RIP Dave Brubeck

Anyone who knows me knows I love jazz, and this is arguably one of the greatest jazz musicians/songwriters ever. He composed an impressive amount of jazz standards, and in doing so forever changed the way we see the genre today. Cool doesn't even begin to describe this musical genius.My personal favorite? Take 5 of course! So kudos to you, Mr. Brubeck, and Godspeed.




*on a side note, his sons are also jazz musicians and produce some fine work themselves.

The first time I heard Take Five, and Blue Rondo a la Turk, they were maybe strange to my ear but also pleasing. Like nothing I ever heard before. 1960, in the military, on 3 day pass...and this not-too-bad girl named Kathy played that album over and over and over ... she wanted me to hear Kathy's Waltz....Boy, I bet she's huge now, if she's still alive...but we had a real good time sweating and listening to that one album over and over and over...she was just a little bit pudgy but ....not too damn bad for a penniless redneck private. I never saw her again, but that was a memorable weekend because of Brubeck's music and that pleasant pudgy little redheaded girl trying so hard to please me.

he was is amazing.

A true genius.... We used to play Take 5 in jazz band in high school. Not very familiar with all his stuff but what a great contribution to the world of music.

RIP to one of the greats in jazz!

Thanks for sharing that SMI. Dave was indeed one of the greats! And as a amateur musician I have spent countless hours leaning his music.

RIP to the inventor of West Coast Smooth Jazz...

Before that everything went too fast for me. He and Miles were pioneers.

The First time I actually heard it was Al Jarreau's version.

Michael Franks..one of my faves had a song called "Hearing Take Five" on his CD "Rendezvous in Rio".

I started listening to jazz in the mid 60's so Take 5 was one of the songs I grew up on. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing it. RIP Dave.

That was definitely a defining work. It was the first jazz piece to gain mainstream significance, in 1961 of all times when rock and roll was controlling the airwaves. Take 5 was also the first record to sell one million copies, and it used to be the theme song to the Today show for years, and still gets significant radio play to this day. The Smithsonian has awarded Brubeck several honors (he was also a civil rights activist) and used his music to courageously master cultural diplomacy. He will truly be missed.

Always sucks when the greats are silenced !

Unsquare Dance...

awww, it has almost been a year huh?

Thanks for posting this. I had the pleasure of hearing Dave and his Quartet in the previous century, when they visited my college campus in upstate New York, around 1966! Take Five, Genius! and thanks for the memories!