| The Dave Brubeck Quartet- Time Out (1959) |
My knowledge and or interest in jazz may not expand past a few albums, but I have a lot of respect for the genre. I wish I could hit you up with a more obscure jazz record, as opposed to such a popular one, but it’s all I know. I also find it amusing that one of the jazz albums I have is by a white guy, but it’s all about how you play right?
Led by accomplished jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, The Dave Brubeck Quartet consisted of; Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morello on drums, Eugene Wright on double bass and Dave himself on the keys. Together they swung the 50s jazz scene in San Fran with their unique time signatures and silky smoothness. While Dave holds together the tight ensemble with a rhythmic playing style that just exudes coolness.
Naturally I was drawn to Dave Brubeck through the classic number “Take Five.” If I was only allowed to listen to one jazz song for the rest of my life, it would have to be this undeniably slick classic. The way Morello comes in with those cymbals so big as they echo through the sound space. You have that catchy sax line, tight bass, and that never-ending piano bit that you can’t help but get addicted to, like heroin. Get it because a lot of jazz musicians were junkies? But I think Brubeck was clean, what were we talking about?
Though it’s the unusual structures of these songs that really makes this material stand out. You got 9/8, 5/4, waltz stuff. double-waltz time, that doesn’t mean anything to me, but I bet guys back then were like “Woah you can’t do that, your crazy man!” Maybe that’s why critics back in 59′ received it so unfavorably, now it’s a classic.
Favorite Tracks: “Blue Rondo à la Turk”, “Three to Get Ready”, “Take Five”