The day I forgot whom I was dealing with...

The famous icon was also famous for his eyewear.

February, 2002

Ashville, North Carolina

The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa

Asheville Jazz Festival

Dave Brubeck Quartet

Yes, they gave charismatic performances of Take Five, Blues Rondo a la Turk, In Your own Sweet Way, and other Brubeck favorites.

Then, the drummer, bass player and clarinet player left the stage, and it was just Brubeck.

And for the next 22 minutes or so, he performed something that evoked Franz Liszt, George Rochberg, Maurice Ravel, contemplative Blues, tightly voiced harmony a la Johannes Brahms, and quintessential, contemplative Brubeck.

It ended.

Haunting silence followed for at least five seconds.

Then, a slow crescendo of audience applause followed, turning into pandemonium that lasted about five minutes.

From the artist, shy, humble acknowledgement from the stage.

Brubeck never mentioned the name of what he had just played.

I spent a day-and-a-half listening to nearly every Brubeck tune I could find.

Nothing.

Like the haunting silence that followed the performance, I too was haunted by not knowing the title, but was steadfast in my determination to find that music.

I was lucky to have a contact within the Brubeck family. I sent them a note describing the music I heard that night. A day or two passed, and I learned the name of the mystery tune.

“Dear David, he was improvising.”

I forgot whom I was dealing with.

We lead charmed lives, don’t we?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryA6eHZNnXY