The Dave Brubeck Quartet performing live in 1967. Photo Credit: Dontworry
Primary Wave has finalized a partnership, covering recording, publishing, and NIL rights alike, with the family of jazz mainstay Dave Brubeck.
New York City-based Primary Wave reached out with word of the agreement (inked specifically with Derry Music Company) today. According to the publisher, which opted against publicly disclosing hard ownership or price-tag details, the pact extends to the entire body of work behind Brubeck’s decades-long career.
Said body of work includes “In Your Own Sweet Way” (1955), Paul Desmond-composed “Take Five” (1959), “It’s a Raggy Waltz” (1961), and “Unsquare Dance” (also 1961), to name just a few.
On the sync side, these and a variety of other Brubeck recordings have already appeared in all manner of films and television shows. Consequently, it seems safe to say that Primary Wave will secure additional high-profile placements moving forward.
(Among the many existing syncs: 2005’s Wedding Crashers, the opening season of Better Call Saul, 2017’s Baby Driver, and Netflix’s The Residence, which premiered this past March.)
The business also confirmed plans to develop new TV and film projects about the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Plus, Primary Wave, which has a variety of non-traditional IP monetization successes under its belt, will “share in the licensing of Brubeck’s name, image and likeness rights” from here on out.
In a statement, Dave Brubeck’s family applauded the “innovative and brilliant” Primary Wave team and the partnership’s potential “to further extend the appreciation of our parents’ musical and humanitarian heritage.”
And in comments of his own, Primary Wave senior counsel John Luneau touted the Kennedy Center honoree’s career accomplishments.
“I’ve worked on dozens of acquisitions for Primary Wave in the 15 years I’ve been with the team, but this one is personal,” Luneau said. “Dave Brubeck and his classic Quartet were my first musical idols – 3 years before the Beatles! – and remain so still. It’s the honor of my career to help bring about this brilliant marriage of Dave’s musical genius with Primary Wave’s skill at preserving and expanding the legacies of iconic artists.”
Shifting the focus to the bigger jazz-catalog picture, September saw Reservoir Media acquire Miles Davis’ catalog and underscore plans to collaborate with his estate on NIL projects.
Before that, Exceleration Music kicked off 2025 by purchasing Mack Avenue and emphasizing an objective of building “the ultimate independent label home for today’s greatest jazz artists.”
