Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Brubeck Brothers Quartet: LifeTimes

1

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet: LifeTimes

By

Sign in to view read count
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet: LifeTimes
Jazz has proven, time and time again, that the bonds of family feed the creative soul. Everybody from the Jones brothers and the The Marsalis Family to the 3 Cohens have found satisfaction in the connection that comes with blood and blues, DNA and musical dynamism, and kinship of the artistic and literal varieties; The Brubeck Brothers are no exception.

Chris and Dan Brubeck, the offspring of the one and only Dave Brubeck, having been playing and recording with each other since they were kids and it shows. Their famous piano-playing father's musical lifestyle rubbed off on them early and both boys embraced this way of life without looking back. Many decades have passed since they were youngsters rehearsing at their parents' Connecticut home, but the enthusiasm that they likely exhibited as teenagers still comes through in their music.

Lifetimes, the fourth CD from the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, finds this outfit exploring five songs associated with their father and three originals that come from the other half of the band—guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb. Three of Dave Brubeck's best known tunes—"The Duke," "Kathy's Waltz" and the Paul Desmond-penned "Take Five"—show up in the playlist, but they're given a new lease on life with some arranging tweaks. "The Duke" shifts between half-time and double-time feels and "Take Five," which closes the album, opens on Dan's swampy snare drum before settling in. "Kathy's Waltz" is introduced with a reflective guitar solo and the band starts off in a gentle, pseudo-reggae groove in four before arriving at a waltz feel.

Two other songs from the family patriarch—the South African-inspired "Jazzanians" and the balladic "My One Bad Habit"—make the cut, and both numbers give Chris Brubeck a chance to work his magic on bass trombone. His background work enhances the overall sound on "Jazzanians," while his tender, melt-like-butter tone on "My One Bad Habit" is simply dreamy. He lets his bass do the talking, walking and groove-making on the majority of the date as he locks in with his brother's cymbal work, but his horn is a welcome addition when he chooses to include it.

The contributions of the Brubeck Brothers' band mates complement the other selections on the disc. DeMicco's "Prezcence" has energy to spare and swings like mad, while Lamb's "The Girl From Massapequa," with its choro-like demeanor bolstered by an Afro-Cuban groove, proves to be an album highlight. The pianist and guitarist may not share lineage with the Brubeck's, but they come off as musical family throughout this largely straightforward and enjoyable date.

Track Listing

The Duke; Jazzanians; Kathy’s Waltz; Go Around; Prezcence; The Girl from Massapequa; My One Bad Habit; Take Five.

Personnel

Brubeck Brothers Quartet
band / ensemble / orchestra

Chris Brubeck: electric bass, bass trombone; Dan Brubeck: drums; Mike DeMicco: guitar; Chuck Lamb: piano.

Album information

Title: LifeTimes | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Blue Forest

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.