Dave Brubeck was one of jazz history’s finest musicians. Not only was the man a pro at playing the piano, but he was also a composer and a bandleader. He was born December 6th, 1920 in Concord, California. He composed, played, and lead all his life. It seemed to be his true passion.
A little bit of history on David Warren Brubeck. He was born into a very musical family. His brothers were professional musicians as well. His mother started teaching him piano at the age of 4. At the age of 12, his father moved them out to a farm and he stopped playing piano to help his father out with the cattle ranch that they now owned. At 14 he started up again with the music by playing in local bands on the weekends. The time eventually came for him to …show more content…
While in school, he continued playing piano in some local night clubs. He loved jazz so much so that he ended up switching majors to music instead. After graduating in 1942, he enlisted into the army and soon after married Lola Whitlock (who went to Pacific as well). While serving, in 1944, he led a racially integrated band. After leaving the military, he went back to California and studied with a French composer, Darius Milhaud. He encouraged Brubeck to add jazz components into his writing and continue with his jazz career. This led to the Jazz Workshop Ensemble. They recorded in 1949 as the Dave Brubeck Octet. That same year Dave organized the Dave Brubeck Trio with Cal Tjader and Norman Bates (who was later replaced by Ron Crotty). They won their first award-winning Dave Brubeck Trio recordings. In 1951, Dave was in a near fatal car accident. He survived, decided to continue with his career and later formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond (alto saxophonist. Who was also a part of the Octet). The “Classic” Brubeck Quartet was formed when the two added in Joe Morello, in 1956, and Gene Wright, in 1958. Dave eventually broke up the band in 1967 so he could focus more on his composition. The Brubeck-Desmond
A little bit of history on David Warren Brubeck. He was born into a very musical family. His brothers were professional musicians as well. His mother started teaching him piano at the age of 4. At the age of 12, his father moved them out to a farm and he stopped playing piano to help his father out with the cattle ranch that they now owned. At 14 he started up again with the music by playing in local bands on the weekends. The time eventually came for him to …show more content…
While in school, he continued playing piano in some local night clubs. He loved jazz so much so that he ended up switching majors to music instead. After graduating in 1942, he enlisted into the army and soon after married Lola Whitlock (who went to Pacific as well). While serving, in 1944, he led a racially integrated band. After leaving the military, he went back to California and studied with a French composer, Darius Milhaud. He encouraged Brubeck to add jazz components into his writing and continue with his jazz career. This led to the Jazz Workshop Ensemble. They recorded in 1949 as the Dave Brubeck Octet. That same year Dave organized the Dave Brubeck Trio with Cal Tjader and Norman Bates (who was later replaced by Ron Crotty). They won their first award-winning Dave Brubeck Trio recordings. In 1951, Dave was in a near fatal car accident. He survived, decided to continue with his career and later formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond (alto saxophonist. Who was also a part of the Octet). The “Classic” Brubeck Quartet was formed when the two added in Joe Morello, in 1956, and Gene Wright, in 1958. Dave eventually broke up the band in 1967 so he could focus more on his composition. The Brubeck-Desmond