Dave Brubeck, Philip Clark
Dave Brubeck, Philip Clark
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Dave Brubeck
A Life in Time

Author: Philip Clark

Narrator: Fleet Cooper

Unabridged: 15 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Published: 02/18/2020

Synopsis

THE DEFINITIVE, INVESTIGATIVE BIOGRAPHY OFJAZZ LEGENDDAVE BRUBECK("TAKE FIVE")

In 2003, music journalist Philip Clark was granted unparalleled access to jazz legend Dave Brubeck. Over the course of ten days, he shadowed the Dave Brubeck Quartet during their extended British tour, recording an epic interview with the bandleader. Brubeck opened up as never before, disclosing his unique approach to jazz; the heady days of his "classic" quartet in the 1950s-60s; hanging out with Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, and Miles Davis; and the many controversies that had dogged his 66-yearlong career.

Alongside beloved figures like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, Brubeck has achieved name recognition beyond jazz. But finding a convincing fit for Brubeck's legacy, one that reconciles his mass popularity with his advanced musical technique, has proved largely elusive. In Dave Brubeck: A Life inTime, Clark provides us with a thoughtful, thorough, and long-overdue biography of an extraordinary man whose influence continues to inform and inspire musicians today.

Structured around Clark's extended interview and intensive new research, this book recounts one of the last untold stories of jazz, unearthing the secret history of "Take Five" and many hitherto unknown aspects of Brubeck's early career-and sharing details about his creative relationship with his star saxophonist, Paul Desmond. Woven throughout are cameo appearances from a host of unlikely figures, from Sting, Ray Manzarek of The Doors, and Keith Emerson to John Cage, Leonard Bernstein, Harry Partch, and Edgard Varèse. Each chapter explores a different theme or aspect of Brubeck's life and music, illuminating the core of his artistry and genius. To quote President Obama, as he awarded the musician with a Kennedy Center Honor: "You can't understand America without understanding jazz, and you can't understand jazz without understanding Dave Brubeck."

Reviews

Goodreads review by Barry

Although most people associate Dave Brubeck with his big hits "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Time Out" with his quartet on Columbia Records in the 1950's during the so-called "cool jazz" era, he had a long and varied career from the 1940's until his death in 2012. Unlike many jazz musicians, he was a s......more

Goodreads review by Mitch

Not during my 80+ years, in more than 70 years as a serious jazz player and listener, have I read such an incisive and entertaining book about a jazz landmark such as Dave Brubeck, and his band members. This is a MUST for anyone who loves jazz, and seeks to lift the hood on what lies below. Mitch Smi......more

Goodreads review by Seth

As a teenager, I started listening to jazz at the same time I became more serious about music. The only Brubeck LP we had was “Jazz Impressions of Japan,” so that was my entry point into his work. As time went on, I bought many of his albums, from all periods of his career. Eventually, I even got to......more

Quotes

"Biography, social history, musicological exploration ... this wonderful book is many things. But above all, it is a sort of intoxicating literary jam session. Words and sentences spit and spin and swing, creating rhythms and harmonies worthy of Brubeck himself. The sheer descriptive verve, page after page, made me want to listen to every single musical example cited. A major achievement."—STEPHEN HOUGH, classical pianist and composer

"This is the writing about jazz that we've been waiting for. By keeping the music at the center, and interweaving the background of cultural, political and social change to illuminate the development of the music, Clark gives us a complete picture of the artist's life and work."—MIKE WESTBROOK, jazzpianist and composer

"DAVE BRUBECK: A Life in Time is about the timeless life of the inspired and inspiring jazz master Dave Brubeck. This biography, written with love and passion, is a landmark document that is insightful and inspiring all in itself. Bravo!"—JOE LOVANO, jazz saxophonist

"A nontraditional biography that sings...as unconventional and compelling as its subject."—KIRKUS REVIEWS

"A concise but comprehensive biography... [Clark] hits the right notes for die-hard Brubeck disciples and jazz neophytes alike."—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"[A] remarkable biography... [Clark writes] intelligently and joyously... [and] fittingly, for a Brubeck biography, this is also a multifarious work; adventurous with narrative and structure."—MOJO

"The emphasis on the technical side of Brubeck's music, and on Brubeck's impact on rock and other nonjazz music, is thought provoking."

—BOOKLIST

"[This book] is that rare beast: an uncompromisingly analytical study that absorbs and entertains, illuminating both its subject and his social context."—LONDON JAZZ NEWS

"A brilliant book."—JAZZ PROFILES

"[A]n engaging new biography... we feel the grain and texture and historical weight of single moments, but only because we also understand the larger picture. It's a rare jazz biography that gives us both, so eloquently."—THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

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