Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Timeline

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 160.2 MB
Styles: Cool Jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[7:28] 1. Blue Rondo A La Turk
[6:52] 2. Far More Blue
[6:11] 3. Easy As You Go
[5:41] 4. Since Love Had Its Way
[6:30] 5. Boundward Home
[7:43] 6. Tritonis
[4:35] 7. The Golden Horn
[6:29] 8. 3 Wise Men
[4:32] 9. North Coast
[7:00] 10. Prime Directive
[6:51] 11. Thank You (Dziekuje)

Chris Brubeck: electric bass, bass trombone; Dan Brubeck: drums, hand drums, percussion; Mike DeMicco: guitar; Chuck Lamb: piano.

This album by the Brubeck Brothers—led by Chris and Dan Brubeck, sons of legendary pianist Dave Brubeck—commemorates the 60th anniversary of "President Eisenhower's Special International Program for Cultural Presentations," the 1958 State department tour in which prominent jazz musicians traveled to 14 countries to give 80 concerts in 90 days. This grueling schedule was endured by such luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and the Dave Brubeck. For Brubeck, the inspiration was mutual, reflected in compositions that incorporated the local musical traditions he was hearing. Several of these are included on this record. Probably the most well-known is "Blue Rondo a la Turk," in which Dave melds the 9/8 rhythms of Istanbul's street musicians with American jazz and blues, creating a unique and indelible composition that has been covered by everyone from Al Jarreau to The Canadian Brass. Here, this beloved tune is freshened by master trombonist/bassist Chris Brubeck's arrangement, which begins with dazzling drummer Dan Brubeck's electric hand drumming and moves through sections that are separated just enough to highlight their different origins. This twist provides a new perspective on music that is so often played, reminding the listener of the global influences that were merged during that historic trip.

Apart from its historic value—enhanced by the intriguing factoids in the liner notes—this is an exciting and varied outing, recorded crisply and with great warmth. The "Timeline" it reflects is not just in years, but also in a legacy which—lucky for all of us—continues its powerful forward movement today. ~Dr. Judy Schlesinger

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The Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Intuition

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:53
Size: 171,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:42)  1. West Of One
(8:48)  2. Sahara Moon
(9:08)  3. Parade Du Funk
(8:36)  4. Bullwinkle's Revenge
(9:18)  5. Still As Winter
(9:03)  6. Open Door
(6:23)  7. Jump Up, Get Down
(6:58)  8. Easy For You To Pray
(3:54)  9. Change Up

The prospect of reviewing an all-original release can strike apprehension if not actual fear in a critic's heart. With the growing ease of self-production, it's increasingly likely that such recordings will be monuments to tuneless self-indulgence.This is one reason why Intuition is such a treat: the compositions are not only fresh, melodic and memorable, but they're rendered with sublime expertise and considerable joy. From guitarist Mike DeMicco's swinging "West of One" through the tipsy second-line groove of "Parade du Funk" and the jubilant "Jump Up, Get Down" and "Change Up," jazz doesn't get any jollier than this.The music is laced with the intriguingly lopsided meters one would expect from Dave Brubeck's children. Moreover, Chris, who has a blessedly impeccable tone on fretless bass, shows considerable wit in his use of slide and vibrato on both guitar and trombone. Dan's cowbell provides its own sly humor, although his drum chops are as serious as they ever get.

Mike DeMicco supplies fine guitar work and two compositions that blend nicely with Brubeck's seven, while Pete Levin adds his churning B3 to three of them. Then there's the dazzling precocity of pianist Taylor Eigsti: just a young teenager when this was recorded, he's already consistently fluid and creative, and his ballad playing on "Still as Winter" is understated and gorgeous.To these ears, the standout track is the evocative and mysterious "Sahara Moon," where the dynamics shift and build as smoothly as desert sand. (Note: although the tune is a mix of jazz and funk, it also helps explain why Chris Brubeck is in such demand as a symphonic composer.) In sum, this recording lives up to the full possibilities of originality: crisply recorded, organically paced and beautifully played, it's a unique and sparkling delight. 

~ Dr Judith Schlesinger https://www.allaboutjazz.com/intuition-brubeck-brothers-quartet-koch-international-jazz-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Dan Brubeck: drums; Chris Brubeck: fretless bass, bass trombone; Mike DeMicco: guitar; Taylor Eigsti: piano; Pete Levin: organ.

