80th Birthday Concert: Live With the LSO

by Ken DrydenThis is a rather unique release by Dave Brubeck because it features the veteran pianist/composer with four of his sons, saxophonist Bobby Militello, and bassist Alec Dankworth, along with the London Symphony Orchestra in a concert played not long after his 80th birthday in December 2000. Unlike many jazz meets symphony affairs, this is a truly integrated effort that succeeds very well. Brubeck arranged "Chorale" (a powerful classical work primarily featuring the strings); Darius Brubeck, who is also featured on piano, contributed the arrangements for both "Summer Music" and "Blue Rondo à la Turk," demonstrating considerable skill in his writing for strings, as well as an original dedicated to his father, the tense and occasionally rockish "Four Score in Seven." The pianists' late brother, Howard Brubeck, scored the ever-popular "In Your Own Sweet Way" (a feature for Matthew Brubeck's lyrical cello) and the moving "Brandenberg Gate Revisited." Chris Brubeck (heard on both bass trombone and fretless electric bass) arranged the snappy "A Salute to the Count," which briefly touches upon several pieces associated with Count Basie, and also the catchy "Unsquare Dance," a longtime favorite which he plays when leading his own groups. The inevitable "Take Five," arranged by conductor Russell Gloyd (Brubeck's longtime manager), leads off with Bobby Militello's exuberant alto sax before giving way to the patriarch of the Brubeck clan and wrapping with youngest son, Dan's climatic drum solo. All of the musicians are in top form; this memorable concert is well-worth acquiring. It is available through www.brubeckmusic.com.