

Brubeck's compositions with his classic quartet can take centre stage, but he was a killer interpreter of earlier geniuses, too. His “Take the ‘A' Train” does Ellington locomotive justice, while his reading of Bernstein & Sondheim's “Maria” has swinging élan. Explorations like “Dialogue for Jazz Combo and Orchestra” also form a key part of Brubeck's improvisatory vision.