Brubeck In Amsterdam - Dave Brubeck

 

They Say I Look Like God

Burbeck In Amsterdam

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Recorded At The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland

Recorded December 3, 1962

Columbia CS 9897

1969

Personnel:

Piano: Dave Brubeck

Alto Sax: Paul Desmond

Bass: Gene Wright

Drums: Joe Morello

From the back cover: The Quartet's concert in Amsterdam had gone down in my memory as a happy experience. I knew CBS had recorded it,  but the tapes had gone into the vaults and had subsequently been almost forgotten. Paul would occasionally ask, "What ever happened to the tapes of that good concert in Amsterdam? We were recording so many albums in those days, it was hard to keep track.

When I recently rediscovered and played the tapes, the circumstances of the recording came back to me. Our original concert in Amsterdam had been cancelled, because Holland was in mourning after the death of Queen Wilhelmina. The only time our concert could be rescheduled while we were in Europe was to announce a midnight concert, beginning the moment the official mourning period ended. I was skeptical.

"Sunday midnight? Who's going to come to a concert when he has to go to work early in the morning? Nobody will show up!"

The Dutch promoter assured me, "They'll come." And they did.

I've always said that the audience was the fifth member of the Quartet – the unknown ingredient whose presence can tip the balance from just another concert to an experience that's unique. The tone of this particular audience at the Concertgebouw acted as a catalyst that caused each of us to react; and as we reacted, they responded, creating a spiraling effect of tension and release. I think the musical experience has meaning for more than just those of us who happened to be at the Concertgebouw past midnight. At least, that's why, after being kept under wraps for almost six years, this album is now being released. – Dave Burbeck

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