Kind of a meeting of two different generations of
Dave Brubeck – as the group here features Paul Desmond's alto sax, a key force in
Dave's early recordings – and the baritone sax of
Gerry Mulligan, a player who'd worked often with
Brubeck in the late 60s and early 70s! The blend of horns is really amazing, and the live recording really moves past other obvious
Brubeck modes – showing
Dave's whole new conception after the breakup of the original quartet – and his willingness to open into new rhythms, and even freer modes of expression.
Mulligan's baritone is wonderfully powerful – coming across here with a depth that we'd hardly have expected a few years before – and rhythm is from Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, both players who also add to the transformation of the
Brubeck groove. Titles include "Koto Song", "Unfinished Woman", "Truth", "Take Five", and "Rotterdam Blues".
(1841 Broadway label pressing. Cover has minimal wear.)