O.C. Jazz Rreview : Brubeck Still Finds New Take on Old Tunes

COSTA MESA —  It would be easy for Dave Brubeck, at 74, to play on his past. Come out, play “Blue Rondo A La Turk” and “Take Five,” stick to a style close to the originals, take a bow and collect the paycheck. It’s a formula he could milk for the rest of his career.

But Brubeck has chosen a different path. On Friday at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the pianist proved that he’s still evolving, still working up new material and finding new ways to present the old favorites.

Not only was this a fresh performance from one of the best-known names in jazz, it was one that pushed listeners to expand their view of a keyboardist who’s been in the public eye for more than 40 years.

It was apparent from the first number that Brubeck would explore a range of moods, tempos and styles. Taking “June’s Theme” from his brother Howard’s 1956 composition “Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra” (which the pianist recorded with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in 1960), Brubeck displayed a warm and deeply introspective style. Exploring the melancholy content with a spare attack, he painted a thoughtful portrait that was touching from its first note.

Alto saxophonist Bobby Militello preceded Brubeck’s solo with a smoothly sophisticated exploration of the theme, gliding through long lines while adding short twists, turns and leaps that fell seamlessly into his narrative. Bassist Jack Six moved into double time as he soloed, with Brubeck adding little more than a complimentary “yeah!” that could be heard between a break in Six’s phrasing.

The pianist, who spoke only twice to the audience, introduced the second number, “The Count Basie Band Is Back in Town” with a brief explanation of how he came to write it. Settling in to play, he immediately adopted a light, spare touch reminiscent of Basie, producing small clusters of chords that popped and sizzled briefly above the rhythm section accompaniment.

Elsewhere, Brubeck’s play was more dense and commanding. His left hand often fell into a back-and-forth stride pattern as he developed intricate lines from his right hand. He would pause briefly during his solos, and then re-enter with passages played in opposition to the established rhythm. Simple, blues-based lines would evolve into complex swirling figures that recalled the romanticism of Debussy or Ravel.

Brubeck jumped into “I’ve Got Rhythm” with a ragtime zest that inspired deft polyrhythmic response from drummer Randy Jones. He introduced “Yesterdays” with a solo passage that hinted at the well-known theme, then turned completely away from it before, with Militello, it was stated emphatically.

The second set opened as Brubeck, sounding a note for Six to use for tuning purposes, developed the droning pitch into a delicate presentation of the melody of “Here’s That Rainy Day.”

Militello’s cool style on alto hinted only infrequently at the sound of the late Paul Desmond, the saxophonist most closely associated with Brubeck. His most impressive work came on flute during Brubeck’s “Koto Song” as he played in the style of the Japanese shakuhachi flute with bursts of breath, wavering vibrato and vocalizations designed to complement his play.

Even the Duke Ellington war horse “Take the ‘A’ Train” rolled along on fresh tracks as Brubeck, though it was late in the concert, played with his most emphatic attack of the evening.

And just when it seemed as if the show might be over, Brubeck and company came out to a standing ovation to play a perfunctory version of “Take Five” as if to say, “See--I haven’t forgotten.”