Search - Dave Brubeck :: We're All Together Again for the First Time

Koto song concert. THE version of the song.

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 06/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Koto song is one of the most haunting piece of music I have ever heard. It is ipnotic in its eternal beauty. It is unforgettable. If it was for this tune alone, this album is absolutly one to have. Absolutly and I mean it. But Koto song is not the only highlight of this concert. Rotterdam blues is a wonderful blues. And what about the two extraordinary long versions of Truth and Take five? Gerry Mulligan really shines here. His interplay with Desmond and Brubeck is something of the highest grade. In Take five the band take a long ride on the various modal scales, major and minor in 5/4 time. Really ipnotic this one too. It is a wonderful take five version and I really love the crescendo Dave take at the end of his solo, from 8.05. It perfectly guide you to the drum solo. Really Great!! This album is cool, it swings, it haunts you. I own this since I was a student. The father of a girlfriend of mine had this nice collection of old Jazz records and he was really into Desmond and Mulligan. I put this one and Two of a kind on a tape (it was tape time!) and I did wear out the thing. Those were among the first jazz albums I have ever had. Now I own 7000 but I still listen to these two albums quite regularly (but I still prefer this concert to the studio album from Desmond and Mulligan in their pianoless encounter "TOAK"). I think this album should be the second from Dave one should own, just after Time out of course. But here you have Gerry Mulligan as a nice addiction. Absolutly suggested."

What's Not To Like?

J H Murphy | Agoura, California USA | 11/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Dave Brubeck Quartet did several *gooood* live recordings. What makes this one stand out is the addition of Gerry Mulligan.



Mulligan and Paul Desmond worked great together - they did another album, "Two of a Mind", where the interplay was almost telepathic - and this CD is no exception.



As with some other reviewers, I too would have preferred to see the "Time Out" personnel, drummer Joe Morrello and bassist Gene Wright, on this CD too, but Alan Dawson and Jack Six fill in nicely. (And this recording was twelve years later...) In fact, the 16:00 version of Take Five on this CD has the time for a longer drum solo than on the original "Time Out" version, not bad at all IMHO.



As for the tracks: "Truth" starts out with a vaguely foreboding motif by Brubeck, very effective, reminding me in concept of a piece like the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. Alternatively, among well-known jazz CDs, the intro to "Autumn Leaves" on Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" CD introduces the same mood, although the Brubeck piece turns uptempo much more rapidly. The interplay between Desmond and Mulligan is pretty good on this piece. The improv by Brubeck later seems to recall, what, Edgar Varese? the Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari soundtrack? - but it leads into a nice, if schizophrenic duo with Jack Six.



"Unfinished Woman", a distantly haunting melody by Mulligan, sets up a fine duo between Gerry and Dave...then a contrasting repeat with Paul Desmond and Dave. There is one annoying sub-second dropout about the 5:00 mark during this - don't know if it's just my recording.



"Koto Song" is a placid mood piece - with overtones of the Japanese instrument from which it draws its name. No Mulligan on this piece, which is perfect for Desmond anyway.



What can I add about a sixteen-minute version of "Take Five"? I do wonder what Joe Morrello would have done with the drum solo, which was Brubeck's original reason for writing this song.



"Rotterdam Blues" is more blues-tinged than anything else, but again showcases Jack Six effectively...



...and "Sweet Georgia Brown" is a nice, short, goodbye solo.



The recording, absent one dropout, is good, and the liner notes from the original album are a nice plus.



The only negative I can possibly imagine is that this is *live* jazz. I personally don't think that's a negative, but tastes vary.



So...Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and Gerry Mulligan playing live...what's not to like? Five stars."