DAVE BRUBECK - All The Things We Are
Atlantic SD 1684 Released May 1976 Recorded July 1973 & October 1974
Track Listing Side A 1) Like Someone In Love 6m 21s, 2) In Your Own Sweet Way 7m 39s, 3) All The Things You Are 7m 21s
Track Listing Side B 1) Jimmy Van Heusen Medley 20m 53s, 2) Don't Get Around Much Anymore 2m 56s
Personnel: Dave Brubeck (pno) on all tracks, Jack Six (bs) Side A tracks 1-3 Side B track1, Roy Haynes (drs) Side A tracks 1-3, Alan Dawson (drs) Side B track 1, Lee Konitz (alt) Side A tracks 1 & 3 Side B Track 2, Anthony Braxton (alt) Side A Tracks 2 & 3.
Recorded July 1973 & October 1974
Although this is an album that took the piano giant away from his usual comfort zone of the quartet featuring Paul Desmond, it is at the same time one of his finest and enables many ardent Brubeck fans to see him in a fresh light. The Jimmy Van Heusen medley was recorded at The Newport Jazz festival of 73 with the other titles coming from a studio session in New York a year later. Understandably at the time, many people could not believe the name of Anthony Braxton on the cover of a Brubeck album. Let's not forget that the avant- garde movement was at it's height during the mid seventies, particularly in New York City where "the loft scene" held sway with many. Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor and Braxton himself were at the forefront, the latter going on to appear on almost one hundred recordings of the genre. "The New Yorker" magazine gave the thumbs up to the project, calling it "Brubeck's most underrated to that date", but initially some other publications were not quite so generous.
Side A includes Jack Six on bass and the great Roy Haynes on drums, who himself may have felt somewhat out of place, on all tracks and these two give the rhythm section a far more muscular feel than the usual Eugene Wright and Joe Morello. Things get underway with Konitz taking the thematic lead in a somewhat sideways look at "Like Someone In Love". His alto sounds almost as if it is preparing the way for what might come from Braxton. The leaders own solo is strident in nature and well supported by bass and drums. Anthony Braxton himself makes the first of his two appearances on Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way". After a delicate unaccompanied intro' from the leader, his offering, although leaving aside his more free form tendencies, digs deeply into the soul of the piece with an absorbing, dramatic almost boppish interlude. The piano returns with cascading runs, almost "Monkish" at times leaving the listener to conclude that not only is this the most beautiful of themes, it is also a fine vehicle for improvisation as well. The bar was set as high as it could go on Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern's "All The Things You Are" at Massey Hall, Toronto some twenty one years earlier by Bird and Diz', however the two alto men here make there own significant statements with Konitz sketching the theme wonderfully before Brubeck replies taking the tune into undiscovered territory and Braxton, clearly energised by what he has just heard, adds his own brand of urgency and imagination as the side closes.
Either you like medleys or you don't. Duke was keen on them, so was Mel Torme, but some are not so keen. Audiences in large concert halls love them, as they get the opportunity to applaud themselves for recognising each new number! It's the piano trio that takes up most of Side B here, with Jack Six remaining on bass with his often close compatriot Alan Dawson at the drums. This was one of a series of single composer medleys by different bands playing the works of their favourite composers at the Newport Festival. Brubeck had chosen Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics had been written to all the selections, other than the first ,by Johnny Burke. Eddie Delange was the co composer of the opener "Deep In A Dream". The leader opens in solo mode with an emotional, sympathetic and probing statement , his compatriots remaining silent until the final few bars. "Like Someone In Love" is taken with sprightly abandon before seguing into the conservative tempo of "Here's That Rainy Day" with Brubeck teasing every nuance of the song from his piano Jack Six comes to the fore and an even deeper exploration of this fine tune emerges over supportive brush work from Alan Dawson's drums. "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" which has been popular with both musicians and the public since it's inception in 1940, finds the pianist both jaunty and profound on this most optimistic of great jazz standards. The leader is again shown at his finest on the closer "It Could Happen to You" with an exhilarating exchange with the drums bringing the medley to a close. Michael Cuscuna's sleeve notes tell us that the original concept of the final album track, Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" was to feature the quartet with Lee Konitz, but such was the empathy between the saxophonist and Dave Brubeck that the final take emerged as an elegant and understated duo performance.
