Hot & Cool Jazz: Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play — POSTPONED

This event has been postponed until Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Please join Wilton Library on Thursday night, Sept. 1 for the first Hot & Cool Jazz concert since January 2020, featuring Triple Play, a trio of three outstanding and versatile musicians: Peter Madcat Ruth (on harmonica, guitar, jaw harp, percussion & vocals), Joel Brown (folk and classical acoustic guitar and vocals), and Chris Brubeck (electric bass, bass trombone, piano & vocals). Collectively they bring a rare level of joy, virtuosity, and American spirit to the folk, blues, jazz and classical music they perform.

Hot & Cool Jazz is brought to you by the generosity of the Estate of James (Tom) and Alice Brown.

Advance registration is strongly recommended. Register online or call 203.762.6334. Suggested donation is $10. Each registration is for one name only; register each member of a party separately. Pre-registrants should arrive by 6:50 p.m. to be guaranteed seating; wait-listed and walk-in registrants will be admitted after 6:50 p.m. if space is available. There will be a reception following the concert with CDs available for sale and signing.

Triple Play’s musical roots go way back (50-plus years) in each member’s history. Brubeck and Ruth have toured and recorded together in different settings since 1969, first as young rock musicians in the group “New Heavenly Blue” (with albums on RCA and Atlantic Records), “Sky King” (on Columbia), and then as jazz musicians touring the world with Dave Brubeck. Paul deBarros, writer for The Seattle Times and Downbeat, commented after seeing a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival: “Triple Play is what jazz always was and always should be about: good-time rhythm, unbridled joy and the sweet release but bittersweet aftertaste of the blues.”

Dave Brubeck’s last recorded performance was captured on the exciting “Triple Play Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center.” The crowd is wildly enthusiastic on this well-reviewed CD, which also featured Joel Brown’s father, Frank Brown on clarinet. You can often hear this innovative version of “Take Five” featuring Ruth’s polyrhythmic jaw harp and burning solos by Dave, Joel and Chris on Sirius XM Jazz. Triple Play’s music has international reach, as they were a hit playing with The Singapore Chinese Orchestra and returned for a second performance, which was recorded and released on Blue Forest Records. “It all fits together because of the talent and taste of the musicians, who groove no matter what they’re doing — and it’s tremendous fun, to boot,” said All About Jazz.