db template 5 October 2004

Transcription

db newsletter Fall 09:db template 5 October 2004 11/5/09 2:32 PM Page 1
the dave brubeck quartet
NEWSLETTER
P.O. Box 216
Wilton, Connecticut 06897
Volume 27, Number 1
Winter 2009
A Letter from DAve
A Letter from IoLA
Photo Credit: Brubeck Institute, University of the Pacific
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
No doubt you have heard the big news. I find it almost
The activities around the Kennedy Center Awards
too good to be true. Imagine! On my 89th birthday,
begin with a luncheon on Saturday, December 5. This
December 6, I will be among those privileged to sit with
means for us a mad dash from Baltimore airport directPresident and Michelle Obama in the Presidential box at
ly to the luncheon and a very early departure from
Kennedy Center as a 2009 Kennedy Center honoree.
Providence, R.I., where Dave’s cantata “Canticles” will
The other honorees, whom Iola and I will meet for the
be performed the evening of December 4. There is a
first time at a luncheon on December 5, are actor
formal dinner for honorees and their guests hosted by
Robert DeNiro; opera singer
Hillary Clinton that evening
Grace Bumbry; comedian
in the Benjamin Franklin
Mel Brooks and bandleader
Room of the State Department.
Bruce Springsteen. A star-packed
The President and First Lady
gala at Kennedy Center that
will welcome all the honorees
salutes the honorees will be taped
at a White House reception
for broadcast on CBS-TV on
on December 6. From the
December 29. I intend to gather
White House we will proceed
around the television as many of
to the Opera House in
my family as I can round up. I’d
Kennedy Center for the Gala
like to think that you are celeConcert program followed by
brating with us. To all who have
a formal dinner. I promise to
sent cards, e-mails, and notes of
give you a full report and I
congratulation, please know how
hope some photos in the next
grateful I am for your support. It
newsletter.
makes me feel good to know so
We are eager to meet the
many of you share our exciteother honorees, none of
ment about this award.
whom we’ve met before. They
Dave Brubeck receives Kennedy Center Honors 2009
The Kennedy Center awards are
are an interesting and diverse
based on “exemplary lifetime achievement in the perlot—from opera singer Grace Bumbry to rock and
forming arts”. More significant to me is the fact that
roller Bruce Springsteen, comedic genius Mel Brooks
this honor recognizes the importance of jazz in
to character actor Robert DeNiro. And, of course, to
American culture. Among those recognized in the late
say that it will be a thrill to shake the hands of our new
‘70s and through the ‘80s and ‘90s were a number of
President and First Lady is an understatement. We
jazz artists and performers closely associated with jazz—
wonder if President Obama will connect Dave to the
Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Frank
Brubeck concert he attended in Honolulu with his
Sinatra, Lena Horne, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie,
father when he was only 10 years old.
Lionel Hampton, Aretha Franklin, and B.B.King. The
The Quartet had an active summer playing many jazz
continued on page 2
continued on page 3
A Letter from DAve cont’d
last jazz artist was Benny Carter in 1996. (In 2001
Quincy Jones was honored, but his contribution to the
arts covers so many genres I don’t know whether it was
given for his jazz roots, his film music or as producer of
recordings.) At any rate, it has now been 13 years since
Benny Carter was honored. I hope to see more people
from the jazz world recognized in the coming years.
In my “other life” I write religious choral music. I am
happy to announce that the Pacific Mozart Ensemble of
Berkeley, California has recorded several of these choral
pieces. Their wonderful CD of my work will be
released on Dorian Records in January 2010. It will
include some of my Christmas songs and Psalm settings
and hymns as well as major compositions, such as
“Canticles”, a triptych based on three Gregorian chants
prefaced by an ancient Byzantine hymn. Fr. Ron
Brassard of Immaculate Conception Church in
Cranston, R.I. commissioned this piece and it was premiered in his church in 1989. It so happens that I will
be back in his church with the Providence Singers on
December 4 for a 20th anniversary performance of this
same work. “The Commandments”, a more recent
composition, is also on the CD. It was premiered at
Rose Hall, Lincoln Center in 2005 by the Providence
Singers, conducted by Russell Gloyd, in a concert sponsored by the Jewish Heritage and Cultural festival.
Another heretofore-unrecorded piece is “Credo” commissioned by the Pacific Mozart Ensemble for their
20th anniversary program in 2006 celebrating the
250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. When Mozart