This recording as become somewhat of a rarity over the years, but remains one of such highly engaging jazz of quality, that it is unlikely to gather dust on the shelves of anyone who owns it.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Atlantic SD 1684 Released May 1976 Recorded July 1973 & October 1974
Track Listing Side A 1) Like Someone In Love 6m 21s, 2) In Your Own Sweet Way 7m 39s, 3) All The Things You Are 7m 21s
Track Listing Side B 1) Jimmy Van Heusen Medley 20m 53s, 2) Don't Get Around Much Anymore 2m 56s
Personnel: Dave Brubeck (pno) on all tracks, Jack Six (bs) Side A tracks 1-3 Side B track1, Roy Haynes (drs) Side A tracks 1-3, Alan Dawson (drs) Side B track 1, Lee Konitz (alt) Side A tracks 1 & 3 Side B Track 2, Anthony Braxton (alt) Side A Tracks 2 & 3.
Recorded July 1973 & October 1974
Although this is an album that took the piano giant away from his usual comfort zone of the quartet featuring Paul Desmond, it is at the same time one of his finest and enables many ardent Brubeck fans to see him in a fresh light. The Jimmy Van Heusen medley was recorded at The Newport Jazz festival of 73 with the other titles coming from a studio session in New York a year later. Understandably at the time, many people could not believe the name of Anthony Braxton on the cover of a Brubeck album. Let's not forget that the avant- garde movement was at it's height during the mid seventies, particularly in New York City where "the loft scene" held sway with many. Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor and Braxton himself were at the forefront, the latter going on to appear on almost one hundred recordings of the genre. "The New Yorker" magazine gave the thumbs up to the project, calling it "Brubeck's most underrated to that date", but initially some other publications were not quite so generous.
Side A includes Jack Six on bass and the great Roy Haynes on drums, who himself may have felt somewhat out of place, on all tracks and these two give the rhythm section a far more muscular feel than the usual Eugene Wright and Joe Morello. Things get underway with Konitz taking the thematic lead in a somewhat sideways look at "Like Someone In Love". His alto sounds almost as if it is preparing the way for what might come from Braxton. The leaders own solo is strident in nature and well supported by bass and drums. Anthony Braxton himself makes the first of his two appearances on Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way". After a delicate unaccompanied intro' from the leader, his offering, although leaving aside his more free form tendencies, digs deeply into the soul of the piece with an absorbing, dramatic almost boppish interlude. The piano returns with cascading runs, almost "Monkish" at times leaving the listener to conclude that not only is this the most beautiful of themes, it is also a fine vehicle for improvisation as well. The bar was set as high as it could go on Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern's "All The Things You Are" at Massey Hall, Toronto some twenty one years earlier by Bird and Diz', however the two alto men here make there own significant statements with Konitz sketching the theme wonderfully before Brubeck replies taking the tune into undiscovered territory and Braxton, clearly energised by what he has just heard, adds his own brand of urgency and imagination as the side closes.
Either you like medleys or you don't. Duke was keen on them, so was Mel Torme, but some are not so keen. Audiences in large concert halls love them, as they get the opportunity to applaud themselves for recognising each new number! It's the piano trio that takes up most of Side B here, with Jack Six remaining on bass with his often close compatriot Alan Dawson at the drums. This was one of a series of single composer medleys by different bands playing the works of their favourite composers at the Newport Festival. Brubeck had chosen Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics had been written to all the selections, other than the first ,by Johnny Burke. Eddie Delange was the co composer of the opener "Deep In A Dream". The leader opens in solo mode with an emotional, sympathetic and probing statement , his compatriots remaining silent until the final few bars. "Like Someone In Love" is taken with sprightly abandon before seguing into the conservative tempo of "Here's That Rainy Day" with Brubeck teasing every nuance of the song from his piano Jack Six comes to the fore and an even deeper exploration of this fine tune emerges over supportive brush work from Alan Dawson's drums. "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" which has been popular with both musicians and the public since it's inception in 1940, finds the pianist both jaunty and profound on this most optimistic of great jazz standards. The leader is again shown at his finest on the closer "It Could Happen to You" with an exhilarating exchange with the drums bringing the medley to a close. Michael Cuscuna's sleeve notes tell us that the original concept of the final album track, Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" was to feature the quartet with Lee Konitz, but such was the empathy between the saxophonist and Dave Brubeck that the final take emerged as an elegant and understated duo performance.
This recording as become somewhat of a rarity over the years, but remains one of such highly engaging jazz of quality, that it is unlikely to gather dust on the shelves of anyone who owns it.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
