Cool Ivories: Tom Waits and Dave Brubeck

Written By Reggie Morris

In which we visit with two pianists and men of music-each eccentric in their own right. Since the early ’70s, singer, songwriter and piano player Tom Waits has gone from anachronistic barfly and lounge singer to avant-vernacular iconoclast. Twentieth century jazz legend Dave Brubeck made his name by using odd, unconventional time signatures back when jazz was for dancing. And we radiate the 88s with some of the best piano music around.

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: Way Down in the Hole Tom Waits
Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years, Island

Hang on St. Christopher Tom Waits
Frank’s Wild Years, Island

Mr. Highway Man Howlin’ Wolf
Memphis Days: The Definitive Edition, Vol.1, Bear Family

I Want a Butter and Eggman Louis Armstrong
Butter & Eggman, Tomato

I'm Sharp When I Hit the Coast Joe Turner
Savoy On Central Avenue, Savoy Jazz

Instrumental: Dansero Tab Smith
Crazy Walk, Delmark

INTERVIEW: Tom Waits

Instrumental: In Shades Tom Waits
Heartattack And Vine, Elektra

Way Down in the Hole Blind Boys
Spirit of the Century, Real World

Diamond in Your Mind Solomon Burke
Don’t Give Up On Me, Fat Possum

In The Wee Small Hours of The Morning Frank Sinatra
In The Wee Small Hours, Capitol

Tom Traubert's Blues Tom Waits
Small Change, Elektra

Basin St. Blues Harold “Duke” Dejan and Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Preservation Hall Hot 4 with Duke Dejan

End Bed: Closing Time Tom Waits
Closing Time, Elektra

HOUR TWO

Open Bed: Who Said That Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck Time In, Columbia

Cow-Cow Boogie Ella Mae Morse
Capitol: The Birth of a Label, Capitol

Red Hot Mama Deuce Spriggens
Swing West! Vol. 3, Western Swing, Razor & Tie

Raggedy Ride The Four Blazes
The United Records Story, Delmark

Thanks for the Boogie Ride Anita O’Day
Anita O'Day with Gene Krupa: Let Me Off Uptown, Columbia

Instrumental: Dee's New Blues Ramsey Lewis Trio
Consider the Source, Chess

He Done Her Wrong Dave Brubeck
Time In, Columbia/Legacy

Baby Please Don't Go Mose Allison
Allison Wonderland: The Anthology, Rhino

Old-Fashioned Morphine Jolie Holland
Escondina, Anti

Blue Monk McCoy Tyner
Nights of Ballads & Blue, Impulse

Instrumental: Unsquare Dance Dave Brubeck
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Further Out, Columbia

INTERVIEW: Dave Brubeck

Rainy Weather Blues Amos Milburn
Amos Milburn: Blues, Barrelhouse and Boogie-Woogie 1946-1955, Capitol

Louisiana 1927 Randy Newman
The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1, Nonesuch

Reggie Morris