wrote his Grand Mass in C there were some parts of the
mass left unfinished. Richard Grant, Artistic Director
of PME had the bold idea of commissioning contemporary composers to “fill in” the missing parts. He
invited Meredith Monk, David Lang and me to “finish”
the mass. I bravely chose the “Credo”, a challenging
text to set. I am grateful to Lynne Morrow, Music
Director and conductor and Richard Grant, Artistic
Director and conductor for their artistry and dedication
in bringing this recording project to fruition.
Driving down the length of California, Russell, Iola
and I had the pleasure of listening to Quartet San
Francisco’s new all-Brubeck album. Hearing my compositions played by such fine artists was a thrill. One of
my favorites is their “take” on “It’s a Raggy Waltz”.
There are some tunes from my past recordings, such as
their beautiful “Bluette” and “The Golden Horn” that
make me want to revive those pieces in my own group.
Son Matthew contributed a fine arrangement of “The
Duke”. I’m pleased that “Quartet San Francisco Plays
Brubeck” has had such a warm reception both in concert and in reviews of the recording.
In October, “Ansel Adams: America”, the composition
that son Chris and I wrote together, was given three performances by the Monterey Symphony conducted by
Max Bragado-Darman. These concerts broke all attendance records in the 64-year history of the orchestra.
Ansel Adams, of course, was a resident of the Monterey
area so his work is of particular local interest. Adams’
iconic photos of Yosemite, Pt. Lobos and the South
West were projected on a large screen, timed to effectively match the musical score. The Ansel Adams piece
will be performed March 21 at the Kimmel Center in
Philadelphia and April 9 in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln
Center by musical forces from Temple University. The
Baltimore Symphony will perform “Ansel Adams:
America” on February 11 at Strathmore in Bethesda,
MD and February 12 and 13 in Meyerhoff Hall
Baltimore, with Marin Alsop conducting. The
Baltimore Symphony has chosen an interesting theme
of “pictures and music” for their program that will
include Hindemith’s symphony “Mathis der Maler” and
Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” I hope to
attend at least one of these East Coast concerts because
I have not yet been able to attend a performance of
“Ansel Adams: America”. It was premiered by Peter Jaffe
and the Stockton Symphony during the Brubeck
Festival this past April.
I’ll be participating in a performance of “La Fiesta de
la Posada”, the Christmas choral pageant Iola and I
wrote together, in First Church of Christ, Wethersfield,
Connecticut on December 13th. There will be two
shows, one at 4:00 and another at 7:00 pm. It has been
a few years since we have performed this piece and I am
looking forward to getting back into the holiday spirit.
My wish for you is a happy and healthy New Year, and
holidays full of good things.
All the best,
Happy Holidays!
2
A Letter from IoLA cont’d
festivals in the U.S. and Canada. You are probably
aware that the Newport Jazz Festival almost didn’t happen this year. It took the intervention of founder of the
festival, George Wein, and his willingness to gamble his
own money to save it. He finally was able to obtain
Photo Credit: Russell Gloyd
Photo Credit: Russell Gloyd
groups performed at the Detroit Festival this
September—the DBQ on the Arena stage, the Brubeck
Brothers on the Waterfront stage and the young Fellows
from the Institute on yet another stage. The Brother’s
band joined the DBQ for a ‘grand finale’ playing “Blue
Rondo a la Turk”. From
Detroit we flew to Seattle
for 4 nights in the club Jazz
Alley. It was Dave’s first
cross-country venture since
his illness. We wondered
how Dave would manage
the flight and playing consecutive nights in a club,
but he seemed to actually
gain strength as the tour
progressed down the West
Coast. The final concert in
was in Cerritos, California.
Keith Emerson attended and
later wrote on his website a
description of that concert
and his encounter with
Dave and George Wein, Newport 2009
D a v e backstage. He
reminisced about a
sponsorship from CareFusion and it was renamed
signific a n t Christmas present he received when he
George Wein’s CareFusion Jazz Festival. We hope that
was 15 years old. It was a 45-rpm recording of “Take
the historic jazz festival in Newport, R.I. under any
Five” and “Blue Rondo a la Turk”. “I played the hell out
name will continue for
of it”, he wrote. “In
many years to come. One
1968 I recorded a 4/4
of the highlights this year
version of Blue
was Tony Bennett joining
Rondo and played
Dave to perform “That
the hell out of it in
Old Black Magic”, a song
live performance.”
that they had performed
You may recall that
