It’s About Time: The Dave Brubeck Story by Fred M. Hall, with a Foreword by Gene Lees,182 pages, hardcover, University of Arkansas Press, 1996, Discography, General Index, Index of Works Mentioned, Photographs

Dave Brubeck was born in 1920 to a California ranching family in Concord, a small town in northern California. Hall takes him from horseback to his years in college where he met his future wife Iola, through the infantry in WWII, marriage and family, and ultimately to the cover of Time magazine and the world stage. He details the development of the jazz pianist, the personnel in his various groups, and his appearances at home and abroad. He also analyzes Brubeck’s jazz and serious compositions, which include liturgical works and ballets, as well as performances of specific songs. This is an insightful portrait of Brubeck, the man and the musician.

Fred M. Hall has been in music and radio broadcasting since 1941 and writes prolifically on jazz and big bands. His radio work includes engineering, programming, newsman, feature writer, and station owner. He is the producer and distributor of “Fred Hall’s Swing Thing,” an internationally syndicated radio show. He also has authored two books of his music-related interviews.