This 11-track collection of Dave Brubeck's tunes from his days on the Columbia label is about as solid top-to-bottom as one could ask for. There's absolutely no filler, no second-rate material, and contains all of -- all of -- the finest work Brubeck did in the late '50s and early '60s. You expect, and get "Take Five," "Blue Rondo a la Turk," "Three to Get Ready," "It's a Raggy Waltz," and "Unsquare Dance," the tunes with witty time signatures that identified Brubeck as an accessible innovator. Also included: "In Your Own Sweet Way," which by now has eclipsed "Take Five" as the most covered standard in Brubeck's repertoire. As definitive as any single-CD set you might find, this one cannot come more highly recommended, especially for those discovering this legendary pianist/composer for the first time.
© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo