Dave Brubeck @ The Hollywood Bowl

I cannot comprehend how one appendage can be so nimble, while others begin to fail. Dave Brubeck steadied himself on the shoulders of his quartet walking to his piano on stage, but then sat down and played with hands as precise and quick as when his records were first cut.

These are men in their 80’s, and as they took to their instruments there was no contesting their “cool.” They've been making music twice as long as we have been listening. It should come as no surprise they do so, so perfectly.



I wish I had video of Brubeck bassist, Michael Moore’s solos. His eyes closed, head down close to the neck of his upright; dancing his gray goatee back and forth as he mashed and slid over its strings. The quartet sounded flawless. Fresh and unrehearsed, I can only imagine the years of practice and memory that have gone into their harmonies and improvised choruses.

The original West Coast sound on a summer west coast night.

[mp3] Dave Brubeck – Take Five

ed: Special thanks to Patrick Woodward, for the only pictures of the event on the internet.