Live Music Review: The Dave Brubeck experience

By Steven Carter

The concert's setup was majestic and grand, with a full orchestra flooding over much of the floor. Above them, a choir flowed through the pews. In front of them, Dave Brubeck's grand piano stood center stage, surrounded by the equipment of the other members of his quartet. The baritone vocalist resided in front of the piano, and lent his gigantic, commanding voice to the ensemble, singing the parts of Jesus. He certainly provided a dramatic, operatic air to the piece. Brubeck's friend and longtime conductor/arranger/ producer, Russell Gloyd, stood in front of the baritone, second in command to only Brubeck himself, and enthusiastically led the University of Georgia's Symphony Orchestra and Concert Choir through the work, which still felt as fresh today as when it originally appeared.


Dave Brubeck's oratorio, "The Light in the Wilderness," was the first of two concerts by the legendary jazz pianist, and part of a week-long residency at the University of Georgia's Hugh Hodgson School of Music. It was performed in its entirety at 8:00 P.M., February 13, 2008, at the University's Performing Arts Center. The piece was Brubeck's first oratorio (which is simply an extended musical composition written for voices and an orchestra, typically centered around religious themes), and was his first major work as a composer. It was being performed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its premiere.

"The Light in the Wilderness" focuses mainly on the teachings of Christ, with much of the lyrics taken from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with other biblical passages peppered in, primarily from Psalms. The seeds for the piece were reportedly planted during Brubeck's time as a soldier during World War II, where he served under General George S. Patton.


Both the orchestra and the choir performed quite well and played their parts with grace while Brubeck looked on with approval, unable to conceal his pride and admiration when not playing, tapping his feet and slapping his knees in rhythm to his music. At times the piece roared and boomed, where the composition channeled the meticulous fury of Stravinsky. Then it would effortlessly glide back into choral bliss or launch into one of several mini-jazz jams, rounded out by impressive improvisations. The piece flowed throughout and was not just fascinating, but constantly engaging. Part jazz, part classical, the piece shifted back and forth between genres. One moment the spotlight would be cast only on the quartet, then in the next on the baritone vocalist, then on the choir, then on the full orchestra. The oratorio was obviously the work of a master musician, one with the versatility to do anything, the subtlety to do it gracefully, and enough experience to make it work as a complex, constantly evolving, cohesive piece.

A few students were sprinkled into the sold-out crowd consisting mostly of the white-haired and white-collared citizens of Clarke County, but most of the youth was relegated to the orchestra and the choir. Brubeck, 87, started off slow, but showed that his skills had not deteriorated with age as soon as his quartet's first scheduled improvisation came up. There were several improvisations built into the piece (because sometimes a jazz man just can't resist), and they flowed very well, never seeming gaudy or excessive. Saxophonist Bobby Militello stole much of the limelight with long solos that were smooth, and sometimes inspired, but relatively tame. Not tame in a negative way, inferring lack of skill, but tame meaning catered to its audience, sounding a little something like the Christmas-time jazz of Kenny G. On many occasions Brubeck would jam with only the drums, provided by Randy Jones, and the steady bass, provided by Michael Moore, backing him, and as a featured soloist, the nearly 90 year old man showed that he still possessed the dexterity of youth, as well as a razor sharp mind, and a complete awareness of what his fellow musicians were doing. It was truly mind-blowing. His solos are as interesting, intelligent, and technical as they were fifty years ago when he recorded the jazz masterpiece "Time Out."

All the members of his quartet performed well, showing why they were worthy of playing with the legend. Jones' drumming seemed simple enough, but he would invent some fascinating rhythms using as few pieces of his drum set as possible, and he provided a perfect balance to bassist Moore, who may have been the unsung hero of the performance. He never stole the show, but played solidly, helping to hold all the dissonant elements together.

It's impossible to tell what the crowd expected after watching Dave Brubeck walk out slowly, struggling to make it to his bench with small, difficult steps that showed the extensive toll the years have taken on his body. Brubeck was shown nothing but respect by the crowd, which honored the pianist with several standing ovations on almost every given occasion, the most memorable of which came after the show, when Brubeck labored back from offstage to receive the applause that refused to dissipate, even more than five minutes after show's end. He deserved nothing less.

The chances to see Brubeck live are fading fast. Anyone with the slightest interest in music, classical, jazz, or otherwise, or anyone who can appreciate well-crafted, layered works of art would be doing himself a great disservice by passing up on an opportunity to see one of America's greatest treasures.