45 Years of the Best of Brubeck

Dave Brubeck--one of the few household names in jazz--is best known for a tune he didn’t write: “Take Five,” concocted by his longtime colleague, the late saxophonist Paul Desmond.

But there’s a lot more to the pianist and composer than that hit record, which as a single reached No. 25 on the Billboard magazine pop charts in 1961. “Dave Brubeck--Time Signatures--A Career Retrospective,” a first-rate four-CD or cassette box set just released by Columbia, reveals what a broad and prolific life in music this distinguished artist has had.

The extremely musical collection contains 59 tracks, which were recorded between 1946 to 1991. They were hand-chosen by Brubeck from 46 albums that were originally released on five labels--primarily on Columbia, for whom Brubeck recorded from the mid-’50s through 1970.

“I spent about four months listening to everything I had recorded, and I tried to pick the most representative things from each album, though we had to leave out a lot of things,” said Brubeck, 73, from his home in Wilton, Conn.

“Time Signatures” spotlights Brubeck more as conceptual innovator and composer than as a ground-breaking pianist, though he plays in a richly melodic style that often recalls Erroll Garner. Among the highlights: jaunty trio tracks from 1949-50 that feature the late Cal Tjader on drums, bongos and vibes; “The Souk,” a 1954 modal piece that predates Miles Davis’ classic “So What” by five years; “Darktown Strutters Ball,” played very simply by the pianist unaccompanied; a tender look at the Mexican folk song, “La Paloma Azul”; tracks featuring such guest stars as Louis Armstrong, Carmen McRae and others; and, of course, “Take Five.”

The set includes one unreleased track, “Tritonis,” recorded in Moscow in 1990. Brubeck said the piece epitomizes the way he has grown as a performer. “It’s polyrhythmical, and it’s polytonal, which is exactly what I set out to do,” he said.

“Time Signatures,” which includes an excellent booklet, featuring annotation by Brubeck and jazz writer Doug Ramsey, retails for $51.98 for CDs; $39.98 for cassettes.

Playing for the Kids: Keyboardist Keiko Matsui performs Sunday in a concert that benefits Heart of Los Angeles Youth, an inner-city organization that attempts both to steer at-risk youngsters from drugs and gang activity, and to help ease racial tensions. The event will be held at 4 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd. Tickets, $10, children under 16, $5. (213) 480-3232.

Critic’s Choice: Guitarist Juan Carlos Quintero, who plays Saturday at Lunaria in West Los Angeles, makes albums that, while definitely attractive, are nonetheless low-keyed--his new “Through the Winds” on Nova Records is a good example. Heard live, Quintero emerges with another persona, exuberantly offering an array of high-energy, Latin-based sounds that bear a winsome jazz essence.

There are many levels on which to appreciate Quintero, from the inventive manner in which he orchestrates his material so that it never bores, to his distinctive tone that is steely and penetrating, a la Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, and warm and muscular, recalling the majestic sound of Wes Montgomery.