The album opens with “Blue
Rondo A La Turk,” the tune that also opens Time
Out (and so the first Dave Brubeck number I ever heard). This version has
quite a different beginning from that earlier version, kicking off with
percussion. And then that familiar piano part is broken up by percussion
several times, creating an interesting effect. This rendition has teeth, has an
edge, and has energy that grabs you. Then it gets into that groovy section, with
the other part interrupting at first. There is some delightful stuff on both
guitar and piano here, before the track relaxes a bit for a cool bass lead. This
is an excellent rendition from start to finish. It’s followed by “Far More
Blue,” a tune from Dave Brubeck’s 1961 release, Time Further Out. This begins as a mellow, more relaxed journey, but
then picks up energy (more than the original version), and features another nice
lead on bass and some excellent work on percussion. As much as I always loved
Dave Brubeck’s work on piano, one of the first things that I found appealing
about his music was the fantastic and complex work on drums that accompanied
him. And this rendition features some absolutely delicious work on percussion,
which is what makes this track something special for me.
“Easy As You Go” is a pretty
tune, even without Carmen McRae’s vocals. This track features some beautiful
work on horn. That’s followed by “Since Love Had Its Way,” a fun, cheerful and
playful tune featuring some wonderful work on guitar that just seems to flow
naturally, and another cool lead on bass (and is that a bit of scat in the
background, like singing along to the bass?). Both “Easy As You Go” and “Since
Love Had Its Way” were part of the musical The
Real Ambassadors.
The first of the album’s tracks
not written by Dave Brubeck is “Boundward Home,” composed by pianist Chuck Lamb.
This one feels like setting out to unknown places, and features more good work
on drums. That’s followed by “Tritonis,” an interesting choice, as it was from
quite a bit later in Dave Brubeck’s career. It was the title track from a 1980
album. It has an interesting groove and some wonderful work on piano. I particularly
love the ending here. We then return to the late 1950s for “The Golden Horn,” a
tune from the 1958 album Jazz Impressions
Of Eurasia, which the Dave Brubeck Quartet recorded right after that famous
tour. This is my personal favorite track on this disc. It gets off to a
fantastic start with the drums, and then the guitar is bloody great. Of course
there are interesting changes, entering into a cool, sly section, like the tune
is crouching, getting ready to pounce. That guitar just starts flying again.
The entire band cooks here, delivering a track that is absolutely wonderful.
We then get into more of the
original material. The second original composition on this release is by Chris
Brubeck, “3 Wise Men,” a seriously cool tune that conjures images of the desert
and is another of the disc’s highlights. That’s followed by “North Coast,”
written by guitarist Mike DeMicco. This one has a good, solid vibe and
features some joyful work on guitar. Then “Prime Directive,” written by Chuck
Lamb, is fun right from the moment it starts. It has such a bright, positive vibe,
and plenty of great playing. I particularly like the work on piano. And toward
the end the horn adds another glorious element to this already-excellent track.
The album then concludes with Dave Brubeck’s “Thank You (Dziekuje),” another
tune from Jazz Impressions Of Eurasia,
this one inspired by Chopin. It’s a gorgeous piece, and includes more good work
on horn, a nice way to end the album.
CD Track List
- Blue Rondo A La Turk
- Far More Blue
- Easy As You Go
- Since Love Had Its Way
- Boundward Home
- Tritonis
- The Golden Horn
- 3 Wise Men
- North Coast
- Prime Directive
- Thank You (Dziekuje)
TimeLine was released on March 19, 2018 on Blue Forest Records.
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