together on the White
Emerson’s 4/4 verHouse lawn during the
sion was a huge
Kennedy years. Another
“pop” success and a
memorable moment was
frequent “closer” in
Dave’s solo performance of
spectacular live per“Dziekuye” (Thank You)
formances.
Tony and Dave backstage at Newport
On October 2
dedicated to George Wein
Dave, Chris Brubeck, Michael Moore and Randy Jones
who sat on the Ft. Adams main stage intently listening
played an unusual concert with the Bachiana
to the performance dedicated to him.
Filarmonica conducted by Joao Carlos Martins at
The Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Brubeck Brothers
Lincoln Center. They were the improvising soloists on
Quartet and the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet—all 3
3
A Letter from IoLA cont’d
HoNorS
Dave’s “Brandenburg Gate: Revisited” that Vivien
Schweitzer of the New York Times called a “a swinging homage to Bach”. Chris was soloist on his wonderful “Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra”
that the same Times reviewer described as a piece in
which “soulful solos alternate with witty digressions”
(from the orchestra).
Conductor Joao Carlos Martins speaking from the
stage in Avery Fisher Hall confided to the audience
that it had been his dream for 30 years to perform with
Dave. Martins, a child prodigy and virtuoso pianist
who specialized in Bach, said he had dreamed of someday playing a Bach double concerto with Dave. His
career was cut short by serious hand injuries and just as
he was recovering and resuming a concert schedule, he
was brutally beaten one night in Bulgaria when he was
walking to his hotel after a recording session. This
beating left his hands useless. With great effort and
years of therapy, he now can play the piano with three
fingers. This is what he did when he and Dave sat
down at two pianos to play a very touching duet on the
“Dziekuye” theme. It is remarkable how expressive
Martins can be at the piano with just three fingers at
his command. With his superb musicianship, he has
now embarked on a new career as a conductor and an
educator encouraging young musicians in Brazil. His is
an inspiring story of survival.
We will not be traveling as much in the coming years,
so the opportunity for our paths to cross is more limited. I do hope however that you will visit our website
davebrubeck.com for the latest photos and news of the
DBQ, and to check Dave’s updated itinerary.
Wishing you the joys of the season, and a new year of
peace and happiness,
Berklee College of Music presented Dave with an honorary doctorate just prior to the Quartet’s performance
at the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival on September 20.
Participating in the ceremony were former honorary
doctors Clint Eastwood and Chick Corea. Berklee
College president, Roger Brown, made the presentation. The Berklee Honorary Doctorate was first presented in 1971 to Duke Ellington.
Sacred Heart University of Fairfield, Connecticut has
also given Dave an honorary doctorate. Because of illness in May, Dave was unable to attend the ceremonies.
However, plans are afoot for a performance in April
2010 of his “Mass: To Hope!” on campus in the beautiful new Chapel of the Holy Spirit.
The Stockton (California) Arts Commission honored
Dave and Iola and the Brubeck family with a Lifetime
Achievement award for their contributions to education and the arts. A slide show presentation of archival
photos from the Brubeck Collection was prepared by
Michael Wurtz of the University of the Pacific Library.
Professor Keith Hatscheck accepted on behalf of the
Brubeck family.
Sincerely,
Ruth Meyer from the American Classical Music Hall of
Fame and Stephen Munder, manager of the Cincinnati
Symphony Orchestra, presented Dave with the Hall of
Fame medal at the DBQ performance in Buffalo on
October 10. The American Classical Music Hall of
Fame is located in Cincinnati.
4
tHe BruBeck INStItute
When DownBeat announced the winners of the 32nd
annual student music awards, the Brubeck Institute was
well represented. The Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet
with Javier Santiago (piano), Zack Brown (bass), Chad
Lefkowitz-Brown (sax), Ben Flocks (sax) and Adam
Arruda (drums) won first place in the college jazz group
category. This is a remarkable achievement when one
realizes that these young musicians are just out of high
school and are competing with groups from four year
colleges whose advanced groups are usually made up of
Juniors and Seniors. Winning in the high school category were Noah Kellman (piano) and Nick Frenay
(trumpet), both of whom have attended the Institute’s
Summer Jazz Colony and who are now Fellows in the
Institute at the University of the Pacific for the 20092010 academic year.
tIme out
interactive piano lesson with Dave demonstrating how
