THANKS FOR THE LULLABIES…AND THE MEMORIES
Not long before the great Mr. Dave Brubeck drifted off to eternal sleep one day before his 92nd birthday, he had left for us a final album of soft jazzy lullabies to guide us into peace. Awesome! We teared up at not just the loveliness of the tunes, but that Brubeck is almost playing an elegy for himself. At 91, Brubeck recorded these “children’s songs” as a gift to his grandchildren, but there’s nothing maudlin about it. This collection makes me feel as right as Brubeck’s classic Disney Album from 1957. While I would say that this is a great record when it comes to introducing children to the world of jazz, for goodness’ sake, don’t roll your eyes if you hear the word “lullaby.” Instead, imagine classics like “Danny Boy”, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, and “All Through the Night” as they remind you, in the midst of this shit-show of a year, that there is a world out there that can create something with, it seems, the sole purpose of making you happy when there’s nowhere else to turn for relief. OK, Dave. Take Five.
Dave Brubeck
Lullabies
Verve | 15 tracks | 42:30
released on September 25, 2020
available at Amazon