The Dave Brubeck Quartet
The Crossing
Telarc Jazz
At 80 years old, it’s a wonder that someone remembers to put their teeth in and sign checks, but to be making a great contemporary jazz album is astonishing. What shouldn’t be shocking is that the person who leads such a life is jazz mastermind Dave Brubeck. At 80 years young, he’s come a long way (twelve Telarc Jazz releases) from his first hit in 1959, Take Five. The Crossing, his latest adventure, helps to celebrate the six decades he’s been in the jazz circuit. Considering the background of Brubeck, one would expect it to be of old time sound, him trying to relive what the late ’50s did for jazz, but in contrast, the disc is actually quite modern. With the Latin/Caribbean “Por Que No?” and the ballad “All My Love” (written for wife of 59 years, Iola Brubeck) not to mention other credible instrumentals, Brubeck credits his versitle flavor to gathering inspiration from everything in he’s seen in life. From exotic vacations to street bands, being so absorbent is more of a blessing than a curse to the jazz star. Because he’s seen music change so much in his lifetime, he’s able to blend all that should be to create a smooth jazz sound that’s truly unique. The Crossing actually refers to the “crossing over” of popular music these days and as the genres fade into the horizon, there rises a moon of new material with plenty of room for old time jazz hounds still stirring things up.
Telarc Jazz: http://www.telarc.com
