#dave brubeck quartet

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Dave Brubeck Quartet "Take Five"

[oxfords---notbrogues]

The Jazz Couriers on tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (February 1958)

[hezigler]

Watch "Dave Brubeck Quartet - Blue Rondo a la Turk - AI remaster 2021" on YouTube

Recorded for Australian TV in 1962

[jazzdailyblog]

Joe Morello: The Maestro Behind the Drums

Introduction: Joe Morello, one of the most iconic drummers in the history of jazz, left an indelible mark on the genre with his innovative techniques and unforgettable performances. Known primarily for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Morello’s career spanned several decades, during which he showcased his extraordinary skills and helped to redefine jazz drumming. This post delves into…

[rodpower78]

Dave Brubeck Quartet, from left, Paul Desmond, Dave Brubeck, Joe Morello and Eugene Wright.

[1001albumsrated]

#23: Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (1959)

Genre(s): West Coast Jazz

"Hey there kid, wanna buy some ~odd time signatures~?"

That's the question Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond asked America in 1959, and against all odds the answer was a resounding yes. This may not sound like a recipe for commercial and critical success, but the numbers say otherwise: the lead single Take Five was the first jazz single ever to crest 1 million sales, and the album is certified double platinum today (making it one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time). In fact, and I have zero data to back this up beyond a strong gut feeling based on years of music retail experience, I suspect this is the best-selling album focused on odd time signatures of all time.

A brief, over-simplified explanation of time signatures for the non-theory inclined: time signatures are how you count the beats of the music. The bottom number is the type of beat you're counting as the underlying pulse of the music (ie quarter notes, eighth notes, etc), the top number is how many of those make a measure (typically one line of a verse, etc). So your standard dance beat (think Stayin' Alive, or Another One Bites The Dust) is 4/4, or four quarter note beats to a measure. Your standard waltz is 3/4, or three quarter notes to a beat (think Piano Man, or Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah). Most popular music is written in standard "simple" times, where the top number is equal to or less than the bottom, with the majority being a variant of 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4. "Odd time signatures" is a catch-all term for just about everything that doesn't fall into those traditional forms. For example, increasing the number of beats per measure beyond the count (like 5/4 or 9/8, both created by "tacking" an extra beat onto the measure) creates an unnaturally lopsided or rushed feel. These times take a fair amount of technical skill to play well, particularly for the rhythm section, often feeling like a foreign language to most players.

And I think that's what, to me, is most impressive about Time Out: everything here feels natural. A lot of bands tend to hit you over the head with odd time signatures, emphasizing the lilting sonic strangeness of them. On Time Out, a casual listener not versed in music theory and/or dance is unlikely to notice something is up, aside from the songs having a certain uniqueness to them. The odd time signatures aren't really the point in the way they are with a lot of "progressive" music (I say this as a HUGE prog rock dork, just to be clear), they're a natural extension of the melodic ideas of the song. Take Five doesn't feel like 4/4 with a beat tacked to the end, it feels like 5/4 and, more importantly, it feels like Take Five rather than a textbook exercise. Time Out doesn't feel like an album where they forced themselves to play outside the rhythmic norm, it feels like a great jazz album full of creative melodic and harmonic concepts that happened to also have some odd rhythms. What's particularly interesting to me is that that feeling is the opposite of the truth of how the album was composed: Dave Brubeck heard the traditional 9/8 aksak rhythm while on tour in Turkey and thought it would be a cool idea to make a whole album of odd time signatures. So while the time signatures did, in fact, come first, they still managed to write a set of truly organic sounding tunes within that constraint. That, to me, truly is testament to the quality of Brubeck and Desmond as songwriters, and the quality of the whole band as musicians.

There's also a lot here that echoes styles of the future. The approach to odd times obviously will become a big influence on prog rock down the road, but there's also an element of classical music in the compositions here that really coalesces in some of the prog bands of the 70s. Keith Emerson (of ELP fame, watch this space as we'll listen to some ELP later down the road in this series) in particular was a vocal fan of Brubeck, but I think the whole genre owes him a great debt.

All that being said, MUST you hear Time Out before you die? Absolutely. There's something universally captivating and iconic about these tunes, and the compositional and improvisational skills on display far exceed the time-based trappings of the album. Time Out is also highly accessible, and alongside Kind of Blue is essential beginning listening for anyone interested in plumbing the depths of jazz.

Also, for the nerds who care: my copy of this album is the first edition CD from 1984, which I prefer to the remaster (although the remaster is a perfectly fine listen in its own right). Don't pay goofy collector's prices for that thing though, it's easy enough to find at more normal used prices if you browse your local record store's bins often. Also of interest (and an easy tell for those looking to find one) is that the title is misprinted as Take Five on the spine rather than Time Out. Pretty neat!

Next up: the eponymous debut album from folk legend Joan Baez!

