Billboard : 11/20/1954
Score of 86

Dave Brubeck, now riding with one of the highest-selling jazz albums of 1954, could have another solid seller with this new release. Some of this new set was recorded at the Boston jazz eatery, Storyville, and part was taken from off-the-air tapes when the quartet was broadcasting from the club early this year. it is one of the best things the group has recorded, and it has captured Brubeck, Desmond and company in a reflective and even introspective mood playing in an intimate way for an Intimate audience. There are times on this set when the pianist surpasses all of the things he has done before, and Paul Desmond, too, has come thru with some remarkable alto work. The sides Include On the Alamo, Don’t Worry About Me (No. 3), Here Lies Love, Gone With the Wind, When You’re Smilin’ and Back Bay Blues. Alamo will cause a lot of talk among all Brubeck fans, with some calling it the greatest and others irritated by the pianist redundancy, but there will be no quarrel over the others. On these the pianist shows off again his fine and novel technique, especially on Here Lies Love, Gone With the Wind, and When You’re Smilin’ On the last tune, Back Bay Blues, the boss provide a lot of kicks with an up-to-date old-fashioned and happy swing blues. The recording on the set is okay, rather poor on Alamo but much better on the other efforts, The cover of the set it outstanding. Dealers better stock up on this one. It’s potent.

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Cashbox : 12/04/1954

Lest the title be confusing, contrary to the general impression the title “Storyville” might lead the reader to think he is in for a session of Dixieland; the opposite is the truth. Dave Brubeck is as modern as 1955. The pianist has won a large audience in the past few years by dint of his novel and inventive pianistic genius. Dave not only sells the esoteric modern jazz fan, but completely captures the affection of and enraptures the listener who completely detaches himself from the “cool.” Paul Desmond, probably the best know sideman in the business, a wonderful artist on the alto sax, lends much to the complete enjoyment of the album. Also with the group are Ron Crotty and Bob Bates, bass, and Joe Dodge, drums. A top flight platter that is sure be a big seller.

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Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH)
Glenn C. Pullen : 11/21/1954

This has been such a topsy-turvy season for hot and/or “cool” jazz concert that even Norman Granz, who sponsored several of them at Public Music Hall, is slightly confused about the rapidly changing musical trends.

His “Jazz at the Philharmonic” troupe did only fairly well here, although its nation-wide tour came off much more satisfactorily. On the average, he said, it grossed better than $12,000 for each of the 28 cities the all-star band visited. It’s trek, including 10 college dates, rolled up a total gross of $362,000, much to the pleasure of Granz. He taped several of the best “J.A.P.” progams for future album recordings.

The Ellington-Brubeck-Mulligan-Getz concerts, however, were reported to be as much of a financial disappointment as the “Mambo, U.S.A.” package was on its safari. Each drew only about 1,000 spectators here, despite all the extravagant ballyhoo given the mambo revue by a certain national dancing studio.

No Variety

Its flop did not astonish me, since the Latin-styled show was a hodge-podge affair. There was so little showmanship and variety in it that after the first hour, the mambo rhythms grew monotonous and tiresome.

I was surprised, however, by the small crowds drawn by Stan Kenton’s “Festival of American Jazz,” which limped across the country, according to trade papers. The Ellington-Brubeck show should have done much better on its tour, considering that Dave Brubeck is one of the country’s leading exponents of high-grade “cool jazz.”

After checking and weighing all the attendance figures of these attractions, Granz came to the conclusion that “cool jazz is too cold for concert halls.” He claims it is “too static and doesn’t entertain.”

Rhythms Clashed

Entertainment is the “only thing anybody can sell,” he says, while pointing out the success “J.A.T.P.” units registered by placing the accent on hot swinging jazz musicians.

The veteran impresario jumps to some hasty conclusions. He is partly right in the respect that “J.A.T.P.” patrons always know they will be treated to a gaudy, rip-snorting musical circus. Such brass-tooting exhibitionism may be larded with ham fat or grease paint but it gives the audience a wonderful opportunity to blow oft steam.

Brubeck’s brand of “cool jazz,” on the other hand, appeals to a different school of fans who prefer more imagination and subtleties in their modern syncopation. It was a serious mistake to team up this quartet with the violently clashing rhythms of Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz and Duke Ellington, who is in a class by himself.

If Brubeck had been given an Intimate show of his own, perhaps supported by several guest artists of his own picking, I think the college set would have jam-packed Public Music Hall. The talented pianist-leader proved he could pull sell-out crowds on his many campus concerts, particularly at Oberlin College, and again at Boston’s Storyville Club.

