Re: [Harp-L] Dave Brubeck and Madcat Ruth

[Peter Madcat Ruth <madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave Brubeck was a huge influence on my life.  He was a man who played the music he believed in, and he played it with all his heart.  He was a fabulous improviser.  Even though he played Take Five at every gig for many decades, he always played a uniquely new and fresh solo EVERY TIME !  What an inspiration!

He also was a great human being with a great heart.  He had an integrated band in the 1940s and 50s at a time when many places would not hire an integrated band.

I was very lucky to have known him and worked with him and his family for the last forty years.

I first met Chris Brubeck in 1968 when I was 19 and Chris was 16.  A year later I joined his band, New Heavenly Blue.  We recorded two LPs; one on RCA and one on Atlantic.  After New Heavenly Blue folded in 1973 I was invited to join Two Generations of Brubeck which was Dave Brubeck plus three of his sons: Chris, Darius and Dan, plus and a number of other musicians including me. I played with Two Generations of Brubeck from 1973 to 1977.  It started out as an eleven piece band and then got continually smaller until it was just four Brubecks plus me. We recorded three LPs on Atlantic Records.

During this same period, I also played with Chris’ funk band, Sky King, and we recorded an LP on Columbia Records.

In 1981 I had a band called the Madcat/Brubeck Band with Danny Brubeck on drums.

After 1977 I never again toured with Dave, but I continued to do occasional gigs with him as a special guest.

In 1994 I started playing with Bill Crofut, Chris Brubeck and Joel Brown. When Bill Crofut died, Chris and Joel and I continued performing together as Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play.

Dave’s last recording was with Triple Play: Triple Play Live at the Zankel Music Center, recorded June 10, 2011.  And at that concert he played some fantastic solos.

He was a great man - he will be missed - and he will be remembered fondly by millions.

Peter Madcat Ruth
Musician - Grammy Award Winner
madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.madcatmusic.net
www.youtube.com/user/petermadcatruth



On Dec 6, 2012, at 7:28 PM, robert mcgraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> With the passing of the great Dave Brubeck, perhaps our own Madcat Ruth would grace us with some words about his time[s] playing with the Master?
> WVa Bob