[myost]

[now-playing] - the dave brubeck quartet - time out - 1959

[myvinylplaylist]

The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out (1959)

1961 Reissue

Columbia Records

[blvck-coffee-dad]

It's a Brubeck kind of Monday morning, I think.

[art-et-musique]

Dave Brubeck Quartet, 1965.

[askmissthunder]

(CW: Religion Talk)

Miss Thunder: Well, the Wheel of the Year spins around again to my favorite season: Fall with the Autumn Equinox! The crisp air, the leaves changing color, and all the seasonal scents and flavors, I love it!

Although I'm gonna share a playlist of some seasonal-inspired music as I always do, I want to take a moment to share some thoughts about where I am in a spiritual sense.

You see, I've been posting these playlists for a while now during the Solstices and Equinoxes. I suppose it was only a matter of time but Cassie asked me recently, "Are you a pagan, Penny?"

And I think my answer is "I think so? Maybe?"

Not that I blame her for asking. All these posts and my extensive New Age/Metaphysical book and music collection would make anyone curious.

I've been raised Christian (Anglican specifically) more-or-less my whole life but my family has never been super religious. We usually only went to church for holidays like Christmas or Easter or for special events like weddings and baptisms.

However, as you know, my family is in a rather peculiar spot when it comes to spiritual matters. Being the physical Avatar of an ancient goddess makes going to church feel rather...off. My Nan confided in me that she also felt that way when she was Miss Thunder and has also slowly drifted away from Christianity over the years, especially as she's been gathering more and more research about the Goddess.

Not that I'm gonna start burning down churches or anything rash like that but...I don't know. It's not like I don't appreciate attending mass while growing up. Even now, if I feel genuinely fearful or frightened, I'll still say the Lord's Prayer to meself to settle my nerves from time to time. But lately, perhaps as I become more attuned to my powers, I honestly feel more spiritually connected, if you will, away from the church and out in the wilderness.

Now that I think of it, even before I received my powers, I've felt more of a connection to the ancient pagan sites of England. I still remember vividly my parents and I went on holiday to Stonehenge when I was in secondary school. I swear, I could've stayed in that circle forever. I just felt so at peace with myself amongst those giant stones, imagining the old Druid rites that must've taken place there. Perhaps even old Merlin himself stood there, gathering strange and mystical powers on a cool Autumn Equinox night.

As I read more and more about Neopagan traditions, (like Wicca, Witchcraft, Shamanism, etc.) there's just something more, I hesitate to use the word "pure" because of negative connotations but something more authentic, I suppose, about these faiths. To me, at least. There's no dogma to obey other than "Don't be an arse", there's no book that somebody with a chip on their shoulder can rewrite for their own agenda. There's just you and the Other, be it a goddess, god, spirit, Fair Folk, Alien, or whatever feels best for you.

And if I'm being honest, I've never felt more alive and spiritually centered than when I'm in the Goddess' domain, be it amongst the old trees at Hamilton Park or on the beach, listening to the waves pound on the shore.

Well, that's enough of my rambling. I apologize for making you read all that but it's been on my mind for a while now and I just felt like I had to get it off my chest. As promised, here are some autumn-inspired tunes for you to enjoy! Curl up with some warm cider and Blessed Be!

[yesterdaysanswers]

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Blue Rondo à la Turk (1962) (x) // Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Rondo (1970) (x)

[andrewdmeyer]

Saxophone History Podcast Episodes 7-9 Paul Desmond

I’ve just released the third and final episode on Paul Desmond for the Saxophone history podcast and I think the three episodes are quite an interesting story. Just like with the other saxophonists I’ve looked at, Desmond had a much more colourful life than the few bits and anecdotes that we all know of. I hope you’ll give these episodes a listen and then I hope you’ll listen to some of his…

[jazzdailyblog]

Alan Dawson: A Drummer's Drummer and Master Educator

Introduction: The world of jazz drumming is filled with numerous influential figures, each contributing uniquely to the evolution of the genre. Among these legends, Alan Dawson stands out not only for his extraordinary skill and versatility as a drummer but also for his profound impact as an educator. His ability to blend technical proficiency with deep musicality made him a sought-after…

[donospl]

JAZZOWE REKOMENDACJE: The Dave Brubeck Quartet “Live From The Northwest, 1959”

Brubeck Editions, 2023 Oficjalna wytwórnia rodziny Brubeck, Brubeck Editions prezentuje swoje trzecie wydawnictwo. Tym razem są to koncertowe nagrania kwartetu Dave’a Brubecka, zarejestrowane 4 kwietnia 1959 roku w Multnomah Hotel w Portland oraz 5 kwietnia w audytorium pobliskiego Clark College. Kwartet zagrał podczas obu koncertów w swoim żelaznym składzie – obok lidera, na scenie znaleźli…