Jazz Icons: Dave Brubeck Live in '64 & '66 (2007)

Jazz Icons: Dave Brubeck boasts two beautifully filmed concerts from one of the most beloved quartets in jazz history. Captured at the pinnacle of their power and popularity, Paul Desmond (alto sax), Joe Morello (drums), Eugene Wright (bass) and Dave Brubeck (piano) explore the trails they blazed into the realm of odd time signatures with "Forty Days" and two versions of their groundbreaking hit "Take Five", as well as forays into world music with two unique interpretations of "Koto Song". Their intimate onstage chemistry and impeccable musicianship made the DBQ an award-winning jazz supergroup.

Jazz Icons, a grand slam

This is the third, and best in visual and audio quality
of this series, that I have seen, so far. Although this DVD is in black and white, this quality production will
make you wish all vintage footage could be this good.
If you have longed to see and hear the sound of the
Dave Brubeck Quartet, you will not be disappointed. June 28, 2008

Brubeck '64 and '67

I am a Brubeck connoiseur and have most of any available recordings. This video was a real surprise and better than I had hoped for. The black and white film has been done carefully if a little static, and the soundtrack is remarkably good. The Quartet is at their height and it's a blast to watch them play. It would be great if another such film turned up. Also, there must be other live concert recordings in existence which I would love to own. April 14, 2008

Brubeck Lives!

Dave Brubeck has been cookin' since the early '50s. This is an excellent example of how Dave rocks. January 1, 2008

A Great Trip down Memory Lane

I've been a fan of the Brubeck Quartet -- and particularly Paul Desmond -- for fifty years; I saw this same quartet (with I think Joe Benjamin on bass instead of Eugene Wright) when I was 16 years old. This video has a beautifully photographed studio performance along with concert recordings, and to see the interactions of the group and hear the beautiful and creative playing of Desmond made the purchase of this video worth every penny. Morello's drumming remains spectacular from both a musical and visual perspective. I was delighted with my purchase of this video. December 12, 2007

Classic Quartet in solid form.

The DVD features two shorter sets of the Quartet. There is some overlap of material between the two sets, but differences in treatment keep the selections from seeming repetitive.

The DVD comes with an adequate booklet, but little detail about the concerts from which the footage is taken (hardly surprising, given the sheer number of performances by the Quartet). The DVD has very little to offer for extras, other than the simple main menu. I believe this is the norm for the series, however.

While it would have been nice to have more background on the performances, or more extras, this DVD is absolutely a must for fans of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Watching (as opposed to being limited to simply listening to) the byplay among the players is fascinating and worth every penny. This is especially true given the relatively modest cost of the DVD. October 18, 2007

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