Brubeck, Iola

Biography / Administrative History

Dave Brubeck is a world-renowned pianist and composer of jazz and classical music. Brubeck has been performing professionally since the 1930s and continues to tour the world. The Brubeck Quartet embodied the sound of "West Coast jazz" and was one of the most popular bands in the world during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1959 the Quartet released the groundbreaking album Time Out, which featured jazz performed in unusual time signatures. One of the tunes from this album, "Take Five," became the best selling jazz single in history.

Throughout his career, Brubeck has been a pioneer in exploring musical approaches such as polytonality (playing multiple keys within the same tune) and polyrhythms (playing multiple rhythms within the same tune). Although best known as a jazz musician, Brubeck's compositions include large-scale choral and orchestral works in a classical tradition. In addition to his musical achievements, Brubeck is also known for his life-long support of human rights and social justice.

From the guide to the Brubeck collection, ca. 1890-, ca. 1945-, (University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Dept. of Special Collections)

Biography / Administrative History

Susan Matheson was a graduate student at Stanford University who studied Iola Brubeck as the subject of her Master's thesis. The thesis, In the Stream of Time: Iola Brubeck's Contribution to Jazz, is about Iola Brubeck's influence on her husband Dave Brubeck's career and the genre of jazz.

Iola Whitlock married Dave Brubeck on September 21, 1942 and in doing so began an important partnership in both her personal life and the genre of jazz. Iola Brubeck served as manager to Dave Brubeck and is credited with being the driving force in bringing jazz concerts to colleges. Iola is also recognized as a librettist and lyricist who contributed to such Dave Brubeck works as The Real Ambassadors, The Light in the Wilderness, The Gates of Justice, and Truth is Fallen.

From the guide to the Susan Matheson collection on Iola Brubeck, 1995-2002, 1995-2002, (University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Dept. of Special Collections)