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BRUBECK MUSIC
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Chris Brubeck - Biography:
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Chris Brubeck first distinguished himself as a jazz musician, performing and recording with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck. He plays bass, trombone, piano, guitar and sings and, in the past few decades, has earned international acclaim as composer, performer and leader of his own groups. On stage, Chris’ irrepressible enthusiasm is matched by his fluid command of jazz, blues, folk, funk, pop and classical musical styles. As an award-winning composer, he is clearly tuned into the pulse of contemporary music. Now, entering the 21st century, Chris’ natural talents have positioned him to assume a leadership role in the genre-bending renaissance of modern classical music. Noted Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart says, “without putting too much of an onus on Chris Brubeck, we’re always looking for the new Gershwins who can take the sounds in American popular musical culture and integrate them into the context of the orchestra, much the way Gershwin and Bernstein did.”
Since 1987, Chris has created an impressive body of symphonic work, while maintaining a demanding touring and recording schedule with his two bands, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet and Triple Play, and with The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Highlights of his compositional achievements in the past two years include two orchestral pieces, commissioned and performed by the illustrious Boston Pops, conducted by Keith Lockhart. In May 2001, the Boston Pops celebrated the Boston Symphony Hall’s 100th Anniversary with the world premiere of Chris’ “Convergence: Concerto for Orchestra,” a debut characterized by The Boston Globe as “a great event, the world premiere of the most ambitious work ever commissioned by the Pops. Christopher Brubeck’s got a hit on his hands, with a long life ahead of it.”
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His second Boston Pops commission, the exciting “Interplay for 3 Violins and Orchestra,” premiered in May 2002, with performances by violinists Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg (classical), Eileen Ivers (Irish) and Regina Carter (jazz). Speaking of Interplay, The Boston Globe said “Vivaldi couldn’t do it better!”. The concert was broadcast on PBS’ “Evening at Pops” in an episode named “Fiddlers Three” and the program won the 2002 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award with Chris also receiving a Deems Taylor award for best composition for television broadcast.
In 2002, Chris also received glowing reviews for his premiere of “River of Song,” penned for famed mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, and performed in California. One such accolade came from von Stade, who says, “Chris’ wonderful orchestrations and arrangements have proven that his understanding of the classical idiom is extraordinary.” The Norwalk, Connecticut Youth Symphony commissioned Chris to write a piece, “Ascension,” which premiered in 2002, and he ended the year with an invitation to compose a piece for Vision Into Arts’ New York International Pianofest. "There were abundant jazz influences,” writes The New York Times reviewer Anne Midgette, “some of the best is Chris Brubeck’s fine ‘Rêverie d’Ivoire’.”The December festival also featured premieres of new works by Philip Glass, Gyorgy Ligeti, Milton Babbitt and others.
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Other recent compositions include a piece entitled “On the Threshold of Liberty,” commissioned by The U.S. Army Field Band and in August, 2003 he premiered “Vignettes for Nonet” for woodwind quintet and jazz quartet. Vignettes was commissioned by a consortium consisting of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Bay Chamber Concerts of Rockport, Maine. The St. Paul Pioneer Press called Vignettes “… a triumphant meeting of two styles.”
In January, 2004 he premiered his “Prague Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra” with the Czech National Orchestra (his second trombone concerto), and in May, 2004 he premiered at Carnegie Hall “CityVisions: Concert Overture for Orchestra”,which was the first annual Skitch Henderson Commission by the New York Pops. Chris has been named Music Alive Composer-in-Residence with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra and will be premiering "Mark Twain's World: A Symphonic Journey with Genuine Thespians" Peter Jaffe, conductor, in Stockton, California on April 7th & 9th, 2005.
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Since 1970, Chris has also recorded his original music and toured the world with his own rock, jazz and folk groups. He currently performs and records with The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (BBQ), featuring his brother Dan Brubeck on drums, Mike DeMicco on guitar and a variety of favorite musicians on keyboards, among them, Chuck Lamb and Taylor Eigsti and with Triple Play, an acoustic blues/jazz/folk trio with vocals that includes guitarist Joel Brown and harmonica virtuoso Peter Madcat Ruth . The BBQ’s first CD, Second Nature (Blue Forest), includes several of Chris’ original tunes, a spirited treatment of jazz standards, and favorite Dave Brubeck tunes; Triple Play’s first CD, Triple Play Live (Blue Forest, 2000), reveals Chris’ firm, yet fun-loving, grasp of Americana. Triple Play's second CD, Watching the World, also features many of Chris' original compositions.
