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Photo of Dave Brubeck

Photo: Jack de Nijs for Anefo / Anefo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Dave Brubeck

American pianist

December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012 · Concord, California, United States

  • California
  • pianist
  • composer
  • songwriter

Born on December 6, 1920 in Concord, California, United States, Dave Brubeck was a pianist, composer and songwriter. Death is recorded on December 5, 2012, at the age of 91. Education on record includes Shasta High School and Conservatory of Music, University of the Pacific. Listed accolades include National Medal of Arts, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1996), Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album (2009) and 5 more.

My Take

Dave Brubeck is one of those rare artists who genuinely expanded what was possible. Take Five, with its unusual time signature, made odd meters feel natural and irresistible, and that boldness defines his whole catalog. What moves me isn't the wall of honors, from the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award to Kennedy Center recognition, but the curiosity behind them, his willingness to fold classical, blues, and jazz into a single restless voice. Passing the day before his 92nd birthday gives his story an almost poetic symmetry. I return to his recordings often; they sound as adventurous now as they must have decades ago, which is the truest mark of greatness.

1. Profile

Name (English)
Dave Brubeck
Name (Japanese)
デイヴ・ブルーベック
Reading
でいゔ・ぶるーべっく
Born
December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
Sagittarius / Monkey
Origin
Concord, California, United States
Occupation
pianist / composer / songwriter / bandleader / jazz musician

2. Background

High school
Shasta High School
University
Conservatory of Music, University of the Pacific

Awards & achievements

  • National Medal of Arts
  • 1996 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 2009 Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album
  • 2009 Kennedy Center Honors
  • Library of Congress Living Legend
  • 2008 California Hall of Fame
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • honorary doctor of the University of Duisburg-Essen

4. About this entry

Tags

  • California
  • pianist
  • composer
  • songwriter
Last updated
2026-06-17

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.

Frequently asked questions

When was Dave Brubeck born?

Born December 6, 1920.

When did Dave Brubeck die?

Died December 5, 2012, aged 91.

Where was Dave Brubeck from?

Dave Brubeck was from Concord, California, United States.

What did Dave Brubeck do?

Dave Brubeck worked as pianist, composer, songwriter, bandleader, jazz musician.

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