| Orchestra Hall, a monument to Beaux Arts | | | | mind to let you know how Bach devotees, back in the |
| architecture located just a little south on Chicago's | | | | day, felt upon first hearing his music. The absolute |
| "Miracle Mile", was designed before the days of | | | | artistry of everyone involved ate away at the reserve |
| equality for the masses. It was, up to that point, a place | | | | the Hall usually inspired. The atmosphere became |
| to enjoy opera and symphony and such. In order to | | | | infused with the hums, wry smiles and spontaneous |
| get to the cheap seats you hiked up 7 (or was it 10?) | | | | claps and responses of a real JAZZ audience, which, |
| stories through a winding, narrow, windowless corridor | | | | we would soon learn, was the same no matter the |
| that only accommodated one way, single file traffic. | | | | venue. |
| This set up allowed adoring, but economically | | | | At the break it was announced that Gerry Mulligan's |
| challenged, fans to get to seats in the roost without | | | | flight had been delayed as a result of the weather. |
| disturbing the "real" customers. The seats ran to the | | | | Small decorous groan. Brubeck and company |
| top of the Hall and the incline was as close to 45 | | | | resumed but in the middle of an offering, a harried and |
| degrees as engineering could safely construct. This | | | | bedraggled looking Gerry Mulligan lurched on to the |
| may not sound like a recipe for having a good time but | | | | stage (half carrying/ half propelled by his ridiculously |
| the Hall lived up to its conceit in some ways. The | | | | large horn) with his group straggling behind. Any |
| acoustics, for example, were celebrated and | | | | Orchestra Hall-tied decorum that had been left at that |
| legendary. Also, in the 50's, a "jazz concert" as | | | | point in time was immediately lost. |
| opposed to a "jazz set", particularly in such rarefied air, | | | | After some adjustments Mulligan took the floor and |
| was a different kind of party and a bow to Jazz' | | | | proceeded to exorcize the frustrations that |
| growing recognition as a "legitimate art" form. | | | | accompany delayed travel, nasty weather and other |
| The night of the event was cold and punctuated by | | | | assorted challenges to his usual cool. The group- |
| some sort of weather disturbance that I, and my crew, | | | | usually sartorially perfect in (very) narrow suits and ties |
| (obviously) thought unremarkable for a Chicago winter. | | | | but now mismatched and rumpled- pushed, drove, |
| We were there to see the Dave Brubeck (featuring | | | | strode, charged and jammed for another hour. The |
| Paul Desmond) and Gerry Mulligan Quartets. And if we | | | | audience went into tent revival mode. |
| had to sit on top of the building we would have. We | | | | But there was more... |
| were young enough to make the ascent to the top | | | | Just about the time that we were sure we were going |
| with minimal damage or complaint and the prospects | | | | to be thrown out, Brubeck and Desmond returned - |
| were way too delicious to be dampened by weather | | | | just ambled back out from the wings. All hell broke |
| and steps. As long as our noses didn't bleed from the | | | | loose. |
| altitude we were happy. | | | | With a minimal amount of chit chat - or that's the way I |
| The Dave Brubeck Quartet was scheduled to go first. | | | | remember it - everybody involved launched into the |
| After some announcements that I don't remember, the | | | | first piece of another full set. Desmond and Mulligan |
| crowd quieted and exhibited the decorum to which the | | | | romanced, challenged and dueled. Brubeck, hunched |
| high-toned venue was accustomed. The curtain parted | | | | over the shiny black grand, flashed his devious |
| and there THEY were at a casual ready. There was | | | | cleverness and exhibited a little less cool and a lot |
| Ron Crotty on the bass, Lloyd Davis on the drums, | | | | more intensity. It was at least 1 am and nobody was |
| Paul Desmond on the alto sax and Brubeck, with huge | | | | moving an inch. |
| glasses rimmed to match his shiny black grand piano, | | | | About an hour later, we found ourselves on a crisp, |
| on the keys. The set immediately and unceremoniously | | | | deserted Michigan Avenue. I don't even remember the |
| opened with one of the soon-to-be-jazz classics which | | | | descent from our perch high above the stage. The |
| are now recognizable by the first bar - and proceeded | | | | audience was still in the unity of the experience and |
| from there. Can't remember the exact offerings but I | | | | had not yet disintegrated into individuals. They still |
| can remember how it felt. | | | | carried the awe and were congratulating each other |
| Subsequent liner notes have said it all in better words | | | | on being in the right place at the right time. And then |
| that I can command. Genius; Controlled soaring; | | | | the famous Chicago "hawk" reminded us of where we |
| Astonishing...respectful... challenging interplay. Innovative | | | | were. We moved deeper into our coats and hurried to |
| timing. Surprising improvisation. In addition, there was | | | | our cars but we were warm all the way home. |
| just enough of an interjection of a classically trained | | | | |