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Dave Brubeck, 1920-, Pianist and Composer
A Biography and Bibliography
by Tim Sheehan

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Biography

Dave Brubeck is a highly regarded American pianist and composer. Although he is known for his cosmopolitan style of jazz, Brubeck’s upbringing in a rural part of California provided little exposure to jazz. He came into the world on 6 December 1920 in Concord, California, then a farming community that seemed a world apart from nearby San Francisco. Because of his mother’s occupation as a piano teacher, music became a big part of Brubeck’s life at an early age. During his teenage years, he had weekend gigs playing piano with a band. Despite his apparent interest in music, Brubeck wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, Dave worked as a cowhand with his father, a rancher. Being forced to get an education by his parents, he had decided to study the veterinary sciences upon his enrollment at the College (now University) of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

His veterinary studies did not last long. A professor of the College saw that Brubeck’s mind was preoccupied with music. This professor urged him to transfer to the College’s music conservatory, which Brubeck did without hesitation. During his college years, jazz began to dominate Brubeck’s thinking. Gigs were played in the Stockton area. He excelled in his studies, until he hit an obstacle.

Brubeck has been plagued with vision problems throughout his life. In his early years, he could not decipher musical notes as a result of his poor-eyesight. His ability to play by ear allowed him to avoid facing this problem, until a piano professor discovered Brubeck’s inability to read music. The College allowed him to graduate only on condition that he agreed never, ever to teach in the discipline. Brubeck insisted that he only wanted to play jazz.

After his graduation in 1942, Dave Brubeck enlisted in the army. For two years, he was assigned to play piano for a military band in Southern California. In 1944, with little training done in battle tactics, the army made Brubeck a rifleman for Patton’s Third Army and shipped him overseas to France. His talent for piano playing was noticed. He was placed in a regimental jazz band and played for the troops in the front lines. The band, called the Wolf Pack, became popular with the troops and military officials. They had the honor of performing with the Rockettes in Germany. Although he had a great experience as the band’s leader, Brubeck came to the realization that he needed to study more music.

In 1946, with the assistance of the GI Bill, Brubeck entered Mills College masters program in music. Brubeck studied under Darius Milhaud, an avant-guard Jewish classical composer who had fled France before German occupation. Milhaud encouraged Brubeck to stick with jazz, to improvise, and to experiment with polytonality and polyrythm. Most importantly, Milhaud influenced Brubeck to be open minded to other cultures. One must experience their offerings, according to Milhaud, and incorporate them into music. Milhaud’s effect on Brubeck not only set the stage for his jazz career, but it also instilled a high regard for humanity that Brubeck continues to practice to this day.

The Dave Brubeck Octet, a formation composed of mostly Mills students, experimented with the sounds of jazz. During this time, Brubeck performed with other bands in the San Francisco area as a means to support his wife and children. In 1949, the Dave Brubeck Trio came into the scene with Cal Tjader on drums and Ron Crotty on bass. With the Trio, Brubeck gained more notoriety, which led to recording with Fantasy records. People regarded Brubeck’s superimposed music in 6/4 meter as an innovation, since jazz standards were in 4/4 meter. Others criticized this innovation as being more classical than jazzy, and lacking the swing essential to jazz. This criticism, along with his heavy-handed touch, has followed Brubeck throughout his career. Such criticism, however, never hurt his popularity with the public.

Unfortunately, another setback in Brubeck’s career occurred in 1951. While in Hawaii, Dave Brubeck crushed vertebrae in a swimming accident. Because this injury took Brubeck out of commission for a few months, Tjader and Crotty, with the encouragement of Fantasy records, decided to drop him. Dave Brubeck did not give up. During his recovery in Hawaii, Brubeck contacted alto saxophonist Paul Desmond to form a Quartet. Desmond and Brubeck had played on and off during the 40’s and early 50’s. Bad blood between the two did occur when Desmond dropped Brubeck from his band, but Brubeck later forgave Desmond. Both men enjoyed playing together. Knowing he would be playing the piano in pain, Brubeck believed Desmond would take a good amount of solo time away. More time given to Desmond would allow Brubeck to continue his recovery and play with more ease.

