Dave Brubeck’s Original Classics

Even the most casual jazz fan is familiar with Dave Brubeck’s 1959 album Time Out, featuring the classics “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” but many barely suspect the rich trove of recordings Brubeck made before and after. A pair of CD box sets under the heading of “Original Album Classics” has been issued in honor the great pianist’s 90^th birthday. Between them, the represent the reissue of 10 LPs recorded from 1954 through 1964. The range of music is impressive, with abstract boogie woogie alongside closing time piano musings and compositions that cross into the realm of 20^th century classical music. Within each box, the CDs are covered in shrunken replications of the original LP jackets leading to the project’s only flaw. The liner notes are microscopic and the artwork reduced to postage stamp scale. Booklets should have been included with each set, reproducing the notes and art in a larger format.