Last Friday night, I was fortunate enough to be in the presence of a legend. The Dave Brubeck Quartet came to Jorgensen Audtiorium at UCONN Storrs.

Brubeck himself was an amazing sight. The legendary piano player is nearly 80 years old, and he showed it as he made his comments to the audience. While he still showed the wit and enthusiasm that made his quartet a legendary concert group (the audience has frequently been referred to as the fifth member of the quartet), Brubeck's voice belied his age, and he had to use the microphone stand for support from time to time. His years vanished, though, as he sat down at the piano. Brubeck still shows the same amazing breadth of emotion, the same rythmic complexity, and the same wonderful style he's always had.

While his quartet wasn't the classic quartet Brubeck fans may be acquainted with, they were nothing short of spectacular, living up to the high standards left by Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, and Eugene Wright. The largest shoes to fill, in that respect, are those of Paul Desmonds, the smooth alto saxophonist who wrote the group's biggest hit, "Take Five." Bobby Militello doesn't even try, and instead he carves out his own path. Militello adds a depth to the group that hasn't been seen before by his various instruments, alternately playing saxophone, flute, piccolo, and clarinet (although he only played the flute and sax at this concert). His style is much more technically ferocious than Desmond, invoking memories of John Coltrane, especially in his solos in "Unisphere" and "Twice Written."

Bassist Alec Dankworth is the youngest member of the group, but he shows incredible poise. While it must be a terrible temptation to let himself be overshadowed by a legend like Brubeck, Dankworth is a strong voice in the group, a testament to his confidence, and to Brubeck's skills as a bandleader. Danksworth goes beyond a simple beat keeping, and is a very expresssive bass player, highlighted by his solo on "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide."

Drummer Roy Jones proved to possess both energy and stamina. As Brubeck noted, when all else fails he can always turn to a drum solo, and Jones was happy to comply. Outside of the solos, Jones also provided great backup to the rest of the band, going beyond a simple back beat and rapping out great little drum fills.

The song selection consisted primarily of new songs by Brubeck, recorded in recent years. We in the audience were also given a special treat after the intermission, as the quartet began playing brand new stuff that had never been recorded, songs that are meant for Brubeck's next album. Why was he playing these pieces? According to Brubeck, these concerts are the only place he can rehearse.

The night was capped by an electric performance of the aforementioned "Take Five," featuring a Herculean drum solo on Jones' behalf, and a huge reaction from the crowd. A long and empassioned standing ovation followed, with the only dissapointment being the lack of an encore. However, the Dave Brubeck Quartet put on a great concert, fitting to the name and the tradition it carries.