has the greatest assortment of Brubeck tunes I ever herd in the best order.
You'll love this music, and the album itself. January 26, 2004

(Some) of Brubeck's greatest tunes

I've always felt that of all the jazz composers, Dave Brubeck has the most original ideas and concepts. Bear in mind, the man is not just strictly a jazz composer, recently I saw one of Brubeck's newest compositions entitled 'Regrets' being performed by the Yale Cellos, an entire 22 piece ensemble of just cellos. At the recital, I saw him there and got a chance to speak to him and ask him some questions. Given that Dave is currently 82 years old he is still very sharp, though he did not have a lot to say. What he did tell me however, after I asked him how he thought jazz and improvisation related to his orchestral and chamber music, was that they are one in the same. This is clearly evident in all of his music. No one has embodied more of romantic and post-romantic music in the jazz idiom than Dave Brubeck. The tunes on this album I must stress are SOME of the best work he did with the Dave Brubeck quartet featuring Paul Desmond, one of the greatest jazz bands in history. You still get overview however of what makes this band stand out from all other jazz quartets in history. If you are not familiar with Brubeck you should definetely buy this album and listen to it from beginning to end with no distractions and then you will understand what makes his musical ideas so original. If you are familiar with Brubeck you already know what I'm talking about, and this album will just serve as a good summary of his work with Desmond, Morello, and Wright. June 8, 2003

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