Jazz Legend to Perform at Saint Rose

Dave Brubeck will bring his unique style to the Massry Center

By: John Fisher

Posted: 10/14/09

On October 14, a living legend from the music world will perform at Saint Rose. Dave Brubeck, world-renowned composer and pianist, will play music with his quartet for all to enjoy.

For more than 50 years, Brubeck's innovative and complex jazz music has captivated listeners. The Brubeck Quartet has released many hit songs, including Take Five, which is toted as the best selling jazz single of all time. He has been awarded many merits, including, but not limited to, the National Medal of Arts and the Smithsonian Medal. He has also been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, and has a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 88-year-old David Brubeck has been creating music all his life. Brubeck attended school for music, and after was drafted into serving in the Second World War. During the war, he started a jazz band that was well received. After the war, he formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet. This quartet is the group that took off. For years they played, producing more than 16 albums and countless singles. Throughout the life of the group, the line-up has changed many times, but the "classic" line-up consists of Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morello on procussion, and Gene Wright filling out the quartet on bass.

Throughout Dave Brubeck's prolific lifetime, he and Desmond have implemented many unusual time signatures in their works with great success. Songs such as Take Five, a catchy jazz song in 5/4 time, Pick Up Sticks in 6/4 time, and Unsquare Dance in 7/4 time, were not only great pieces of music, but examples that unusual time signatures can work in popular music.

In 1967, Dave took a break from the quartet to focus on composing. His works have covered a vast variety of archetypes, but include ballets, opera compositions, and many symphonic and choral works. Nine years later, the classic quartet came back together for a twenty-fifth anniversary tour. Since then, Brubeck has divided his time between more composing and touring with various jazz groups, including a quartet with three of his sons.

Faculty and students alike are incredibly excited about this unbelievable opportunity.

"Dave Brubeck is one of the most important living jazz musicians of all time," said Paul Evoskevich, jazz teacher at the College of Saint Rose. "Besides being an outstanding pianist, his work as a composer knows few equals. His appearance at Saint Rose speaks volumes about the influence The College of Saint Rose has on the greater Albany music community. This is but one of many significant opportunities made possible by having a world-class music facility like the Massry Center for the Arts on our campus."

Tonight, this amazing musician will be performing in the D'Arcy-Brady Stage in the Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall. Tickets will be available at the door for $25. A lifetime of jazz can be celebrated, as Dave Brubeck brings his years of music to the college.