With hindsight of decades, it will amaze many listeners to see Dave Brubeck, one of the most popular artists in the music's history, referred to in the liner notes as "the most controversial figure in jazz." There was great debate in the Fifties, though, regarding techniques such as counterpoint, harmonic substitution, and polyrhythm, which Brubeck had introduced into his quartet's music. This solo session gave the pianist an opportunity to display his notions more directly, and he creates some dazzling and complex variations along the way, particularly on "I'm Old Fashioned" and "Indian Summer." There is also an affirmative nod to jazz roots on the original "Sweet Cleo Brown," and a sign of Brubeck's probing mind and coherent sensibility in the edited version of "I See Your Face Before Me."

Sweet Cleo Brown, I'm Old Fashioned, Love Is Here to Stay, Indian Summer, In Search of a Theme, You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To, I See Your Face Before Me, They Say It's Wonderful, Imagination, plus CD bonus track Two Sleepy People