“Three To Get Ready” alternates between 3/4 and 4/4.
As a bonus, an entire second CD of the Dave Brubeck
Quartet performing at
the Newport Jazz Festival
in 1961, ’63 and ’64 is
included. This exciting
material of the Quartet
playing in top form has
never been released. The
CD includes standards as
well as original material
and the two tunes that
surprised everyone by
b e c o m i n g “ h i t s” —
“Blue Rondo a la Turk”
and “Take Five”. The live
performances of these
pieces on the second CD
demonstrate greater freedom in the musician’s
approach after a few
years of playing the
material. When the original studio recording was made, the tunes were new to
everyone. Included in the package is a 24-page booklet
with archival photos and an essay by Ted Gioia, author
of “West Coast Jazz”.
With the 50th anniversary of “Time Out” there has
been a flurry of articles in newspapers and magazines,
from mainstream press such as The Wall Street Journal
to DownBeat and other
trade magazines. Dave
has been interviewed
for special television
and radio programs in
England, France and
Germany. There have
been entire broadcasts
devoted to “Time
Out”. 1959 was the
phenomenal year that
produced jazz classics
from Thelonious Monk,
Miles Davis, John
Coltrane, and Charles
Mingus among others.
In honor of the 50th
anniversary, Sony rereleased “Time Out” in
a handsome legacy edition that includes a
DVD interview with Dave about the making of “Time
Out”, performance footage of the so-called classic Dave
Brubeck Quartet (with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright
and Joe Morello), an archival photo gallery, and an
5
A Letter from cHrIS
Dear Friends,
Symphony Magazine ran a feature article this Fall on the
most important premieres to take place across the country in the 2009 -2010 season. The first page of the article was devoted to discussing the impact of Ansel Adams:
America and how it was bringing NEW and different
audiences to the nation’s orchestras. This was the goal of
the piece from the commissioners and creators’ points
of view and we are happy to report that ticket sales have
been way up wherever Adams has been heard and seen.
My wife Tish and I enjoyed exceptional hospitality
when we stayed with Anne & Ken Helms, (Ansel
Adams’ daughter and son-in-law) for the recent performances by the Monterey Symphony. One of the
great joys of this collaboration of music & photography
has been the Adams and the Brubeck family getting to
know each other. Before the final concert we had the
incredible pleasure of attending a Monterey Symphony
reception at the home of Michael & Jeanne Adams.
This modern house originally built by Michael’s parents
Ansel & Virginia Adams is cantilevered over the Carmel
seacoast. We were surrounded by Ansel’s spectacular
prints produced in that home’s darkroom. As the sun
set over the glistening Pacific, we were reminded of how
an artistic project so beautifully brings people together.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (Chris and Dan
Brubeck, Mike DeMicco, guitar and Chuck Lamb,
piano) kicked off the Fall Season with some exciting
concerts. It was our 4th appearance at the biggest free
jazz festival in America. The theme of the Detroit
Festival this year was Families in Jazz. The BBQ plus
Peter Madcat Ruth on harmonica (current member of
Triple Play and alumni of Two Generations of Brubeck)
joined the end of Dave’s set on the Arena stage for some
rousing renditions of Blue Rondo a la Turk and Take
Five. Our set was broadcast throughout greater metropolitan New York on WBGO and will be rebroadcast
nationally on NPR’s Jazz Set. Over at the hotel where all
the musicians in the festival were staying, the Brubeck
Institute Jazz Quintet was blowing away and impressing
the jazz cats gathered in the artists bar for the late night
hang and jam sessions. A few weeks later the BBQ and
the Institute Fellows played at a jazz festival near
Syracuse in Cazenovia, New York. Just three years ago,
when they were still in high school three members of
the group—Nick Frenay, trumpet; Noah Kellman,
piano; Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, sax) opened for us at
this festival. They were great then and they’re fantastic
now, having grown musically and obviously steeped in
the language of jazz.
After the Detroit Jazz Festival, the BBQ did a residency
at Hope College before flying off to perform two concerts with the Calgary Symphony Orchestra. The collaboration included orchestral arrangements by Darius,
Howard Brubeck and me, and the revival of Russell
Gloyd’s powerful chart, Jazzanians, a drum feature for
Dan composed by Dave. I enjoyed playing my Concerto
for Bass Trombone & Orchestra, which I originally
recorded with The London Symphony. Over the course
of the concert the audience heard Mike’s blazing guitar,