Album Praised

During his last appearance at that club, Brubeck taped several excellent numbers now incorporated in his new Columbia record album called Dave Brubeck at Storyville 1954.” His intelligent and striking piano improvisations are fascinating in Here Lies Love, Gone With the Wind, When You’re Smiling” and Don’t Worry About Me.

Paul Desmond’s alto sax also soars out brilliantly with the boys. Dave’s controversial version of On the Alamo seems somewhat repetitious but this still remains one of his finest albums.

Returning to Granz’s argument about hot versus cool music, I would say he is biased. “Cool” jazz concerts would be far more popular here if staged with fitting atmosphere and at more reasonable prices.

I received a number of letters of complaints about the ticket costs, ranging up to $4.50 plus tax, for these events. Several writers, hard-working youngsters, felt such prices were too high in these post-war days when better theatrical bargains are expected.

Granz, who admits he has been receiving the same complaints on tour, hinted he may do something about revising his ticket-scale next season to win back larger audiences.

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High Fidelity
John S. Wilson : January, 1955

Dave Brubeck’s insistence on doing his recording on the job, at the night clubs or concerts where he is performing, can scarcely be carried on much longer in the face of the musical and technical quality of the jazz coming out of studios, particularly the studios of Brubeck’s own label, Columbia. There is certainly little excuse for the shabby sound on portions of this disk. On the Alamo, which Brubeck touts on the liner as “the greatest thing I’ve put on record so far,” was recorded on a small tape machine “of dubious fidelity” (to quote the liner again). This is commendable frankness but it doesn’t alter the fact that the machine’s dubious fidelity blurs Brubeck’s playing needlessly, although in this particular instance it doesn’t really matter much since his contribution consists largely of an almost endless series of block chords marching up and down toward no particular goal. Far from being the greatest thing Brubeck has put on records, it is one of his most pretenrious and pointless performances.

He atones, however, for the remainder of the disk reveals him in his most felicitous form, swinging gently, even conjuring up some very real blues piano on Back Bay Blues, and occasionally joining forces with Paul Desmond for a little of their bright, imaginative dueting. It is a help, too, that the rest of the numbers — except Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me — were taken from a radio broadcast from Storyville, the Boston night club, and have some presence and depth along with a background of subdued chatter and clatter. Desmond is less inspired in his solo work than he was on the previous Brubeck release, Jazz Goes to College, but he responds brilliantly to Brubeck’s presence in their duets.

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The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
Robert C. Smith : 12/26/1954

Few musicians in jazz history have managed to maintain a level of recorded excellence as high as Dave Brubeck and his emotional and intellectual twin, Paul Desmond. On the heels of a musically extraordinary Columbia LP released last Summer and with a raft of past successes recorded for Fantasy, Dave and Paul now have on the market Dave Brubeck at Storyville: 1954 (Columbia CL 590), a 12-incher which would be, except for an unfortunate length of master tape, every bit as good as its predecessors. The poor tape mars the fidelity of On the Alamo, which has already stirred excitement. There is no question that Columbia was justified in releasing the side, as the work is outstanding. In addition there are well-taped recordings of Gone With the Wind and When You’re Smiling. Paul’s fluent, blue-warm alto and Dave’s sensitive piano are backed by bassists Ron Crotty and Bob Bates and drummer Joe Dodge.

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Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (Pittsburgh, PA)
Leonard Mendlowitz : 11/14/1954

The Jazzophiles who “flipped” when Columbia Records released its first Dave Brubeck record, Jazz Goes to College, will certainly acclaim Dave’s latest album, Dave Brubeck at Storyville, just out this week. As with the college concert record, the new album consists entirely of material recorded before an audience – this time in a Boston night club.

Storyville, for the record, is a night club located in the Copley Square Hotel, and named after the Storyville district of World War I, New Orleans, where jazz came into its first great flowering. Brubeck and his Quartet wham over six tunes including On the Alamo, When You’re Smiling and Here Lies Love in a manner that should send sales for this one soaring immediately.

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San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
Ralph J. Gleason : 11/21/1954

The other Columbia 12-inch Long Playing album is Dave Brubeck’s second for the label—Dave Brubeck at Storyville: 1954 Brubeck, who was recently featured on the cover of Time and who is currently at the Down Beat Club, is given six tunes to work with. They were all recorded at the Boston night club, Storyville, either from the broadcasts. at the club or on portable equipment in the club itself.

