PLAY IT LIKE A PRO |
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ABOUT TAKE FIVE
A common misconception should be noted. If an Internet search is made of “Take 5”
or “Take Five”, one will find many references to “Brubeck Take 5”, “Dave Brubeck
Take 5”, “Take Five by Dave Brubeck”, or “Dave Brubeck’s Take Five”. Those
references are incorrect. The composer of Take 5 was the alto sax player, Paul
Desmond. Dave Brubeck was not the composer. Brubeck played the piano on the
tune. And the group that recorded and made Take 5 famous was named the Dave
Brubeck Quartet. But again, Paul Desmond was the composer, not Dave Brubeck.
From Wikipedia:
Take Five is a jazz piece written by Paul Desmond and performed by The Dave
Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out. Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street
Studios in New York City on June 25, July 1, and August 18, 1959, this piece became
one of the group's best-known records, famous for its distinctive, catchy saxophone
melody and use of the unusual quintuple (5/4) time, from which its name is derived.
While Take Five was not the first jazz composition to use this meter, it was one of the
first in the United States to achieve mainstream significance, reaching number five on
Billboard's Adult Contemporary Singles chart.
Take Five was re-recorded and performed live multiple times by The Dave Brubeck
Quartet throughout the group's career. (Because Take Five became the Dave
Brubeck Quartet’s signature tune, it is often wrongly assumed that it was written by
Dave Brubeck.) In addition, there have been various covers of the piece, including
one by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund in 1962 and a dub version by King Tubby,
released posthumously in 2002. Some versions also feature lyrics, including a 1961
recording with lyrics written by Dave Brubeck and his wife Iola, sung by Carmen
McRae. Al Jarreau performed an unusual and outstanding Scat version of the song in
Germany in 1976. Take Five has also been included in countless movies and
television soundtracks, and still receives significant radio play.
Upon his death in 1977, Desmond left the rights to royalties for performances and
compositions, including Take Five, to the American Red Cross, which has since
received combined royalties of approximately $100,000 per year.
For more information on cover versions, see the Wikipedia article.
A common misconception should be noted. If an Internet search is made of “Take 5”
or “Take Five”, one will find many references to “Brubeck Take 5”, “Dave Brubeck
Take 5”, “Take Five by Dave Brubeck”, or “Dave Brubeck’s Take Five”. Those
references are incorrect. The composer of Take 5 was the alto sax player, Paul
Desmond. Dave Brubeck was not the composer. Brubeck played the piano on the
tune. And the group that recorded and made Take 5 famous was named the Dave
Brubeck Quartet. But again, Paul Desmond was the composer, not Dave Brubeck.
From Wikipedia:
Take Five is a jazz piece written by Paul Desmond and performed by The Dave
Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out. Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street
Studios in New York City on June 25, July 1, and August 18, 1959, this piece became
one of the group's best-known records, famous for its distinctive, catchy saxophone
melody and use of the unusual quintuple (5/4) time, from which its name is derived.
While Take Five was not the first jazz composition to use this meter, it was one of the
first in the United States to achieve mainstream significance, reaching number five on
Billboard's Adult Contemporary Singles chart.
Take Five was re-recorded and performed live multiple times by The Dave Brubeck
Quartet throughout the group's career. (Because Take Five became the Dave
Brubeck Quartet’s signature tune, it is often wrongly assumed that it was written by
Dave Brubeck.) In addition, there have been various covers of the piece, including
one by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund in 1962 and a dub version by King Tubby,
released posthumously in 2002. Some versions also feature lyrics, including a 1961
recording with lyrics written by Dave Brubeck and his wife Iola, sung by Carmen
McRae. Al Jarreau performed an unusual and outstanding Scat version of the song in
Germany in 1976. Take Five has also been included in countless movies and
television soundtracks, and still receives significant radio play.
Upon his death in 1977, Desmond left the rights to royalties for performances and
compositions, including Take Five, to the American Red Cross, which has since
received combined royalties of approximately $100,000 per year.
For more information on cover versions, see the Wikipedia article.
"TAKE FIVE" Douglas Niedt's guitar arrangement of the great jazz standard by Paul Desmond. Made famous by the Dave Brubeck Quartet |