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And, as has been true since his teenage years, Chris continues to play bass and trombone in The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Over the decades, Chris and his family have recorded dozens of albums together, and in December 2000, he and brothers Dan, Darius and Matthew teamed up with their father for a memorable celebration of Dave’s 80th birthday. The Brubecks performed two concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) at The Barbican Theater, later released on CD as Dave Brubeck – Live with the LSO (LSO, 2001).
The trip to England was a nice reunion for Chris who had earlier recorded Bach to Brubeck (Koch International, 2000) with the LSO, conducted by Joel Revzen. The CD features Chris’ “Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra,” which aired on 140+ national radio stations. The score has since been performed by The Boston Pops, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Pops and Chicago Sinfonietta Orchestra, among others.
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Chris attended High School at the Interlochen Arts Academy where he was in orchestra 2 hours a day, Big Band Jazz rehearsals three times a week, Concert Band, Small Brass Ensembles and led various student rock-n-roll groups. During his days as a bass trombone performance major at The University of Michigan, Chris led, toured and recorded with his innovative "rock" bands, New Heavenly Blue (with releases on R.C.A. and Atlantic Records) and in 1975 Sky King on Columbia. Sky King was dubbed "thinking man's funk" by one reviewer and the band's Columbia release received 4 stars in Downbeat and reached #11 on the national college radio charts.
The Koch International recording "Bach to Brubeck" featuring Chris, Bill Crofut and Joel Brown as soloists with The London Symphony Orchestra is another reflection of Chris' multiple talents. In addition to creating the orchestral arrangements for the recording, Chris was the soloist in his original composition "Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra". This work is creating a stir in classical music circles, already receiving multiple performances at The International Trombone Festival and with The Boston Pops, The Pittsburgh Symphony, The London Philharmonic Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Czech National Orchestra.
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In addition to Interplay for 3 Violins and Orchestra; Convergence: Concerto for Orchestra; and Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchesta Chris has composed and arranged for The Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Aspen Wind Quintette and The Manhattan Choral Festival. He has written 3 musicals, choral pieces and hundreds of songs through the years, many of which have been recorded and released over the years.
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"In just a few years, Brubeck's created a repertoire that could be the true crossover material: work that demonstrates a keen knowledge of and talent for jazz, popular and classical idioms." Symphony Magazine, , December 2002. "He's got a hit on his hands, with a long life ahead of it" Richard Dyer, The Boston Globe (speaking of "Convergence".) "Chris Brubeck's wonderful orchestrations and arrangements have proven that his understanding of the classical idiom is extraordinary." Frederica von Stade
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"The highpoint of the night came when Chris horned in on a beautifully reflective solo and switching instruments, blew one of the best trombone solos I've heard in years. It was burry and brassy, yet with a melodic sensitivity that reminded me of one of Woody Herman's great '45 stars, Bill Harris. I sat there entranced, wishing the solo would go on forever." Mike Nevard, New York Post, Carnegie Hall review during The Newport Jazz Festival Chris has become one of the most capable electric bassists, delivering imaginative solos." Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times "Chris Brubeck is probably one of the finest performing jazz trombonists around today." Joe Klee, DownBeat
"Chris Brubeck steals the show with his Vic Dickenson-influenced trombone on Aint Misbehavin" Owen Cordel, Jazz Times (Review of "Night Shift" Live at the Blue Note, Dave Brubeck Quartet on Telarc)
"The standout performer was Brubeck's son Chris. Electric Bass can be a glaring liability in otherwise acoustic bands but Chris showed skill and sensitivity on the instrument, massaging each note for added warmth. Chris also has a command of classic jazz trombone." Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe (Symphony Hall Review, Brubeck Quartet & Gerry Mulligan Big Band)
"If there is such a thing as 'born musicians' then surely the sons of famed jazz pianist Dave Brubeck qualify as evidenced by last night's concert at the Kentucky Center For the Arts... Chris proved to be an especially interesting soloist on trombone, and his solo on his father's 'In Your Own Sweet Way' was emotional and sensitive. He also made a personal emcee." Rick Mattingly, Louisville Courier-Journal (Brubeck Brothers Concert and Lonseom Pine Radio Broadcast)
"Chris showed the trombone's range and flexibility -- trouncing triplets and gliding through grace-notes with abandon. He approaches the trombone with the same sensibility as the fretless bass, sneaking between notes with a wicked left-hand vibrato." David Malachowsli, Albany Times Union
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