Today is the birthday of Dave Brubeck,
jazz pianist and composer. Brubeck was an important figure in the development of modern jazz, best known for his innovative use of irregular time signatures and complex rhythmic structures.
The arrangement above, as well as the musical reference work / birthday calendar featuring 366 world-famous musicians, were created by me, Frieke.
David Warren (Dave) Brubeck was born on December 6, 1920, in Concord, California. His first music lessons came from his mother, Elizabeth Ivey. Although Brubeck was expected to take over his father Pete’s ranch and even began studying veterinary medicine, he decided after a year to pursue music instead.
Brubeck began his musical career in the 1940s with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The quartet enjoyed great success in the 1950s and 1960s and became known for its experiments with unconventional time signatures and harmonies. His most famous composition is Take Five, written in a 5/4 time signature. With this piece—and other works such as Blue Rondo à la Turk—Brubeck achieved international acclaim. Take Five became one of the best-selling jazz recordings of all time.
By 1954, Brubeck was already a jazz legend. That year, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine, becoming the second jazz musician ever to receive this honor (the first was Louis Armstrong on February 21, 1949). Brubeck felt that Duke Ellington deserved the recognition more than he did and was convinced that he had been chosen because of his white skin.
Dave Brubeck married jazz lyricist Iola Whitlock in September 1942. The couple remained married for 70 years, until his death on December 5, 2012. They had six children, four of whom became professional musicians. Their sixth child, Catherine—their only daughter—was the inspiration for Kathy’s Waltzon the 1959 album Time Out. Throughout his life, Brubeck received numerous awards for his contributions to jazz, including several Grammy Awards. His musical legacy spans decades, and his influence on the jazz world remains profound. Brubeck was known not only for his virtuosity as a pianist but also for his role in shaping the evolution of jazz in the 20th century.
Brubeck remained active as a pianist and composer well into old age. In 2007, he released his final solo album, Indian Summer. In 2008, he contributed to Yo-Yo Ma’s album Songs of Joy and Peace, performing “Joy to the World” and “Concordia” together with his son Matthew. In 2011, at the age of 91, he accompanied Roberta Gambarini with his trio on the pieces “Someday My Prince Will Come” and “Alice in Wonderland.”
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