Dave Brubeck at the Library of Congress 10/3/03

by Alan Greenblatt

Just take five: Dave Brubeck is a classic example of a jazz musician that never got much respect from the critics but sold millions of records and is beloved by audiences. Gary Giddins once cracked that every one of Brubeck's solos was an attempt to recreate the opening of a particular Bud Powell record, while Whitney Balliett described Brubeck's playing as being "as safe as IBM."

Brubeck is the rare jazz musician who had a hit so big that he is, pop star-like, obligated to play it every night that he performs. The excited roar of recognition from the audience Wednesday night at the Library of Congress at the opening chords of "Take Five" sounded identical to the crowd noises I've heard those chords met with in concerts past.

It has usually been fair to make the accusation that Brubeck's solos are too predictably made up of hammering block chords and that, despite his many appearances with symphony orchestras and his ambitious religious compositions, he has never felt the creative urge to try any format for jazz other than a quartet with alto sax. And yet the actual playing of "Take Five" the other night was quite different than what we've heard before. Brubeck and the boys played the familiar melody but then took off into unrecognizable dimensions. In fact, alto sax player Bobby Militello's solo was as close to free jazz as anything heard all night.

At 83, Brubeck looks like an old man, stooped, puffy-haired, weak of voice, his body clearly skeletal beneath his suit. But the spirit of jazz remains strong within him. He smiles a lot while he plays, particularly when he listens to the other musicians. The concert opened with a set featuring young people from the newish Brubeck Institute at his alma mater, the University of the Pacific. Brubeck joined them for a run-through of his familiar tune "In Your Own Sweet Way." The youngsters played respectful solos off the melody but when it came time for Brubeck's turn he played in an entirely different style, sounding a little like Fats Waller with a repeating "stride" left hand.

Brubeck's pastel colored music is immediately pleasing and it's no mystery why his music has been so popular -- or, at least, that small fraction of his music that dates from the "Time Out" album and his other recordings with alto player Paul Desmond. It was such a weird combination of nostalgia and hopefulness to hear Brubeck's little gentle left-handed chords beneath the playing of alto sax player Mark Zaleski, the most creative of the Brubeck Institute soloists. (The best of the youngsters, though, was D.C. local Tommy Gartner, who played a short solo on "I Got Rhythm" that no professional would be ashamed of. He looked about 15 and wore an expression of total calm on his face, standing in front of Dave Brubeck and Christian McBride, the leading bass player of the last 10 years and artistic director of the Brubeck Institute.)

The library gave Brubeck some sort of award and the atmosphere in the audience was clearly appreciative as well, offering an outpouring of love and thanks for this musician who was on the cover of Time nearly a half-century ago and has given nothing but pleasure ever since. The Brylcreemed guy sitting in front of me took obvious and huge delight in recognition of every song that Brubeck or the kids played, actually pumping his fists in recognition of Horace Silver's "Senor Blues."

It was a night of near-constant standing ovations. After the encore of "Rhythm," all the young musicians walked by Brubeck, sitting at the piano, and shook his hand on the way offstage. The house lights came up, signalling the concert's end. But Brubeck, apparently not wanting the night to end any more than the rest of us, starting playing "Take the 'A' Train." It was beautiful.