| Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1961 | |||
| Recorded | January 30 – February 14, 1960 | |||
| Genre | Cool jazz,West Coast jazz | |||
| Length | 41:23 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Dave Brubeck chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein is a 1961 studioalbum byThe Dave Brubeck Quartet.[2] Its title refers to the fact that it consists of both a Brubeck composition conducted byLeonard Bernstein (though the "Brubeck" there isHoward Brubeck,Dave Brubeck's brother) and Bernstein compositions played by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The title is also an echo of Dave Brubeck's 1956 solo debut album,Brubeck Plays Brubeck.
The whole first side of the album consists of the composition "Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra", composed byHoward Brubeck and performed by theNew York Philharmonic and the Dave Brubeck Quartet, under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. The second side consists of arrangements of five songs from the musicalsWest Side Story andWonderful Town, whose music was written by Bernstein.
The album started to take shape when "Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra" was premiered at aNew York Philharmonic series on December 10, 11 and 13, 1959, with Leonard Bernstein conducting.[3] This was considered at the time to be an early, successful jazz/classicalcrossover project – similar to those that had already been initiated by theModern Jazz Quartet,Gunther Schuller and their peers in the study of what Schuller termed "Third Stream" music.
"In this work an attempt is made to construct a score giving the orchestra an important part to play which adheres strictly to written notes, while the particular combination, or 'combo', of jazz instruments, is free toimprovise on the material of the movement..."—Howard Brubeck (Original LP liner notes)
The album debuted onBillboard magazine'sStereo Action Albums chart in the issue dated December 12, 1960, peaking at No. 13 during a seven-week run on the chart.[4]
On the original vinylLP record:
TheDialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra was composed byHoward Brubeck; the other selections were composed byLeonard Bernstein.
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Stereo Action Albums[4] | 13 |
