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Time Out:

RememberingDave Brubeck

BY PATRICIA KUTZA

It's hard to believe that Dave Brubeck will no longerbe playing in concert somewhere on this planet, yetit is safe to say that someone somewhere will belistening to or playing his signature compositionslike "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk" daily,and some jazz teacher will be urging her students togo out on a limb, stretching the boundaries of theirmusic-just like Dave Brubeck did for the betterpart of sixty years.

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Whether devising unorthodoxmeters, writing cantatas, orfacing down the military, Brubeckwas all about breaking the rules.He formed an integrated band ofmusicians in the Army and later,in civilian life and at the height ofhis popularity, he was legendaryfor asking concert promoters whobalked at booking his integratedquartet, "What part of 'no'don't you understand?" Not oneto compromise his principles,Brubeck, in 1960, proceeded tocancel twenty-three of twenty­five concert dates at col1egesin the South rather than cowto their demands-which is

a reason his memory elicitssuch moving words from folkswho loved him. Says BrubeckInstitute's Executiye DirectorSimon Rowe, "Dave was oneof those rare individuals whoconducted themselves at such

a high level. He not only founda popular audience for his art,he was also able to transmit his

core values, working as a strongcivil rights advocate as well asbeing such an important culturaldiplomat for the arts."

Rowe says that it's fitting thatthe Brubeck Institute, located onthe University of Pacific campuswhere Brubeck graduated in1942, offers such a well-rounded

program, so reminiscent ofits namesake. The Brubeck

Collection, consisting of Brubeckand his wife and col1aborator

Iola Brubeck's correspondence,legal and business documents,and much more memorabilia,offers a wonderful windowinto Brubeck's world. Visitorsare welcome to research the

Brubeck Collection weekdaysat the Holt-Atherton SpecialCollections, located in theUniversity of Pacific's library.Part of the Brubeck Oral

History Project, as well as videofootage from Brubeck's manytour engagements, are now alsoaccessible online.

In a January 2013 eventheld at the Bob Hope Theaterand created in partnershipwith Stockton's Downtown

Alliance, two thousand Stocktonelementary schoolchildrenwere treated to the sounds of

The Brubeck Institute JazzQuintet, up-and-comingmUSICIans sponsored by theBrubeck Institute's FellowshipProgram. The Institute'sSummer Jazz Colony, a one­week, full-scholarship, intensivejazz immersion for high schoolstudents with promise, realizesthe ,'ision that Brubeck shared

with the University of Pacific's

Head of Special Collections ShanSutton back in 2007. Brubeck saidthat he would like to be remembered

as a person ", ..who opened doors.That's about all I could ask is take

a good look, see where you can gonow where somebody else had toknock hard."

"We are honored that Dave chose

his alma mater, the Uniyersity ofthe Pacific, to be the place wherehis correspondence and musicalrecordings and memorabilia arearchived." saysRowe. "We've createda living institute in his honor, notjust a catacombs for his effects-a

testament to his sense of adventure

and his wonderfully creative spirit.-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Brubeck Institute, university of the Pacific3601 Pacific Ave

Stockton, (209) 946-3196

The Brubeck Collection: gO.pacific.edu/

specialcollections

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