The Dave Brubeck Trio - Distinctive Rhythm Instrumentals: 24 Classic Original Recordings (1990)

The sum total of three 10-inch trio records recorded between 1949 and 1951, this provocative collection finds a restless pianist who is simply fascinated by contrasts in tone, color, and emotion. In many ways, Dave Brubeck is a scientist here, experimenting with polytones, unorthodox harmonies, twisted rhythms, and odd melodic variations that perhaps only made sense to him. Why pound jarringly through a tender ballad like "Laura"? Because it accentuates the utter beauty of its melody. Why begin the buoyant "Indiana" as a fragile poem? Because it accentuates the jaunty playfulness of its melody. Brubeck swings like mad one minute and is stiff as a board the next, not only toying with the listener, but with the time-tested standards that he molds into highly original performances. A young Cal Tjader proves a worthy collaborator, bouncing between drums, bongos, and vibes and not only keeping up, but propelling the music ever forward. -- Marc Greilsamer