05 dezembro, 2010

Dave Brubeck

Uma homenagem ao pianista, compositor e bandleader Dave Warren Brubeck. Do quinteto de jazz em destaque no vídeo fazem parte quatro filhos do homenageado. Reparem na cara de satisfação de Brubeck ao ver sua música executada com tanta competência pelos filhos. Na plateia, a presença do casal Obama. EntreMentes


Vídeo sugerido por Nelson Cunha que acrescentou:

Os filhos do Dave Brubeck são Chris no trombone, Matthew no cello, Dan na bateria e Darius no piano. O show foi transmitido pela CBS em 2009, como parte de uma serie de homenagens a ele, e teve lugar no Kennedy Center, em Washington D.C. Ver mais informações em Comentários. blogdopg

Curiosidade
Nascido em uma família musical, Dave Brubeck começou a aprender piano aos 4 anos de idade com a mãe. Mas não era muito interessado em aprender por métodos; ele simplesmente queria compor suas próprias melodias e, por isso, nunca aprendeu a ler partituras (nas aulas de piano de sua mãe, alegava dificuldade de visão). Na faculdade, Brubeck quase foi expulso do curso, quando um de seus professores descobriu que ele não sabia ler partituras. Muitos outros professores o defenderam, apontando seu talento em contraponto e harmonia, mas a escola continuou com medo de que isso pudesse causar um escândalo. E só concordou em lhe dar o diploma se ele assumisse o compromisso de nunca dar aulas de piano. EntreMentes

2 comentários:

Paulo Gurgel disse...

Dave Brubeck at the Kennedy Center Honors 2009
By Michael J. West
"It’s only once in a blue moon that the Kennedy Center Honors, the Washington institution’s annual lifetime achievement awards for American performing arts, salutes a jazz musician. The last instance was in 1996, when Benny Carter was honored—and that, allegedly, took President Clinton’s intervention, since the revered-in-jazz Carter was unknown to most of America. This year, however, the Kennedy Center found that rare overlap of genuine innovation and popular acclaim in Dave Brubeck. The pianist and composer was feted in Washington on Dec. 6, his 89th birthday, at a ceremony (taped by CBS for broadcast) attended by a cross-section of Hollywood royalty and D.C. power players including President and Mrs. Obama, Vice President Biden and House Speaker Pelosi.
Brubeck was part of a five-person honor roll that also included rocker Bruce Springsteen, opera diva Grace Bumbry, comedian and film director Mel Brooks and actor Robert De Niro. The tribute to Brubeck was the evening’s second (after De Niro’s), with a presentation anchored by fellow pianist Herbie Hancock... ...After a short film celebrating Brubeck’s life and work, from his father’s California ranch to his quartet with Paul Desmond to his elder statesmanship, mistress of ceremonies Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg took the stage to announce an all-star musical tribute: a quintet featuring trumpeter Jon Faddis, altoist Miguel Zenón, pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Bill Stewart. They played a few of Brubeck’s best-known tunes, beginning with “Unsquare Dance” and “Kathy’s Waltz.” Faddis stood out from the group on these, playing shining virtuosic lines at breakneck speed against Zenón peppery bebop phrases. On the CBS monitors, Michelle Obama could be seen gently swinging in her seat.
When it came to Brubeck’s biggest hit, “Take Five,” the ensemble grew considerably. A curtain rose to reveal the U.S. Army Field Band’s Jazz Ambassadors, a group of 13 horn and reed players, who joined the quintet in an impressive arrangement of the tune. Then, on a sliding stage, came a piano with Hancock in the driver’s seat, soloing in a typically complicated and breathtaking harmony. (McBride later confessed that he was lost within one bar.)
The ranks swelled yet again for “Blue Rondo à la Turk.” This time the new arrivals were Brubeck’s four sons—Darius (piano), Chris (trombone), Matthew (cello), and Dan (drums). With 22 musicians onstage, it sounded like a full (and sublime) symphony orchestra was soaring through the 9/8 groove, particularly with McBride and Matthew Brubeck (who played a splendid arco solo) now forming a string section. Just before the song closed, the whole group segued seamlessly into a chipper rendition of “Happy Birthday” that led right back to the “Blue Rondo ” coda.
“He’s 89 years old today,” Hancock had said of Brubeck in his intro, “But when he sits down to play, he turns on that smile and loses 40 to 50 years just like that.” Though Brubeck wasn’t playing, the smile he flashed as his tribute ended was at full blast. Its rejuvenating powers weren’t an exaggeration."

Paulo Gurgel disse...

A informação anterior foi enviada pelo colega Nelson Cunha, a quem agradeço também a remessa de um DVD que traz na íntegra o Kennedy Center Honors 2009, no qual foram homenageados Brubeck, Niro, Mel, Bruce e Springsteen.