Chuck’s creative agility on the piano, and the Brubeck
Brothers’ unique rapport as a rhythm section. Not surprisingly, Dan brought down the house with an incredible solo on Take Five.
A few weeks later the BBQ kicked off the Seasons
Music Festival in Yakima, Washington, a concert series
dedicated to treating Classical music and Jazz as equally
valid forms of chamber music. The Imani Winds joined
the BBQ for a performance of my piece “Vignettes for
Nonet”. (Vignettes is featured on our latest CD
“Classified.”) I stayed on for another week as “co-composer in residence” mentoring seven young writers
whose works were premiered by a chamber orchestra for
the final concert. It was a great experience, which you
can read about in Doug Ramsey’s Rifftides blog
www.artsjournal.com/rifftides.
In August, Tish and I flew down to Brazil for my guest
appearance with Joao Carlos Martin’s Bachiana
Filarmonica Orchestra. I did a sort of “one man show”
with the orchestra. I performed my trombone concerto; Blue Rondo a La Turk on piano; played on trombone
and sang my arrangement of Black & Blue; soloed on
bass over Dave’s ragtime variation on “Thank You” and
jammed with Joao Carlos (he was on piano and I was on
bone) on Autumn Leaves. Maestro Martins is a hero
down in Brazil and within 24 hours of landing I was on
Brazil’s biggest late night television show jamming with
the TV house band. This was a really intense and exciting week, which served as a warm up for The Lincoln
Center concert with the same orchestra and Dave,
Randy Jones, Michael Moore and me. We look forward
to going back to South America later this year for more
6
A Letter from cHrIS cont’d
conducted my violin concerto for Nick Kendall,
“Spontaneous Combustion,” we know working with
Maestro Fleischer will be a blast. The group has played
down their solo parts at my house with me playing
piano and we know that this collaboration is going to
bring new energy to symphonic audiences!
It is great to be home after weeks on the road.
Thankfully there are still some intensely colored leaves
left in the trees so I didn’t completely miss my favorite
time of year. We even got to see our 16-month old
granddaughter do her first official “trick or treating” costumed as a darling elephant; tusks, tail, trunk and all.
What a blast! As we head into Winter and the Holiday
Season I wish you all such wonderful and joyous times
with your families.
Best Wishes for a better New Year for us all.
musical fun!
In October the BBQ completed a West Coast tour
that ranged from Napa Valley to Half Moon Bay and
ended up at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco. Next
stop is Russia in February. Should be cold and interesting!
Now it is time to put on my composer’s hat and finish the concerto I am writing for “Time For 3”, a group
consisting of Nick Kendall & Zack DePue on violin
and Raanan Meyer on double bass. They are phenomenal young musicians and their career is red-hot. We
have enjoyed jamming together to generate ideas,
which I have incorporated into this new 5-movement
concerto for full orchestra and “Time For 3”. The commission is from The Boston Pops (Keith Lockhart at the
helm) and 8 other orchestras. The premiere takes place
March 19, 2010 (my birthday) in Youngstown, Ohio
where Randall Fleischer (who organized the consortium) will be conducting. Since he commissioned and
NoteS from cAtHy
home for two days in August. We brought students and
teachers from Bridgeport Achievement First Academy
backstage to meet Joshua Redman, whose interaction
with the kids was an inspiration. We ran an outreach
booth with youth volunteers and friends and grossed
$8,000 in CD sales and jazz memorabilia.
This January my husband, Arne, joins the biggest
team ever to go back to Haiti. Through interest from
a local TV personality, a mini-doc will be filmed. We
are making strides to apply for significant grant
money, but I’m always excited to see the solid support
of good-hearted jazz fans that have given so much in
the past.
Photo Credit: Catherine Brubeck
Dear Friends of Jazz’d 4 Life
Through multiple efforts—an auction, dinner and a
Dave Brubeck Quartet concert—Jazz’d 4 Life raised
enough money to finish the 3rd floor of the school in
Haiti, establish a lunch program and start another well
Johsua Redman surrounded by young fans and Arne and Cathy Yaghsizian
Check our website
www.jazzed4life.org
for some unique poster art and jewelry all with a
jazzy theme (great for Holiday gifts).
Please know that your gifts
are appreciated.
My husband Arne Yaghsizian
and I wish you wonderful,
blessed Holy Days.
in 2009. The orphanage in Haiti, some summer camps
in Connecticut and scholarships funds received contributions as well. The Newport Jazz Festival was our
7
more NoteS from tHe Next geNerAtIoN
Matt Brubeck toured the Canadian Jazz festivals this
