orig. David Warren Brubeck
born Dec. 6, 1920, Concord, Calif., U.S.
U.S. jazz pianist and composer.
Brubeck studied composition with Darius Milhaud before working as a jazz pianist. He formed a quartet with saxophonist Paul Desmond in 1951. His use of unconventional metres contributed to his immense appeal: the recording of Desmond's "Take Five" became the first jazz instrumental to sell more than a million copies. This exposure brought many new listeners to jazz, particularly on college campuses during the 1950s and '60s.