The album jacket is designed as a newspaper, the Columbia Gazette, and it’s a very entertaining idea. The music itself is bound to please Brubeck’s fans. Paul Desmond stands out throughout the entire album, playing with warmth, intelligence and the sort of stream of consciousness improvisation that has made him one of the best jazzmen in the country.

Brubeck seems more relaxed than usual on most of the pieces although the familiar thundering solos crop up now and again. On the album jacket Brubeck is quoted as calling Desmond’s alto “semi-barrelhouse,” which is an interesting view of what Paul does. On the Alamo is tabbed by both Dave and what Columbia says are unprejudiced outsiders (not me) as the best thing he has put on wax so far.

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Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM)
An Ad-Man at House of Music : 11/14/1954

Having known Dave Brubeck since boyhood, i have closely followed his musical career. His father thought he was wasting his time (wanted Dave to be a cattleman) and his mother encouraged and taught him piano in his infancy. Brubeck’s small group is currently the number one small jazz group in the country and his records are outselling the unbelievable Liberace. Dave Brubeck at Storyville 12 inch Columbia record, consists of material recorded off the air as well as selections taped while the group was playing at the famous old night club in Boston. Brubeck says of The Alamo, one of six selections in this new Columbia record, “I think that On the Alamo is the greatest thing I’ve put on record so far.” It sells for $3.95 and although I might be prejudiced, I am inclined to agree 100% with Dave’s statement.

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Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK)
Off the Records : 12/12/1954

Not as exciting as Brubeck’s first recording for Columbia, Jazz Goes to College, this is still a fine addition to that company’s excellent Jazz series. The Jazz Goes to College release consisted of excerpts from concert performances, while this gives us selections from Brubeck’s ensemble as they play for a night-club audience.

There is, in the performances here, a lack of the detachment that was so fine a contribution to the jazz scene in Jazz Goes to College. There is good opportunity to examine this contrast since both records have versions of Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me. This also illustrates the greatest strength of modern jazz, which is spontaneous improvisation. This is also a weakness, because of the ephemeral nature of music which has been improvised. Such music lacking structural support of form tends to fade when the circumstances which gave rise to it have disappeared. Recordings of such spontaneities are like recordings of conversations which may have seemed sparkling at the time and are remembered so, but lose their glamor upon playback seemingly belying vivid memories of past pleasures.

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Down Beat : 12/15/1954
Nat Hentoff : 5 stars

Henry Luce’s (Jazz) Man of the year in his second set for Columbia, Dave Brubeck at Storyville: 1954. Alamo and Worry were taped during a regular Storyville set one evening while the other four come from John McLellan’s former WHDH broadcasts from the Boston club. The tape of the first two was of “dubious fidelity” and they sound it, but the Columbia cleanup job is fairly acceptable and the performances are certainly worth saving.

Personnel was the usual complement of Paul Desmond, Bob Bates, and Joe Dodge (with bassist Ron Crotty on the two non-broadcast numbers). Performance all the way through is magnificent from the reflectively warm Here Lies Love to the hard-rocking Back Bay Blues. Thoroughly recommended.

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Liner Notes by Unknown

Album cover is designed in newspaper form, featuring several small columns

Brubeck Quartet Sensational in Night Club Recordings
“Desmond was never better”

Paul Desmond, whose alto sax playing with the Dave Brubeck Quartet has won him more honors than any sideman since Louis Armstrong blew second cornet to King Oliver, scores again in Dave Brubeck at Storyville.

“People tell me they think Paul’s finest playing is on Le Souk and The Song Is You in the Jazz Goes to College record,” says Dave Brubeck, “but I don’t think Paul has ever played better than he does in this new record. I especially like his lyrical, floating quality in Gone With the Wind, and on the blues he’s really humorous.”

Brubeck is one of Paul’s biggest bouquet-tossers. “Paul’s semi-barrel-house saxophone sound has gotten so identified with the Quartet,” says Dave, “that everywhere we go somebody is sure to come up to him and say, ‘May I have your autograph, Mr. Brubeck?'”

Asked how he felt about that, Dave said that he not only is vastly amused, but he has given Paul orders to sign all autographs, ‘Sincerely yours, Chet Baker.”

Part of Record Came from Tape of Late Radio Broadcast
Two Musicians Share Bass Chores in New Set

The new Dave Brubeck at Storyville record consists of material recorded off the air as well as selections taped while the group was playing strictly for the customers in the club.