Intuition

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Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Lifetimes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 126.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 6:02] 1. The Duke
[ 6:26] 2. Jazzanians
[ 7:10] 3. Kathy's Waltz
[ 7:03] 4. Go Round
[ 5:14] 5. Prezcence
[ 6:46] 6. The Girl From Massapequa
[ 6:08] 7. My One Bad Habit
[10:25] 8. Take Five

Chris Brubeck: electric bass, bass trombone; Dan Brubeck: drums; Mike DeMicco: guitar; Chuck Lamb: piano.

LifeTimes, the fourth CD from the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, is a powerful tribute to musical giant Dave Brubeck by two of his natural sons (bassist/trombonist Chris Brubeck and drummer Dan Brubeck) and two of their "honorary brothers" (guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb). Half the compositions are Dave's, most of them dating back decades, but they are so freshly imagined that they sound as if they've just been written. The set ends with "Take Five," which is Paul Desmond's tune but arguably Dave's most famous performance (here, it starts with a second-line, New Orleans groove).

Downloaders will miss a rare historic document, as the CD package is full of nostalgic family photos and revealing notes by Chris, which includes this heartwarming sentence: "We have taken the greatest pleasure in playing these tracks for Dave, who, at nearly 92, grins from ear to ear when he hears our take on his ageless compositions."

While it's clear the project is historically important, the CD stands on its own because of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet's consistently high level of mastery. It's rare to find this combination of sizzling swing, rich melodies, tight arrangements, inventive solos, and warm, yet crisp recording. As always, Chris's fretless expressions on trombone and bass are strong, propulsive, and full of wit (check out his solos on both instruments in "Prezcence"), while Dan's polyrhythms are rarely less than electrifying. Both DeMicco and Lamb are also superb, and their compositions and interpretations fit seamlessly into the mix.

I have a special fondness for the driving juggernaut of "Jazzanians," but the whole CD rocks like mad. It only slows down once, for the ballad "My One Bad Habit," where Chris's trombone lead is achingly soulful. In sum, it's easy to understand why Dave was so happy to hear "LifeTimes"; I did quite a lot of grinning myself. ~DR. JUDITH SCHLESINGER

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The Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Second Nature

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 146.3 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[ 9:44] 1. Bossa Nova U.S.A
[ 9:04] 2. In Your Own Sweet Way
[ 4:51] 3. We're Still In Love After All These Years
[ 5:13] 4. Cassandra
[ 7:04] 5. When I Was Young
[ 5:52] 6. Take Five
[ 6:53] 7. Lydian Grin
[15:12] 8. Old World, New World

Chris and Dan Brubeck have made a number of recordings together (most of them when they both were part of the rhythm section of their famous father's quartet), and each of them is an outstanding musician in his own right. Joined by two more superb players, guitarist Mike DeMicco and keyboardist Pete Levin, they achieve a very distinct sound of their own, too, even though half of the tracks come from the repertoire of the elder Brubeck's quartet. "Bossa Nova U.S.A." becomes even more lyrical in their hands, with Dan's sensitive drumming backing the mellow solos by the remainder of the quartet; the stunning opening piano solo by Levin disguises the introduction to the jazz standard "In Your Own Sweet Way," setting the table for a delicious bass trombone solo by Chris. Levin switches to organ for an energetic run through the infrequently heard "Cassandra"; but the pièce de résistance among the older, more familiar songs is the slow, very funky take of "Take Five." Chris Brubeck has developed into a formidable composer in his own right and his "We're Still in Love After All These Years" provides a showcase for DeMicco's delicious guitar. DeMicco penned the bittersweet "Lydian Grin," while Levin's hard grooving "When I Was Young" is a strut with an interesting unison blend of DeMicco's guitar and Chris' bass trombone. But the show stopper is easily the final track, "Old World, New World," which dates back to when DeMicco and Dan were members of the Dolphins. It's not just the incredible polyrhythms heard during the drummer's solo but his sudden switch to what literally are heavy duty maracas in place of drumsticks which add to an already stunning performance, without resorting to overdubs. ~Ken Dryden

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