Wednesday 5th of December 2012 is a sad day for the music community. Especially Jazz community. The world losts one of his best Jazz performers : Dave Brubeck. The American pianist died at the age of 91, on the eve of his 92nd birthday. He’s known all over the world for his uncommon rhythm on the piano and for some great pieces of Jazz with the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

To participate to the wave of tribute, here’s some compositions made from Dave Brubeck’s music. Four tracks, four genres, three nationalities.

Intellekt (MC) & Dirty Digits (DJ), a band based on the format MC/DJ like GangStarr, Eric B & Rakim or Pete Rock & CL Smooth. This one’s a great find. They got various influences mostly from Jazz music but also the one cited above. I found this record “Phenom Mental” from 2004 while I was lingering on YouTube someday.

It samples Dave Brubeck’s piano loop from his masterpiece “Take Five” performed with the Quartet.

Intellekt & Dirty Digits – Phenom Mental

Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five

 

Two others sampled the same song in two other genres.

First, Quantic, an English DJ and composer known for his eclectic creations using many kinds of music and mostly funk, jazz, soul and bossa nova. I assume that the kid grew up listening to the chief leader of the Quartet, so on his first album he had to put a sample of him. He did on “Life in the Rain”.

Quantic – Life in the Rain (sample appears at 1:11)

 

Barrington Levy is a legend as well in his area. Reggae is his playing field and he’s one the greatest at it. Dave Brubeck is often quoted among the big influences of Reggae vibes. As a Jamaîcan, ambassador of Reggae music, Barrington Levy chose to ride on “Take Five” saxophone riff slowed down to fit with the rhythm.

Barrington Levy – Captivity (sample appears at 0:16)

 

Nicolas Jaar, precocious (first maxi at eighteen) American electro DJ, achieved to turn a Jazz samples into something electro but respectful to the main genre.

In 2009, “Mini Calcutta” samples piano loop from “Calcutta Blues”. And what the young boy recorded during two minutes and a half with the original extract is high-leveled. Instrumental rises up along with percussions and piano riff speeded and intense.

Dave Brubeck – Calcutta Blues (sample appears at 0:01)

Nicolas Jaar – Mini Calcutta