This two-disc set surveys a career spanning 53 years (1949-2002). Chosen by Brubeck himself from 24 albums, the 31 tracks follow his development from his early years as one of the founders of the West Coast “cool” style, through his 1958-67 stint with the famous quartet featuring Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello, to his lesser-known later output with a variety of collaborators. Although they’ll own most of this already, the main interest for Brubeck fans will be engaging with the man’s personal view of his music. Beginners should start with ’59’s classic Time Out.
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