Track Listing

1. Ode to a Cowboy
2. Summer Song
3. Yonder for Two
4. History of a Boy Scout
5. Plain Song
6. Curtain Time
7. Sounds of the Loop
8. Home at Last
9. Two Sleepy People
10. Pilgrim's Progress

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10473 in Music
• Released on: 2009-02-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Album Description
This release presents the complete long unavailable original studio album Jazz Impressions of U.S.A. (1957) by the Dave Brubeck Quartet for the first time ever on CD. This would be the first album in a series of mood LPs all titled Jazz Impressions which were inspired by different cultures and places. It would be followed by Jazz Impressions of Eurasia (1958); Jazz Impressions of Japan (1964) and Jazz Impressions of New York (1964). All of the compositions from Jazz Impressions of U.S.A. were new works by Dave Brubeck. As a bonus to this rarely heard gem, the label has added two more Brubeck tracks which have never appeared before on CD (both were issued only on separate long out of print LP compilations): 'Two Sleepy People' and 'Pilgrim's Progress'. Gambit. 2009.

Customer Reviews

Hoo-ray!
Actually, this is the 2nd re-issue of this set; it was included in the 3-CD boxed set 'Classic Album Collection' of a few months ago. But what a difference! On the afforementioned 'Collection', the 'Impressions' portion of the set (only) was plagued with considerable low-end rumble absent from the rest of the set. I was naturally disappointed, & chalked it up to the age of the master. As usual, I was wrong. My compliments to the regrettably anonymous person who re-mastered THIS version; it is SO much better, and sounds more like it would have had CBS/Sony re-issued it themselves.

Brubeck afficianados have been pining away for re-issue of this recording since Noah was a pup. Now that the Spanish have declared open season on Columbia's (& other's) masters, it WOULD be nice, though. to have some information on the outside of the package as to who's responsible for a given re-master AND the type of processing used.

As to the music, 'Ode to a Cowboy', 'Summer Song', 'Home at Last' & the bonus track 'Two Sleepy People' are standouts for me. Recommended.

Jazz Impressions of the USA
Delighted to see this reissued as a CD at long last. The sound may not have the sparkle of the LP (I have two of these hard-to-find LPs), but having a copy without surface noise is worth it. Don't miss drummer Joe Morello featured on "Sounds of the Loop:; he uses the entire drum set to great melodic effect.

Other Unavailable Brubeck-!
I needn't use this space to further praise the long-awaited reissue (Gambit) of this wonderful early Brubeck classic -- or the equally welcome reissue of Brubeck's IN EUROPE 'LIVE' IN COPENHAGEN (Lonehill) -- and, surely, the music of this justly legendary Quartet speaks eloquently for itself. So, I'll limit my comments here to simply questioning when we might expect to see the reissue of three other worthy, critically acclaimed, and inexplicably (for such a popular artist!) ignored Columbia items from the Brubeck catalog: the early and unique non-Desmond quartet effort, THE RIDDLE, a wonderful, folk-based original suite, with long-time Brubeck friend, Bill Smith, perfectly cast on clarinet; and two outstanding later quartet efforts, with Gerry Mulligan (in place of the departed Desmond) in top form on COMPADRES and BLUES ROOTS, both 5-star Down Beat-rated albums. (Ironically, the lesser BRAVO! BRUBECK!, with Mulligan, has been reissued.) I'm a serious collector -- and maybe a 'completist' -- but no self-respecting Brubeck 'aficionado' can be happy without these three strong entries in the Brubeck canon!