The Quartet initially played in San Francisco, then branched out nationally as their popularity increased. Unlike other jazz bands of their time, the Dave Brubeck Quartet performed at college campuses. A few albums were recorded by the Quartet at college campuses in the 50’s, including Jazz at Oberlin and Jazz at the College of the Pacific. Branching out to venues other than jazz clubs resulted in reaching a wider audience. National publications took notice and ran articles about the Quartet. In 1952, Time magazine introduced its readers to the Quartet, describing their jazz as a stream-of-consciousness, Bach-like sound. A few years later in 1954, Time put Brubeck on the cover. The same year, Brubeck signed with Columbia Records.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet enjoyed the remainder of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The Quartet’s first album with Columbia, Brubeck Time, sold over 100,000 copies, ten times more than the typical sales of a jazz album. Bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello joined Brubeck and Desmond in 1957 and 1958 respectively, forming what is known as the classic Quartet. The Quartet’s Time Out, the first jazz album to sell a million copies, came out in 1959. The album’s big hit “Take Five,” played in 5/4 meter, was actually composed by Paul Desmond with drummer Joe Morello (most literature gives Desmond complete credit). Brubeck composed the second most popular tune of Time Out, “Blue Rondo a la Turk.” Turkish rhythms and Mozart’s “Rondo a la Turk” influenced the creation of this piece, composed in 9/8 meter with a switch to 4/4 meter in the middle. The Quartet had hit the big time.

From the late 50’s and into the 60’s, the Dave Brubeck Quartet became involved in special projects atypical to jazz. In 1960, the Quartet performed and recorded with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The combo played compositions written by Howard Brubeck, Dave Brubeck’s brother, titled Dialogues fro Jazz Combo and Orchestra. In 1961, Brubeck composed The Real Ambassadors, a musical commentary on racism. His wife Iola wrote the lyrics. The Quartet had very little involvement in this musical. Instead, the piece consisted of performances by Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars, Carmen McRae, and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Brubeck and the Quartet did continue to record and tour extensively until 1967. Dave Brubeck had decided, at that time, to focus on musical composition.

Brubeck’s compositions combine orchestras with jazz. Many are religious. Others concern a regard for humanity with the theme “Love thy neighbor” being prevalent. In 1968, Brubeck performed his first Biblical oratorio The Light in the Wilderness with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Most critics praised this work. In 1980, Brubeck composed a mass entitled To Hope: A Celebration. Having been brought up Protestant, Brubeck became a Roman Catholic later in life. Yet his open mindedness has led him to other compositions involving different religions, such as Judaism in Gates of Justice.

Jazz compositions, recordings, and performances did not take a back seat during Brubeck’s drive towards other ventures. In 1968, and throughout the 1970’s, Brubeck and his new Trio performed with baritone saxophonists Gerry Mulligan. Brubeck would occasionally team up with Desmond in the 1970’s. The classic Quartet had a reunion tour in 1976, with Desmond making his last performances before his death in 1977. Brubeck’s sons Darius, Matthew, and Chris have joined the Quartet at various times and all have their own careers in music.

Dave Brubeck’s popularity has not waned at all. In 1987, the Quartet performed at the Moscow Summit. Some credit his performance in making a difference in the outcome. Russians and Americans in attendance realized that they had a common interest; music. In 1994, The Down Beat Hall of Fame inducted Brubeck as a member. He received the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton in 1995. In 1996, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences. The University of the Pacific corrected its past mistake by awarding Brubeck with an honorary doctorate. Brubeck in turn decided to leave his business and personal papers to the University and created the Dave Brubeck Institute as part of the UOP’s music department. Brubeck continues to perform and record to this day.

Sources

Hall, Fred M. It’s About Time: The Dave Brubeck Story. Fayetteville: The University of Arkansas Press, 1996.

Koransky, Jason. “Brubeck Offers Insight to Students.” Down Beat. 70(3) (March 2003): 90.

Mach, Elyse. “With Dave Brubeck the Music Never Stops.” The Instrumentalist. 55(12) (July 2001): 30-36.

©2008 Tim Sheehan tim@historynut.info

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This page last updated 29 March 2008