1. Dave Brubeck: Innovator and Integrator By Jake Soares

2. Early Life Born December 6, 1920 in Concord CA. Father Howard was a rancher and one of the best ropers in the state Father taught him about racial injustices Mother Elizabeth taught him piano at age 4 Completed his mother’s lessons by ear after having heard other kids play them Went to College of the Pacific but planned on being a rancher with his father

3. College Enrolled as a premedical veterinary student Transferred to the conservatory his sophomore year Excelled in his courses, but still couldn’t read music Graduated on the condition that he would never teach music and embarrass the conservatory Was later given an honorary doctorate in music Met his wife-to-be Iola Whitlock at a campus radio show Married Iola and joined the army after graduating

4. Army Played in an army band from 1942-44 in Riverside, CA Was shipped overseas as a replacement in Patton’s Third Army Got to play in a band with other replacements and wounded soldiers The Wolf Pack was integrated, even though the military was segregated Dave was naturally the leader “There were black soldiers and white soldiers, and there were black units and white units, but The Wolf Pack was one unit, one band.” – Dave Brubeck

5. Career Studied at Mills College under Darius Milhaud Learned more about polyrhythms and polytonality and how to apply them to composition and improvisation Played in an experimental octet that was also integrated, a short-lived trio, and then in 1951 formed the Quartet. Gained popularity playing at colleges and San Francisco’s Black Hawk nightclub Appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in 1954 The Quartet’s album Time Out went platinum in 1959 with the hit song Take Five that reached number five in the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

6. World Famous The Quartet had reached new levels of popularity with songs in uncommon time signatures (5/4, 7/4, 9/8) Dave’s combos, in one version or another, have played on every continent except Antarctica The Quartet stayed together until 1967

7. Career Eugene Wright joined the quartet in 1958 1959 – 22 out of 25 southern universities cancelled shows because Gene was black Dave refused to do the shows with a white bassist and as a result the quartet lost 40,000 dollars “The musicians in my group have always been selected for their musical ability and for no other reason. And that policy is not going to be changed now.” – Dave Brubeck

8. The Real Ambassadors In 1962, Dave and Iola wrote “The Real Ambassadors” for Louie Armstrong It was meant to be a broadway show, but was only performed live once at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1962 “The whole idea was that Louis was the greatest ambassador that we had. We tried to take the racial situation and let Louis make people laugh at it. We had lines set up in it where we would show the ridiculousness of being segregated because of the color of your skin.” – Dave Brubeck

9. Career Dave would always refuse to play for a segregated audience In 1976 in South Africa Dave demanded that a black South African musician play with him in every appearance for an integrated audience