JJ 01/63: Dave Brubeck – The Real Ambassadors

Sixty years ago editor Sinclair Traill thought the pianist's lofty adventure in jazz diplomacy musically a bit of a drag. First published in Jazz Journal January 1963

960

This ‘musical’ would be, I should think, a riot if it were visual, but on disc it is a bit of a drag. The idea by Dave and his wife Iola was a good one, but the music is not strong enough and the lyrics too contrived to enable any of the talented performers fo really get off the ground.

The basic idea of the thing is that jazz musicians make better ambassadors for Uncle Sam than official poli­ticians. Well, if you’re talking about such a character as Louis Armstrong you certainly have a strong case, but all jazz musicians aren’t Armstrongs, by a long way. Anyway it is hardly a point which needs making to such as us.

Carmen McRae comes out of the hassle very well – she sings in tune and even manages to sound enthusiastic. L, H. and R sound as bored as the material they are given to sing, and even the great Pops finds the lyrics hard to push along. He does however sing and play well on the lively “Since Love Had Its Way”, the best track on the record.

Master Brubeck keeps himself very much to himself, only emerging for one short solo on “In The Lurch”.

Discography
Everybody’s Comin’; Cultural Exchange; Good Reviews; Remember Who You Are; My One Bad Habit; Summer Song; King For A Day; Blow Satchmo; The Real Ambassador (18 min) – In The Lurch; One Moment Worth Years; They Say I Look Like God; Since Love Had Its Way; Swing Bells; Blow Satchmo; Finale (18 min)
Louis Armstrong & His All Stars; Dave Brubeck (p); Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Carmen McRae (vocals).
(CBS BPG 62083 12inLP 36s. 9d.)

[The was book The Real Ambassadors: Dave and Iola Brubeck and Louis Armstrong Challenge Segregation was reviewed in Jazz Journal in April 2022.]