Dave Brubeck, Komponist und Pianist
"Essentially I am a composer who plays the piano. I am not a pianist first". (LP Camus, 1972).
Dave Brubeck considers himself primarily a composer. He has become well known and renowned predominantely through his piano improvisations, especially the million best seller "Take Five", a composition by his long-time saxophonist, Paul Desmond.
Dave Brubeck was born on December 6, 1920, in Concord California. He received "classical" piano lessons from his mother. In 1946, he formed an experimental octet with other students of Milhaud's class. He received complete understanding and vigorous support from composer Darius Milhaud. "He encouraged me to become a composer. But he was insistent that I not give up Jazz. - In Jazz you are free, he would say" (preface to "Reminiscences of the Cattle Country"). In 1949, a trio was formed, in 1951, the quartet with Paul Desmond, as, Fred Dutton, b, and Herb Barman, dr. It existed until 1967. "An American Institution" (Dave Brubeck, Jazz Immortal). Since 1968, numerous larger compositions have been produced.
Four essential stylistic tendencies are ascertainable in the compositions and improvisations of Dave Brubeck:
- The influence of the so-called classical music (Bach and Chopin, for example in "Points on Jazz", "Fugue" and "Prelude").
- The Time Experiments (especially the albums "Time Out" and "Time Further Out" with, for example, "Blues Rondo a la Turk" in 9/8 or "Unsquare Dance" in 7/4 etc.).
- The adoption of music from foreign cultures ("Impressions", "Cultural Exchange") with "Koto Song" from "Jazz Impressions of Japan" or "Nomad" and "Calcutta Blues" from "Jazz Impressions of Eurasia".
- The preference for larger compositions, particularly since the quartet times (1967) : 2 albums with piano compositions, 2 ballote, 2 pieces for Jazz-Combo and Orchestra, a Broadway musical with Louis Armstrong, an Oratorio, 4 Cantatas, and a Mass.