summer with his jazz/improv trio, Ugly Beauties
(Marilyn Lerner, piano; Matt, cello; and Nick Fraser,
percussion) in support of their new, eponymous CD on
the Montreal-based Ambience Magnetique label. Matt
enjoyed the opportunity to guest with the DBQ at the
Toronto, Montreal, and Rochester jazz festivals. His
“avant-roots” trio, Tallboys (the shortest is 6’4”) played
at the Guelph Jazz Festival and is planning their first studio recording. Brubeck/Braid, Matt’s duo with
Canadian jazz pianist David Braid, is lining up an
Australian tour for 2010. Matt also teaches jazz strings
and other courses at York University, University of
Toronto, and Humber College. For more information
please visit his website: www.mattbrubeck.com
Darius Brubeck Quartet (Matt Ridley, bass; Wesley
Gibbens, drums; Mike Rossi or Paul Greenwood, sax &
flute) wound up a successful 2009 summer season with
two sold out shows at the world famous Pizza Express in
London. Greenwood, who plays regularly with the
group when Mike Rossi is unavailable, is studying medicine and one of the hottest young players in the U.K.
In early 2010, Darius, who is a Fulbright Senior
Specialist in Jazz Studies, will go to Rumania to teach for
a semester at the university in Clij.
Darius and Valentine Music have launched a fascinating
blog www50YEARSON.COM. It is a mixture of musical insights from Darius, rare photos and a general discourse on various facets of jazz from 1959 to the present day. Currently posted is an article about the influence of George Russell (1923-2009), jazz artist and
music theoretician famous for his Lydian Chromatic
Concept. Darius can also be visited on his homepage
www.dariusbrubeck.com. There you will find a discography and latest news.
Drummer, Dan Brubeck, joined his brother, Darius, in
London for a 50th anniversary celebration of “Time
Out”. This version of the Darius Brubeck Quartet with
Dan and Darius, London 2009
Dan and former DBQ bassist Alec Dankworth played
two SRO shows at the famous Ronnie Scott club that
coincidentally was also commemorating its 50th
anniversary.
After playing festivals in Marlborough, Chichester,
Barnstaple and Chiddingly, in addition to several
London performances in a variety of venues, the regular
8
rememBerINg By IoLA
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Miraglia
We were “on the road” in Toronto on June 30th when
Michael”. Tish, Chris’ wife, selected family photos for a
we received the heartbreaking phone call from son Chris to
slide show presentation depicting Michael from babyhood
inform us that his older brother Michael had died from a
to his 60th birthday party. These pictures were shown with
sudden heart attack. It came as a complete shock to us. We
appropriate music background chosen by Chris. Darius,
had spoken to Mike on the phone only a few days before
Chris and Dan performed music composed by Dave and
and all seemed well. He had recently celebrated his 60th
associated with Mike, “Ode to a Cowboy”, “Michael, My
birthday with Chris and his sister Cathy and members of
Second Son”, “Once When I Was Very Young” (Dave’s
Chris’ family. The immediate decision we had to face was
choral setting of one of Michael’s poems). It ended with the
whether to play the two scheduled Canadian festival conupbeat sounds of “Blue Rondo a la Turk”.
certs or to rush home. Chris and his wife, Tish, persuaded
Darius related a typical Michael story associated with the
us to stay in Canada, promising they would handle every“a la Turk” piece. When we were in Istanbul with Mike
thing until we returned in a few days. Our son Matthew,
and Darius in 1958 we noticed there were many, many
who lives in Toronto, joined
cats. There were cats
Dave and the Quartet to play
on rooftops, fences,
the following evening and
window ledges, alleythen with his family traveled
ways, store windows,
to Montreal to play with the
everywhere we looked.
Quartet at the Montreal
When we visited a
International Jazz Festival. It
mosque, there were
was a great comfort to have
cats there, too.
our youngest son and his
Michael, who loved
wife Diarmid and grandson
all animals, immediRoscoe with us during this
ately ran to pick one
trying period. Playing those
up. He chose the
two concerts was a very diffiscrawniest, mangiest
cult thing for Dave to do,
looking one of the
but I think the performances
lot and held it close
provided an emotional outto his face to hear it
let. Russell Gloyd, Randy
purr. Dave said to
Jones, Bobby Militello and
him in a rough tone,
Michael Moore gave Dave
“Michael, put that
Michael Lawrence Brubeck, March 18, 1949-June 30, 2009
(and me) tremendous emocat down.” Being an
tional and musical support. Russell drove us from
obedient boy he let the cat go. Dave, trying to explain to
Montreal back to Connecticut where our daughter, Cathy,
