One of the all time great and important jazz quartets was the one led by pianist Dave Brubeck. Oh, he’s best known for the classic tune “Take Five”, but that song only epitomizes the leader’s genius and vision. Every one of his albums, up to his dying day, was a wonderful vision of sound and swing. This boxed set puts together a hefty amount of his material from his highly influential 1950s.
The set starts with the 1954 debut of alto saxist Paul Desmond, who was the perfect foil for Brubeck with his icy and dry tone. At College of the Pacific, there are glowing reads of “All The Things You Are” and the glorious “Laura”. Next year has him with a different rhythm section, but still with Desmond for a lyrical “A Fine Romance” and a delving into Tin Pan Alley (which he never abandoned) “Pennies From Heaven”. In 1958, he finally adds one major ingredient in drummer Joe Morello, who fits right in for the tricky “Brandenburg Gate” and “Nomad”. Everything then falls into place when bassist Eugene Wright completes the equation a warm up of things to come on a joyful album including “ Swanee River” and “Camptown Races” before assembling for the classic 1959 album with “Take Five”, “Blue Rondo a la Turk” and “Kathy’s Waltz”. The band then brings in blues shouter Jimmy Rushing for a hoot of standards like the blues “Evenin’” and a fervent “My Melancholy Baby” before Desmond departs and is replaced by the underrated Bill Smith, who brings in some of his own material for sophisticated charts like “Dorican Dance” and Lydian Line”. It doesn’t get better than this.