Dave Brubeck at the Dakota

I saw 88 year-old Dave Brubeck at the Dakota Jazz Club on Wednesday night, it was an amazing show! Brubeck is still performing at the peak of his powers. I don't know how the guy does it. When he walks out on stage, he looks very much like a frail 88 year-old. But once he starts to play the piano, the years just melt away. He played 2 shows on Tuesday and Wednesday night, I was at the late show on Wednesday. He played for about an hour and ten minutes, and I sure got my money's worth.

Brubeck's group is great, they play so well together, they are a perfect example of the creative interplay that makes jazz so fantastic. Bobby Militello on alto sax and Randy Jones on drums have both played with Brubeck for more than 25 years, and Michael Moore on bass is the new kid, he's only played with Dave since 2000. Each member was given plenty of solo room to show their stuff, and they are all fantastic players.

Dave Brubeck is my favorite jazz musician, and I've been lucky enough to see him in concert 5 times now. I also got to intern for the journalist Hedrick Smith when he made a documentary about Dave. It's called "Rediscovering Dave Brubeck," and it was issued on DVD a few years ago, everyone should check it out. Every time I see Dave in concert, I kind of say to myself, "Okay, this could be the last time you see him, he's getting up there in years and he won't be touring forever." And yet, knock on wood, there's always been one more time. He's an incredible musician, and a great guy. He said at the end of the show, "I hope to be seeing you again very soon." I hope so too.