Mike why he had spoken so harshly, asked him, “Do you
awaited us. Soon other members of the family began to
understand why I told you put that cat down?” “Yes”,
arrive. We asked our long time family friend Fr. Ron
replied Michael, “Because I have a runny nose.”
Brassard to preside over a private graveside service attendMike loved music, all kinds, from country to classical to
ed by four generations of Brubecks. Chris and Matthew
jazz. He played alto saxophone in the school band. He
provided the music.
was especially fond of Paul Desmond’s playing and hoped
to emulate him. As an adult Mike and Paul became good
Six weeks later, we invited friends and neighbors to a celfriends, often discussing the books they had read. When
ebration of Michael’s life in the Brubeck Room at the
Paul died he willed to Michael his horn, a supreme gesture
Wilton Public Library. Our daughter Catherine, her
of lasting friendship. A Michael Brubeck Memorial Fund
daughter, Elana Barnes and Dan’s wife, Nora, assembled a
has been established at the Brubeck Institute to carry on
booklet of some of Michael’s photographs and poems.
this mutual legacy for generations to come.
Chris acted as host and master of ceremonies, inviting each
sibling to tell a story or reminisce about “life with
9
On September 1, the day after our memorial for
Michael, Erich Kunzel, conductor of the Cincinnati Pops
Orchestra and our friend for over four decades died of
pancreatic cancer. He had been a forceful presence in our
lives since 1965 when as a young assistant conductor to
Max Rudolf of the Cincinnati Symphony, he took over
the 8 O’clock Pops series. The Dave Brubeck Quartet was
invited to perform. Erich, who didn’t even know who
Dave Brubeck
was, decided
that he should
meet Dave to
discuss
this
brand new project. On his visit
to our home he
noticed manuscript
paper
scattered about
Kunzel and Duke Ellington in early
the piano and Dave, Maestro Erich
days of Cincinnati Pops
asked what it was.
Dave showed him some of the music and said that he was
attempting to write a choral piece on the teachings of
Jesus. Erich, encouraged by what he saw, told Dave that
if he orchestrated the piece maybe he could arrange a performance with the Cincinnati Symphony. When the oratorio was completed and Erich had seen the final score,
he programmed it as a special concert sponsored by the
Ecumenical Council of Cincinnati. On February 28,
1968, Dave’s oratorio “The Light in the Wilderness” had
its premier under Erich Kunzel’s baton. It received a
tremendous reception and ecstatic reviews. Decca recorded it a few weeks later. The following year Erich conducted “The Light in the Wilderness” at Lincoln Center
followed by a six-week tour of Europe with the
Cincinnati Symphony and a choir from Miami
University, Oxford, Ohio. In February 1969 Erich
Kunzel premiered the next major Brubeck piece “The
Gates of Justice” and Decca recorded it as well. Over the
next two decades these major works were followed by
recordings of “Truth is Fallen” (Atlantic Records) and
“Mass: To Hope!”(private issue). Interspersed with these
major projects were many “pops” concerts under Erich’s
baton in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dallas and other orchestras
across the country as his stardom as ’“pops” conductor
expanded. As busy as Erich was, rushing from one
Photo Credit: Holt-Atheron Special Collections,
University of the Pacific Library
rememBerINg cont’d
orchestral engagement to the next, he never failed to send
Dave or me a birthday card and in September an anniversary card, always with a handwritten note. In the early
days of our friendship we enjoyed visits in Maine and
sailing on his beloved boat. Dave telephoned Erich in a
Maine hospital a few days before his passing. His voice
and spirits were strong even though he was fully aware
that his hours were slipping away. He said something to
Dave that is so typically Erich we had to laugh, “With
your music and my brains, Dave, we really hit it off, didn’t we?” Yes. They certainly did for over 40 years. Erich
Kunzel, a strong advocate for arts education, was a
member of the Honorary Advisory Board of the
Brubeck Institute.
c c c
From 1987 to 2005, the Dutch promoter, Willem
Hubers, promoted and arranged the Dave Brubeck
Quartet tours of Europe. Once a drummer himself, he
and Randy Jones became especially close friends, spending long hours “hanging out” or playing pool.
Sometimes Willem’s wife, Ike, would join us and it was
like a party. We had a fraternal friendship that is uncommon between promoter and musician. Our relationship
went far beyond an impresario’s business arrangement.
When we received an email from Willem that he had
been diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis was not
good, we decided that Randy Jones should go to see him
