Performance

One of Detroit's rarest treats look place at Baker's Keyboard Lounge renowned for the distinguished artists who have performed there when Clarence Baker took the uncommon initiative to introduce a newly informed trio to our jazz community. The group, M-B-R, is more clearly  known as Muruga-Brubeck-Robinson, a cooperative creative creative between multi-percussionist Muruga Steve Booker, multi-keyboardist  Darius Brubeck, and clarinetist Perry Robinson.

Muruga, a native Detroiter, is an intensely colorful percussionist who has played and record deal with Bob Dylan, Weather Report, Al Kooper, Paul Winter, Lyman Woodard, and many others. Among his many instruments are the standard trap set, timbales, cymbals and gongs, gap bells, Moog electronic drums, electric wah-wah drums, electronic talking African squeeze drum, Israeli jar drums, kalimbas, and the popular miscellaneous percussion pieces.

Darius Brubeck, of the show business Brubecks (his father is the pianist Dave, and his brother Chris is a member of the hot Sky King band), has stepped out of a world-wide tour after three years of travelling and recording with "Two Generations of Brubeck" to join together his keyboard genius with Muruga's percussion wizardry and Perry Robinson's magical clarinet. Darius Brubeck's instruments include the Yamaha organ, Moog synthesizer, Arp string ensemble, Arp Odyssey, clavinet, and acoustic and electric pianos.

Perry Robinson, whose background also includes a noteworthy father (the composer EarI Robinson), is the current winner (1974-75) of Downbeat music poll clarinet. An active member of New York's jazz avant-garde since the early sixties, Perry is a warm, beautifully talented musician whose featured instruments include the clarinet, electric clarinet, bass clarinet and flute.

Viewing the stage before M-B-R's first set, one would expect to see more than three musicians appear, simply because the stage is filled with a great many musical instruments. As M-B-R arrived onstage their visual contrast caused the excitement to mount further. Darius was  suave in a traditional blazer, Muruga sported a multi-colored vest with a purple sash for a belt and Perry turned out in East Indian guru garb.

Tho group's promise was quickly actualized with a dancing version of Robinson's "Walk On" that left no doubt as to Perry master status. Next, Muruga's "Afro Pearl Blues" set up surging energy patterns which in turn seemed to trigger a relentless energy flow within the tightly-knit trio. The atmosphere at Baker's by now was so warm and receptive that M-B-R decided on Darius Brubeck's catchy audience-participation tune called "Harem Dance," which brought hand-clapping and foot-stomping from the whole room.

With audience response at such a high level Mr. Brubeck, visibly happy, announced a dedication to everyone in the place. His "Thank God There's You" finally gave us a chance to hear Darius on electric piano, and the result was well I worth the wait. Two additional Brubeck compositions followed: "Blue for What's Wrong," a very funky, multidimensional piece which featured the strong collective cohesion and creative interplay trio for the first time (the earlier numbers seemed to be more solo vehicles than group improvisations), and "Lunancy Stomp," memorable for its 192O's/'3O mood and feel, ending the first set with this reviewer in high spirits.

Alter a brief intermission M-B-R began their second set, continuing to highlight original compositions by the members of the band, and I including Perry Robinson's "Thar Song" -music swirling with transcendental insight taken from the "Secret Oral Teachings of the Tibetan Buddha," or so Robinson would gleefully have us believe. The evening dosed with a lovely ballad-my favorite performance of the night- a song called "How Come You're Not Here?" Which, now that I think of it, was a perfectly appropriate question for music-loving Detroiters.

The Muruga-Brubeck-Robinson trio is currently cutting demo tapes in Detroit (Muruga has spent countless hours at Jack Tamm's Mastermind Studios on Trumbull over the past few years) and hopes to secure a suitable recording contract soon. Judging from their initial work at Baker's, they shouldn't have much trouble taking their inventive, friendly, and always moving music to the audience their artistry demands. Thanks Mr. Baker, for giving us the chance to meet this startling young band.