Pianist Dave Brubeck was the dean of the cool school in 1950s jazz. Issued in honor of his 90th birthday, Legacy of a Legend surveys his most important years as a recording artist, 1954 through 1970a period when Brubeck influenced the shape of jazz, crossed into the pop hit parade and inspired the rhythms of progressive rock. He was always best when paired with saxophonist Paul Desmond, whose dry-martini tone perfectly complemented Brubeck’s unruffled chording. The two-disc collection includes familiar classics such as “Take Five” and the Near Eastern-inspired “Blue Rondo a la Turk” and a previously unreleased live number.
