…. That’s how the conversation that initiated my new CD project “Karla Harris Sings the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook" began. It was October 2013 and I was meeting with pianist Ted Howe to rehearse for an upcoming Atlanta concert he was producing. I’d just sat down when he said to me, “I have an idea. I’ve been thinking about a recording project for you. I’ve had this idea for awhile, waiting for the right person. It’s Brubeck’s music.”
I thought, OK, this is interesting — really interesting … I love this idea!
The Brubeck Quartet had been in my ears since I was a little girl. My parents had (and still have) a copy of “Time Out” in their album stack. That abstract art cover stood out in the stack. But while I was familiar with Brubeck’s instrumentals, prior to hearing Ted’s idea, I had no idea that words existed for many Brubeck classics. I’ve found out I wasn’t alone. While many have heard lyrics sung to Take Five, they're surprised to find out there are words to a lot of Brubeck tunes besides that mega-hit. I didn’t actually get a look at them, though, until we received a copy of a Brubeck Songbook with official music and words in early 2014. How that came about is a whole story in itself that I’ll share in a blog later this week, including how exciting it was to learn that Iola Brubeck was the lyricist for the majority of the songs.
We immediately started choosing tunes. Ted, who is based in L.A. but who travels to Atlanta frequently to teach, began arranging, and we met throughout Spring 2014 to run the arrangements and prepare to record that June.
It was an intense and collaborative stretch. By the time June was here, we were ready to go into the studio with the rest of the rhythm section, Tom Kennedy and Dave Weckl, and record the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook …