Segue - RIP Dave Brubeck
As far back as I can remember, I've always been a big music fan. We always had the radio going in my house. My folks had a B&W TV, with all of 3 local channels. Since someone had to get up and change the channels, it usually stayed on whatever news show my father wanted to watch. When he wasn't around, I always turned on the radio.
I can remember the radio being on a local radio station that played pop music. I was happy with it at the time. My parents didn't like it, for one. :) My peers also liked it. But then as I grew older, I found different radio stations. I moved on to, what at the time was, modern rock. At the same time, I started playing saxophone in the school band. So I was exposed to a lot of music growing up. Rock, which had its roots in blues, classical and classical pops in school band. We had a jazz band in high school, but I don't remember much actual jazz. Maybe they weren't really a jazz band, they were most likely more like a pep band.
I made it to college and while I didn't play the sax much, except for marching band, I did hang around the music building. I knew a lot of people there, and I was comfortable with them. I got introduced to jazz fusion, a lot of people liked Mahavishnu Orchestra at the time, and of course I was one of them. It was sort of a mix of jazz and Jimi Hendrix. I still follow a couple of the musicians in that band since they've broke up.
It wasn't until my second year at college that I took a "Listening to Music" class. We covered a lot of classical music, some of which I knew and some of which I didn't. We then moved into Jazz and that's where I was introduced to 50's jazz and Dave Brubeck. We heard both "Take 5" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and I fell in love with it. I've been a big fan of his every since, though I never ended up going to any of his concerts.
I won't have any more chances. He passed away yesterday, 1 day shy of his 92nd birthday. He will be missed. A couple of songs to remind us what he was like, and for me to hear them one more time.
I can remember the radio being on a local radio station that played pop music. I was happy with it at the time. My parents didn't like it, for one. :) My peers also liked it. But then as I grew older, I found different radio stations. I moved on to, what at the time was, modern rock. At the same time, I started playing saxophone in the school band. So I was exposed to a lot of music growing up. Rock, which had its roots in blues, classical and classical pops in school band. We had a jazz band in high school, but I don't remember much actual jazz. Maybe they weren't really a jazz band, they were most likely more like a pep band.
I made it to college and while I didn't play the sax much, except for marching band, I did hang around the music building. I knew a lot of people there, and I was comfortable with them. I got introduced to jazz fusion, a lot of people liked Mahavishnu Orchestra at the time, and of course I was one of them. It was sort of a mix of jazz and Jimi Hendrix. I still follow a couple of the musicians in that band since they've broke up.
It wasn't until my second year at college that I took a "Listening to Music" class. We covered a lot of classical music, some of which I knew and some of which I didn't. We then moved into Jazz and that's where I was introduced to 50's jazz and Dave Brubeck. We heard both "Take 5" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and I fell in love with it. I've been a big fan of his every since, though I never ended up going to any of his concerts.
I won't have any more chances. He passed away yesterday, 1 day shy of his 92nd birthday. He will be missed. A couple of songs to remind us what he was like, and for me to hear them one more time.
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