Kevin Whitehead

In December, Columbia released a box set of the 19 studio albums Dave Brubeck's quarter recorded between 1955 and 1966. Besides familiar titles like Time Out and Dave Digs Disney, there were a host of all-but-forgotten albums. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says a few of them are well-worth tracking down.

Like a comedian, the drummer knows something about offhand dexterity and split-second timing.

Owens mostly dresses Thelonious Monk's tunes for uptown wear -- Monk the Harlem jam-session swinger.