in Holland at the next break in our tour. Unfortunately,
the cancer moved at a rapid pace, and Randy did not
arrive in time to see Willem alive. He was able to attend
the service and be with his widow at a time when friendship meant the most.
c c c
Adding to our sense of loss this summer, a young man
whom we looked upon as another son, Tom “Gebe’
Fleming, was killed in a vehicle accident not far from
where we live. We were stunned. Matthew and Chris
who had played music at Michael’s service played the
next day for Tom Fleming’s memorial in Wilton’s historic Congregational Church.” “Gebe” was so much a
part of our little town the church was overflowing. The
local paper referred to him as “Mr. Wilton” because he
had so tirelessly contributed his time and talents to benefit our community.
10
rememBerINg cont’d
loyal friendship was part of my “growing up”.
With so many partings, I was drawn to a poem by
Wendell Berry.
One of the penalties for growing old is the loss of so
many who have been an integral piece of our lives. Old
friends from college days are falling like leaves in late
autumn. Maybe that’s why it’s called “the golden
years”. I will only mention by name one of many who
have passed on, because she was once so much a part
of my life. Marcellyn (Marty) Battilana Ratner, the
late actress Barbara Baxley, and I were an inseparable
trio throughout college. We studied together, stayed at
each other’s homes, worked in the theater together.
Marty was a comedic actress and singer. After graduation, each of us chose a different career path. Our lives
diverged, but our caring for each other did not diminish
and we kept in touch throughout the years. I will sorely miss that funny, spunky, determined Marty whose
The Larger Circle
We clasp the hands of those that go before us,
And the hands of those who come after us.
We enter the little circle of each other’s arms
And the larger circle of lovers,
Whose hands are joined in a dance,
And the larger circle of all creatures,
Passing in and out of life,
Who move also in a dance,
To a music so subtle and vast that no ear hears it
Except in fragments.
INtINerAry for cHrIS, trIpLe pLAy & BruBeck BrotHerS QuArtet
Performance of Ansel Adams: America
Baltimore Symphony
Feb. 11 @ 8 p.m. Bethesda, MD
Music Center at Strathmore bsomusic.org
Triple Play
Oshkosh, WI University of Wisconsin
April 8 @ 7:30 p.m. uwosh.edu
Brubeck Brothers Quartet
Sioux Falls, SD Orpheum Theater
April 9 @ 8 p.m. 605-335-6101 orpheum.sfarena.com
Baltimore Symphony
Feb. 12 @ 8 p.m. Baltimore, MD
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Feb. 13 @ 11 a.m. & 7 p.m. bsomusic.org
Temple University Orchestra
April 9@ 8 p.m. Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Ctr NY NY
212-721-6500 www.lincolncenter.org
Brubeck Brothers Quartet
Russian Tour
Feb. 15 – 23 @ 7:30 p.m.
Triple Play
Middlebury, VT Town Hall Theater
April 16 @ 7:30 p.m.
802-388-0216 afterdarkmusicseries.com
Performance of Chris’s Quiet Heroes
Gulf Coast Symphony
March 14 Ft. Myers, FL gulfcoastsymphony.org
Triple Play
Norfolk, CT Infinity Hall
April 17 @ 8:00 p.m.
866-666-6306 infinityhall.com
Premiere Performance of
Chris’s new Youngstown Symphony
Concerto for Time for Three
tf3.com youngstownsymphony.com
Abilene Philharmonic
May 1 @ 8:00 p.m. Abilene Civic Center, Abilene TX
325-677-6710 abilenephilharmonic.org
Temple University Orchestra
March 21 @ 3.00 p.m.
Kimmel Center for Performing Arts
Philadelphia, PA 215-893-1999 kimmelcenter.org
Performance of Chris’s new Boston Pops
Concerto for Time for Three
Boston, MA
June 17 @ 8:00 p.m. 888-266-1200 tf3.com
June 18 @ 8:00 p.m. bso.org
Triple Play w/the Bucks County Symphony
Delaware Valley College
March 27 @ 8:00 p.m.
Doylestown, PA buckscountysympony.org
11
Inquiries about bookings for
The Dave Brubeck Quartet should be directed to:
Frank Modica, Jr.
SUTTON ARTISTS CORPORATION
20 West Park Avenue, Suite #305
Long Beach, New York 11561
Phone: (516) 432-1790 • Fax (516) 897-1855
For details of the Dave Brubeck Quartet schedule please visit:
davebrubeck.com
Return Service Requested
the DBQ NEWSLETTER
P.O. Box 216
Wilton, CT 06897
PRSRT.STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
NEWTOWN, CT
PERMIT NO.100

db template 5 October 2004

Transcription

Similar documents

A CelebraKon of the Life and Music of Dave

budukon event with dave and guy

Summer Concert Series - Arts Council of Princeton

2016 Brubeck Festival.

Perspicacious - Pine Creek High School

For inquiries: [email protected] www.kameelah.com

Duo Art Creating Magic

The Ahaddaf Quartet, is a young, ambitious Amsterdam based

sachem arrowette prep camp

madeleine peyroux

“left handed virtuoso of the upright bass”

January 2013

Dena Derose Trio Tierney Sutton Band razilian romero ng zoo

Dave Brubeck and Polytonal Jazz