On the Alamo and Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me are in the latter category. The rest of the numbers are part of a broadcast; in fact, the collection closes with announcer John McLellan closing a late air show with a few words over the last part of Back Bay Blues. Through careful editing and good luck, John’s comment that “for the past 25 minutes you have been listening to the Dave Brubeck Quartet” holds true no matter which long-playing edition of this record you own: if it’s the 12-inch edition, the announcement comes at the end of about 25 minutes of music on the second side of the “Lp”; if it’s the second volume of the 10-inch edition, that whole volume takes about 25 minutes.

McLellan is also one of Boston’s most popular disc jockeys. His program, “The Top Shelf,” is heard over WHDH. As this record goes to press, the listeners of this show have just elected Dave Brubeck the Top Shelf Performer of the Year for 1954, with four times as many votes as the second-place artist. The poll, incidentally, was open to all classes of popular artists: bands, vocalists, jazz musicians, composers, and arrangers.

The division between broadcast and non-broadcast performances in this record also marks a division in the personnel of the Quartet; Ron Crotty is the bass man on Alamo and Don’t Worry, while Bob Bates plays bass on the broadcast selections. The rest of the Quartet is, of course, consistent throughout: Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto sax, and Joe Dodge on drums.

“Alamo‘s My Best” says Brubeck

NEW YORK—Columbia Records has followed up the phenomonal success of its first Dave Brubeck record, Jazz Goes to College, with a new set entitled Dave Brubeck at Storyville. As with the college concert record, this new release consists entirely of material recorded before an audience—this time in the well-known Boston night club.

The performance of the Brubeck Quartet in this collection is nothing short of sensational; in the opinion (possibly prejudiced) of Columbia Records officials and several outsiders (not prejudiced) who had the opportunity to hear the tapes before they were mastered.

Even Dave Brubeck, a notoriously difficult man to please where the playing of the Quartet is concerned, admits that the group sounds wonderful. “In fact,” says Dave, “I think that On the Alamo is the greatest thing I’ve put on record so far.”

In a recent interview with a reporter for Down Beat magazine, Brubeck made a similar comment which his fans can now appreciate more fully than they could at the time. Saying that he had given up the idea of playing jazz for six months and composing serious music the rest of each year, Dave expressed no regret:

“The point is that I am getting more and more from jazz of what I had hoped to get out of formal composition. One of our tapes that has not been released yet has an On the Alamo that says as much for me, in ten minutes of my best improvisation so far on record, as any symphony I ever hoped to write when I didn’t have as much command of the jazz idiom as I have now.”

This On the Alamo is released now in this record, for all to hear in the light of Dave’s words. Dave and Columbia record producer George Avakian had a tough decision to make about Alamo, too. It had been recorded on a small tape machine of dubious fidelity. Fortunately, the Columbia engineering department was able to produce an acceptable sound from the tape for the final master.

“We Don’t Play The Same for Night Club Audiences”
Dave Brubeck Points Out Contrasts to Quartet’s Performances at Jazz Concerts

HOLLYWOOD—”I don’t think most people realize it,” says Dave Brubeck, “but we play differently for different kinds of audiences. The contrast between our Jazz Goes to College record and this one is quite striking.

“A concert audience of college students isn’t at all like a night club crowd. The youngsters want more excitement, whereas the night club audiences usually consist of older people, with whom you can be more introspective. Just the size of the crowd has a special effect on me and the other fellows in the Quartet; playing for 2,000 or more people is not the same thing as playing for 200, just as a college gym or an armory has a feel far different from the intimacy of a place like Storyville.

“You’ll notice that on JGTC the tempos are faster, and in general the playing is more explosive and more inclined to be purely emotional. In a night club, we’re a little cooler, and things get more reflective. But don’t forget that these are generalities; we get plenty cool in spots in JGTC, and we sizzle a lot in this Storyville record, too.

“Studio recording? That’s something else again. We haven’t had any studio sides released on Columbia yet, but again our playing is affected by the environment in which we find ourselves. Studio recording is tough for a group like ours because in a studio we are playing for the most critical audience we know, ourselves, because we get a chance to listen immediately to the playbacks and that’s the only immediate audience we’re working for. Under such circumstances the tension is likely to be greatest, and when that happens it’s hard to play your best. But there’s one compensation,” Brubeck concluded with a smile. “You always get a second chance when you can listen to playbacks in a studio.”

What is Storyville?

Storyville is a Boston night club, located in the Copley Square Hotel, and is named after the Storyville district of World War I New Orleans, where jazz came to its first great flowering. It was the rowdy section of town, and got its name from Councilman Story, who put through the bill that set the boundaries of the sporting district, and then found that he had immortalized himself in a way that he could hardly have desired.

