Rifftides reader Jon Foley recommends a YouTube clip of the Dave Brubeck Quartet with the comment, “They were in a good mood that night!”
They sure were. I thought that we had linked to this performance before, but I can find no trace of it in the archive. The clip isn’t dated, but it is amost certainly from the quartet’s 25th anniversary reunion tour in 1976. The piece is “Three To Get Ready.” I have no idea what set off the merriment, but the silliness was contagious and brought out Brubeck’s inner Cecil Taylor. To join in the fun, click here.
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
So beautiful. They’re all so articulate and spontaneous. Don’t believe for a minute that Dave doesn’t have magnificent “chops”… those flurries of notes were perfectly executed, and every note had a place and a reason. He landed (with Joe’s bass drum) in such a way that it was, to me, the highpoint of the performance. Wonderful. Thanks!