(Editor’s note: Sam Geati is a resident of Sun City whose musical background covers over 60 years. Currently, Sam can be seen and heard as a percussionist with the Sun City Concert Band, the “Let’s Dance” swing band, which he helped form, and his own trio called “Blue Skies.”)
First, I’d like to say a word of thanks for all the positive responses I received on the first edition of this column. It was suggested that I profile only one artist or group per column. With that in mind, in this edition, let’s examine one of the all-time greatest jazz groups ever: The Dave Brubeck Quartet, featuring Dave on piano, the late Paul Desmond on alto sax, and my personal favorite, the late Joe Morello on drums. Bassist Eugene Wright was part of the group for most of its existence.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet. (Photo provided)
One only needs to hear the 5/4 strains of “Take Five” to immediately recognizes it as this group’s signature tune from their most famous album by the same name. For those non-musicians, the time signature of 5/4 simply indicates that there are five beats to every measure instead of the most commonly used 4/4 time. So, as you listen to this tune, count the beats, and you will be able to recognize the downbeat or beat #1 every five beats. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Yeah, right!
Monday, May 7 – “Let’s Dance,” Sun City’s 18-piece Swing Band, 7-9 p.m. in Drendel Hall. Tickets are available at the CAM desk or at the door.
Wednesday, May 9 – Elgin Community College Steel Bands, 7:30 p.m. in the Blizzard Theatre, ECC. See website for details and ordering tickets.
Thursday, May 17 – Sun City Concert Band “Instant Concert,” 7 p.m. in Drendel Hall. The same concert will be performed on Saturday, May 19 at 1 p.m. Call Cheryl at 847-961-5905 for tickets: $10 for adults, $3 for children.
Enough of the technical stuff, let’s talk about their history and chemistry. Dave and Paul were the heart of the group in the early 1950s until they eventually disbanded in 1967. Joe came on in 1956 and was there for the duration. When you listen to Dave and Paul, note how they harmonize and feed off each other as they improvise. Listening to them is very mesmerizing, as they are so in sync, especially in “Take Five.”
As I mentioned previously, Joe Morello was and always will be my favorite drummer, and I was fortunate to meet him. The year I graduated from high school, he and the band came to Chicago and were appearing at the Blue Note, one of Chicago’s premier jazz spots. My percussion instructor and Joe were close friends, which gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to him during a band break. It was then I realized that Joe was almost totally blind.
Joe took the time to talk his trade and even demonstrate a technique, one I learned about from my instructor: his amazingly fast finger movement with his left hand. With this inventive technique, Joe was able to play beats faster with just one hand than most drummers could perform with both hands. I had first noticed this when listening to his solo on the cut called “Sounds of the Loop” from the album “Jazz Impressions of the U.S.A.”
This cut really shows off the most extraordinary trait Joe possessed: being the most “melodic” drummer I’d ever heard. By that, I mean he was able to turn the sounds he produced into a melodic line, similar to someone playing actual notes on a wind or brass instrument. In this tune, Joe’s solo is simulating the chaotic Chicago Loop noises with a furious ending filled with rim shots, fast bass drum patterns, and stuff that makes me say OMG.
Paul Desmond was responsible for getting Joe the gig with the band, as he told Brubeck about this guy who played great brushes and would fit in perfectly with them. Paul and Dave soon found out that Joe wasn’t one to stay in the background; he wanted to solo and experiment with different techniques. The first time Joe sat in, it was apparent to both Paul and Dave that his skills complemented their style perfectly, and, as they say, the rest is history.
The heart and soul of the group, of course, was Brubeck. Much of the group’s repertoire came from his creative mind, but the group’s success and magic came from the way the other guys were drawn into Dave’s musical web, each contributing their own artistry in a team effort. At 91, Dave is still playing and amazing audiences with his artistry.
That’s it for “All that jazz and more” for this week. I’ll pick it up next time with my favorite combination singer/songwriter/lyricist – Michael Franks. I know, you never heard of him, right?
Sammy
