Without a scintilla of doubt the “Classic” Dave Brubeck team with Paul Desmond/as, Eugene Wright/b and Joe Morello/dr is one of the top five jazz quartets in history. Before that team coalesced, pianist Brubeck and his ace in the hole Desmond mixed and matched with other rhythm sections through a series of ‘live” albums. The four albums that represent those (and more) combos are compiled together in this three disc set, and the sonic evolution of the band is impressive in its own right.
Things start off with Brubeck and Desmond in a trio format with either Lloyd Davis or Joe Joe Dodge as drummer for some sublime tones on “You Go To My Head” and “Lady Be Good”. Bass players Ron Crotty hen take turns for material that Brubeck would retrun to, as “The Trolly Song”, “All The Things You Are” and “For All We Know” with the team steaming along on “The Way You Look Tonight” and Desmond glowing on “Stardust” and “These Foolish Things”. The last conglomeration has Bob Bates’ bass with Joe Dodge, with the cylinders running well n ‘Take the ‘A’ Train” and a hint of future toying with meters on “Le Souk”. Brubeck’s bopping chords work well on “All The Things You Are” and he strides right on”I Want To Be Happy”. While Brubeck’s later band got better known, this is not one to be ashamed of, as anything that has Paul Desmond’s lighter than air alto sax on it deserves to be heard over and over. Check out this prototype.