Legendary jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck died Wednesday, according to an obituary in The LA Times, the day before his 92 birthday. The Dave Brubeck Quartert is known for their eclectic mix of complicated polyrhythms, harmonies, jazz and classic forms. For example, their most popular hit Take Five, which is featured in the embedded youtube link below the squiggle, is in an unusual 5/4 time signiture, and was the first jazz record to reach one million sales.
Best known for his work with his classic Dave Brubeck Quartet that included longtime musical partner Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass and Joe Morello on drums, Brubeck's innovative ideas generated an enthusiastic response from a new audience of young listeners — as well as the players most directly connected with his music.
"When Dave is playing his best it's a profoundly moving thing to experience, emotionally and intellectually," Desmond told writer Nat Hentoff in a 1952 interview in the jazz publication Down Beat. "It's completely free, live improvisation ... the vigor and force of simple jazz, the harmonic complexities of Bartok and Milhaud, the form [and much of the dignity] of Bach and, at times, the lyrical romanticism of Rachmaninoff."
While Desmond is listed as the composer of Take Five, he generously gives full credit to Brubeck for Take Five's quirky 5/4 rythm.
"At that point, we had three or four albums a year to get done," he told CBC Radio in 1976. "And [Dave] said, 'Why don't we do ... all different time signatures? ... We got 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, 8/4, whatever. Why don't you take 5/4.' So I wrote 'Take Five.' At the time, I really thought it was kind of a throwaway. But it was Dave's idea, so give him ultimate credit."
Brubeck and his wife Iola had a daughter, Catherine, and five sons, Darius, Chris, Dan, Matthew and Michael.
Coincidentally, Dave Brubeck was born in Concord, CA, on Dec. 6, 1920 where I lived between the ages of 4 and 13. His father was a cattle rancher and his mother a pianist and music teacher.
I believe I can speak on behalf of the Kossack community, as we extend our sympathies to his family, loved ones, and fans. May he rest in peace.