Released February 14, 1955 Release date 14 February 1955 Label Columbia Records | Length 40:00 Producer George Avakian Genre Jazz | |
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Recorded October 12–14 and November 10, 1954
30th Street Columbia Studios, New York Artists Dave Brubeck, The Dave Brubeck Quartet Similar The Dave Brubeck Quartet albums, Jazz albums | ||
Dave brubeck strange meadowlark
Brubeck Time is a jazz album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, a rare studio recording from that period of the band, when it was recording mostly live albums. It was recorded in the fall of 1954, and originally released in 1955 under the Columbia label as CL 622. It was re-released on CD in 1991 under the title Interchanges '54 as CK 47032, with the addition of four tracks from Jazz: Red Hot and Cool.
Contents
- Dave brubeck strange meadowlark
- The pieces
- Audrey
- Stompin for Mili
- Track listing
- Personnel
- Technical personnel
- Songs
- References
The album features one of the earlier Quartet lineups, with Bob Bates on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. Although now not as famous as some of the band's other albums, in retrospect it has a lot of depth, and those interested in jazz will find it "certainly worth acquiring".
According to a 1955 letter written by Avakian to Brubeck, the cover was "designed around the Boris Artzybasheff painting which was on Time magazine's cover of November 8th [1954]".
The pieces
Most of the pieces in the album are old standards revisited by the quartet. Notable among them is a sparkling and very lively rendition of "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now". There are two original compositions: "Audrey" and "Stompin' for Mili".
Audrey
This piece was meant to contrast the excitement of "Stompin' For Mili". Brubeck recalls the recording of the piece in a 1955 letter:" 'I would like,' said Gjon [Mili], closing his eyes and raising his hand expressively, 'I would like to see Audrey Hepburn come walking through the woods.' 'Gee,' said Paul wistfully, 'So would I.' 'One,' I said, noticing the glazed expression about Paul's eyes 'two, three, four'. And we played it. Hence, the title."
The piece is a 12-bar blues in the key of B-flat minor; however, the melody of "Balcony Rock", an improvised blues in B-flat Major, recorded on Jazz Goes to College, is used to conclude "Audrey".
There is an "alternate take", released as "Makin' Time", that is rarely heard. It was released on a Columbia compilation LP called I Like Jazz! around 1955.
"Stompin' for Mili"
This song was recorded for photographer Gjon Mili. Mili had agreed very reluctantly to film the Quartet at work, and the band felt "on pretty shaky ground" at the session. Their first attempt to record was, as a result, very tentative, and Mili's dismissive pronouncement after this "take" made Brubeck's "blood [begin] to boil". The resulting second "take", heard on the album, was an "expression of rage and frustration".
The piece was an improvisation on the chord progression to "Oh, Lady Be Good!"
Track listing
- "Audrey" (Brubeck, Desmond) – 3:35
- "Jeepers Creepers" (Johnny Mercer, Harry Warren) – 4:57
- "Pennies From Heaven" (Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston) – 6:28
- "Why Do I Love You?" (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 5:42
- "Stompin' for Mili" (Brubeck, Desmond) – 5:27
- "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" (Andy Razaf, Fats Waller) – 5:06
- "A Fine Romance" (Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields) – 3:48
- "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (Edgar Yipsel Harburg, Jay Gorney) – 5:17
Tracks 1, 2, 7 recorded on October 12, 1954; tracks 5, 8 recorded on October 13; tracks 3, 4 recorded on October 14; track 6 recorded on November 10, 1954.
Personnel
Technical personnel
Songs
1Audrey3:35
2Jeepers Creepers4:58
3Pennies From Heaven6:29