The death of Dave Brubeck earlier this week meant little to me. I'm not a jazz man.
Sure, I can appreciate the genre, but I'm not a listener or a purchaser of jazz. And it would be impossible for me to name another Brubeck song other than "Take Five".
The biggest memory I have of "Take Five" is Rebecca's use of it - to a degree - in a Father's Day commentary she did on NPR in 2004!!!
I listened to it again last night, as it always made me smile. Not just because I know her, but I know her father as well. I love the idea of thinking of 1970s Jim.
Jim makes me smile anyways. Oh, so does Becky.
Yes, it's a shame Mr. Brubeck has passed, but his music won't - and the thought of Rebecca and her dad playing Brubeck in the basement rec room will last forever.
Song by: Dave Brubeck
3 comments:
'Take Five' was a Top 10 hit in the U.K. in 1961 (I remember it well!). Not sure if it took off in the U.S.A. to the same degree.
With apologies if you already know the following:-
Brubeck around this time - and later - was experimenting with unconventional time signatures in his compositions. 'Take Five', as well as being the well-known phrase about having a break, also refers to its five beats in a bar.
His follow-up release, 'It's a Raggity Waltz' plays with changing timings which constantly wrong-foots the listener, though this was only a minor hit.
However, his next release, 'Unsquare Dance' in the brave, ungainly and VERY rare SEVEN beats in a bar (try counting them!) WAS another Top 20 hit here. Classics all!
Rebecca's tribute was SO great to hear again after all these years.
Blue Rondo a la Turk is just... nummy.
My parents basically raised me on Brubeck... both were big jazz fans.
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