Personnel:
Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Ron Crotty (b), Lloyd Davis, Joe Dodge (d)
Reference: DRCD 11255
Bar code: 8436006492556
"Two of the most important and exciting live recordings of Paul Desmond featured in the Dave Brubeck Quartet"
Performing inspired modern versions of great standards such as These Foolish Things, The Way You Look Tonight, Laura, Perdido, Stardust, Crazy Rhythm, Jeepers Creepers, and Let's Fall in Love, among others. On these outstanding live recordings the doors of creativity were left wide open and the band never sounded better.
"Desmond and Brubeck's playing were as different as night and day. Their contrast in styles complemented each other, while creating a richer and fuller composite sound... The synergy between the two musicians was incredible and immediate. During their first experiences playing together, they were already experimenting with many of the things that would later develop into the Quartet's trademark sound... From his witty sardonic humor to his lyrical, mellifluous playing, Paul Desmond was one of the truly individual voices on his instrument."
(From the original notes)
Tracklisting:
CD 1
01. These Foolish Things
02. The Way You Look Tonight
03. Perdido
04. Stardust
05. How High The Moon
06. Lullaby in Rhythm
07. I'll Never Smile Again
08. Laura
09. For All We Know
10. All The Things You Are
11. I Remember You
CD 2
01. Crazy Rhythm
02. Let's Fall In Love
03. Stardust
04. How High The Moon
05. The Way You Look Tonight
06. Love Walked In
07. Give a Little Whistle
08. Trolley Song *
09. Blue Moon *
10. Jeepers Crepers *
11. Trolley Song *
(*) Bonus tracks
Personnel:
Dave Brubeck (piano), Paul Desmond (alto sax), Ron Crotty (bass), Lloyd Davis or Joe Dodge (drums).
All tracks recorded between March 2, 1953 and September, 1953
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Review:
"Lest anyone be confused, Paul Desmond did not go back to Oberlin College or the College of the Pacific to re-create his classic outings with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. This is that band from 1953 with both Joe Dodge and Lloyd Davis on drums -- Dodge was at Oberlin. These recordings have been issued stateside on CD on the Fantasy/OJC label, but this Definitive Records edition attempts to use these two concerts and four performances from the Blackhawk in the same year to document the live progress of the band as it took standards and reinvented them in its own experimental manner, utilizing Brubeck's radical ideas of harmony and rhythm learned from composers Darius Milhaud and Igor Stravinsky. However, even the Blackhawk recordings have been issued in their entirety by Fantasy, so there is nothing new here under the sun except a handy and misleading package. The sound is lovely and warm, and the performances are historic for their influence in bringing jazz to college campuses in the 1950s."
Thom Jurek -All Music Guide
