Special Projects

Orchestral Programs

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet have performed with orchestras all around the world.  Among the program choices are:

  • The Basie Band is Back In Town, Dave Brubeck, arr. Chris Brubeck
  • Brandenburg Gate Revisited (for strings, one French horn & jazz quartet), Dave Brubeck, arr. Chris Brubeck
  • In Your Own Sweet Way, Dave Brubeck, arr. Howard Brubeck
  • Mister Broadway, Dave Brubeck, arr. R. Gloyd
  • Kathy’s Waltz (quartet only)
  • Black and Blue (Fats Waller tune – not Dave’s, but Chris & Dave often played it together)
  • Jazzanians, Dave Brubeck, arr. R. Gloyd
  • Cassandra, Dave Brubeck, arr. Chris Brubeck
  • Koto Song, Dave Brubeck, arr. R. Gloyd
  • Unsquare Dance, Dave Brubeck, arr. Chris Brubeck
  • Still in Love, Chris Brubeck
  • Marian McPartland (quartet only), Dave Brubeck
  • Take Five, Paul Desmond, arr. by Chris Brubeck
  • Blue Rondo a la Turk, Dave Brubeck, arr. by Darius Brubeck
  • Concerto for Bass Trombone & Orchestra, by Chris Brubeck
  • Vignettes for Nonet, by Chris Brubeck (for jazz combo and orchestra woodwind quintet – an interesting texture change during a full orchestra concert)

 

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet plays Blue Rondo a la Turk with the Russian National Orchestra in Moscow

 

 

Chamber Concert

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet has collaborated with faculty woodwind quintets to present a chamber music concert, which could include:

  • 1. Chris Brubeck´s composition, Vignettes for Nonet, for BBQ and woodwind quintet (3 movements, total 22 minutes)
  • 2. Chris Brubeck´s composition, Crescent City Suite, for woodwind quintet plus percussion (Dan Brubeck on drums) (3 movements, 15 minutes)
  • 3. Chris Brubeck´s composition, Danza del Soul, for violin, cello, bass, piano, drums, and clarinet (3 movements, 24 minutes) (Dan Brubeck on drums and Chris Brubeck can augment upright bass part with expanded solos)
  • 4. Note: We have often found that the audience reaction is so enthusiastic that we need to play an encore. Chris has made an arrangement of Dave Brubeck´s classic, Blue Rondo a la Turk, for woodwind quintet and jazz quartet. This encore often begets another encore, so Chris has also arranged Take Five for woodwind quintet  and jazz group.

Of course, the program could include other composers but these are pieces Chris has written and for which he has the charts. It is certainly possible that an advanced student woodwind quintet or chamber group could be used for Danza del Soul  instead of a faculty woodwind quintet.

Jazz Big Band Concert

It makes sense to have the Quartet play one half alone, and the other half WITH the School´s Big Band. The Big Band may also want to include charts of their own choosing on their half of the concert.

  • 1. Bourbon Street Stroll, an 8 minute big band composition by Chris Brubeck;
  • 2. Cassandra, by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Chris Brubeck (6 minutes)
  • 3. The Basie Band is Back in Town by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Chris Brubeck (6 minutes)
  • 4.  Moody, by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Dave Wolpe (6 minutes)
  • 5. Blue Rondo a la Turk by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Chris Brubeck featuring student soloists (10 minutes, flexible)
  • 6. Take Five by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Chris Brubeck (10 minutes)

 

Concert Band

Another residency option would be working with the school´s concert band (symphonic wind ensemble). There is an arrangement of Chris´s first trombone concerto,  Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra, which has been arranged for concert band (in case it´s impossible to work this out with the orchestra schedule). Chris was also commissioned by the U.S. Army Field Band to write a very challenging piece for band called On the Threshold of Liberty which would be another option.

In addition to all this, there are various choral and symphonic pieces available which could also be included in a residency program.

 

Clinics

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet can offer several clinics while in a residency situation:

  • Mike DeMicco is a fantastic guitar teacher and music theorist, who teaches at Bard College and can work with guitar students.
  • Chuck Lamb has a vast range of playing experience working with artists as diverse as Woody Herman and Bela Fleck and has been Adjunct Professor at Skidmore College and can work with jazz piano students.
  • Dan and Chris Brubeck can run bass and drum “rhythm” section clinics together, emphasizing playing in odd time signatures. They grew up hearing the musicians who pioneered playing in 9/8, 5/4, 7/4, etc.
  • Chris can do a separate clinic with trombonists.  Often students will work on one of Chris’s published trombone works which they could play in a master class setting with Chris who then offers constructive criticism and commentary.
  • Chris often works with student composers and offer a masterclass session where he listens to some of their scores and perhaps gives constructive criticism. This would include Chris discussing the evolution of his Boston Pops commission Interplay for 3 Violins and Orchestra (featuring Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Eileen Ivers and Regina Carter), including showing a dvd of the finished television broadcast which won him the ASCAP Deems Taylor award. He can also discuss his approach to working with poetry and his commission for Frederica von Stade, River of Song.