Oddly enough, the Storyville night club favors modern jazz despite the traditional flavor of its name. It is operated by George Wein, who is also the producer of Newport’s highly successful annual Jazz Festival.

The Question Man
Today’s Question: What Do You Think of Dave Brubeck?

J.S. Bach, organist and songwriter, Leipzig: Was für ein Talent! Was für ein Fuguenmacher! Und improvisiert, yet!

Jelly Roll Morton, pianist and lecturer, New Orleans: I invented jazz in 1902. I hate to admit it, but Dave Brubeck has made some pretty fair refinements.

Mrs. Fortescue Van Cabol-Lodge Mayflower, social leader, Old Boston: I was quite unacquainted with Mr. Brubeck and the Storyville Racquet Club until the evening my great-grandson borrowed my Rolls-Royce while I was still in it. The experience was most delightful, Daddy-o.

Bill Jones Jr., college senior, Siwash Tech: Pardon me, I’m busy wearing out my fourth copy of Jazz Goes to College. (Go, Dave, go!) What’s that? A new Brubeck on Columbia? Gee, I gotta write Dad for money right away!

Paul Desmond, Joe Dodge, Ron Crotty, Bob Bates, musicians, San Francisco: Don’t tell Dave, but we’d work for him for half-salary.

Letters to the Editor:

Dear Mr. Avakian: I bought Dave Brubeck’s Jazz Goes to College, and I think it’s the greatest thing since the double-tandem tricycle. When are you going to release another Brubeck record on Columbia?
—Gil McKean, Paducah, Ky.

Dear McK.: Look no further. You hold here in your hand the greatest thing since chopped chicken livers were crossed with shish-kebab.

Dear Mr. Avakian: I note that Dave Brubeck swept the Down Beat and Metronome magazine polls last year. This sounds like a pretty rare occurence. When was the last time this happened?
—Art Schwartz, Peachy, N.H.

Dear Art: Our research indicates that some time before Hector was even whelped, Fiddlin’ John Nero and his Coliseum Stompers were similarly acclaimed. This was so long ago that Willie Mays hadn’t even made the Hall of Fame yet.

Dear George: I think “The Columbia Jazzette” is a real crazy way to design album jackets and flyleaf notes. Who dreamed it up?
—Dave Brubeck, Oakland, Calif.

Dear Dave: Our art director, Neil Fujita, had this flash of inspiration while relaxing after a hard day of bear-baiting and casing the March of Dimes collection box at the local movie house. I got back at him, though. He’s the one who had to piece my copy together, and I’m making him buy a new ribbon for my weary typewriter.

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” – Again? “Not Exactly,” Says Brubeck
Third Version of this Standard for Some Fans – All Are Different

The appearance in this record of another performance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet of Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (the fine standard which was also heard in Jazz Goes to College) may elicit some surprise, but there’s a good reason for it. Several reasons, in fact.

The old saw that a jazz group never plays a tune the same way twice was never truer than it has proven to be when applied to the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

In going over the tapes made at Storyville, George Avakian was struck by the great contrast between the JGTC interpretation of Don’t Worry (recorded at a University of Michigan jazz concert) and the one made in Boston. Meanwhile, in answer to a request from George that he pick out something for a promotional record from among his unissued tapes, Dave (who was in Hollywood at the time) sent George in New York a version of Don’t Worry which had been made at the University of Cincinnati.

Each of these versions was vastly different from the JGTC one, and from each other as well. Realizing that not only did they represent some marvelous playing by the Quartet, but also revealed in a new way the boundless imagination and freshness with which the Quartet approached each performance regardless of repertoire, Dave and George resolved to release the Storyville version in this record, and to put the Cincinnati one out as part of the “Priceless Editions” promotion of the summer of 1954. Alert record buyers were able to get this latter version free of charge during the promotion; it has never been put on sale and cannot be obtained now.

Another opportunity for comparison of the Quartet’s work with the same material is to be found in Back Bay Blues, which concludes Dave Brubeck at Storyville. The thematic structure of this blues is the same as Balcony Rock, one of the highlights of the Jazz Goes to College record. As with Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me, however, all resemblance stops there.

The title, Back Bay, refers to the district in Boston where the Storyville night club is located. It was once the most fashionable residential area in the city. Travelers know it well, as the first stop in Boston for all streamliners is at the old Back Bay station.

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An ad that appeared in the Hammond Times, Hammond Indiana, 11/19/1954