Take Five, Mr. Brubeck. You’ve earned it
The jazz world lost a giant this week in 91-year-old pianist Dave Brubeck, whose cool, understated “West Coast” style made it easy to overlook how innovative and complex his music really was. His fellow musicians and contemporaries — fans such as the great Miles Davis and others — understood it very well.
Brubeck joins an eclectic list of great musical figures who played their last earthly notes this year, absent an encore in the next world. They include Kitty Wells, Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, Robin Gibb, Levon Helm, the great Etta James, the equally magnificent Earl Scruggs and the less magnificent but still notable Davy Jones of the Monkees.
The breadth of that list is remarkable. A handful achieved fame and success in the mainstream world; others, like Brubeck, were influential giants within their genre but were too little noticed outside it. As Brubeck said in a 2010 interview, “If there’s a heaven, let it be a good place for all of us to jam together and have a wonderful, wonderful musical experience.”
With Little Davy on the maracas, no doubt.
One other note: I have often wondered what musical giants such as Mozart and Beethoven would have thought of jazz, if they had a chance to hear it. Would they “get it”? Would they appreciate the musicianship involved? Would they immediately try to borrow its innovations and complex rhythms?
Or — as I think quite likely — would it come across to them as mere noise? (With rock, I’d put that likelihood at 100 percent). I suspect Brubeck’s famous hit “Take Five”, with its muted yet radically different approach, would be a great place to launch such an experiment.
– Jay Bookman
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121 comments Add your comment
josef
December 7th, 2012
3:56 pm
IMAM
Ain’t it a bit early in the day for hitting the Bourbon…where dem video at…
oops
December 7th, 2012
4:03 pm
boom
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
4:03 pm
Take another five
Grover Washington Jr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI4D3FdWd5s
stands for decibels
December 7th, 2012
4:04 pm
Or — as I think quite likely — would it come across to them as mere noise?
Surely.
(Took me years to think of hip hop as anything but a joke at best. Still not really my cuppa Joe, but certainly not “noise.”)
Although I’d like to think that Wolfgang and Ludwig, after maybe a few belts of schnapps to calm their tempers, would start to think “ja, ziss ‘drum kit’, ist how you say zee katz pajammies.”
josef
December 7th, 2012
4:05 pm
“Would they immediately try to borrow its innovations and complex rhythms?”
Methinks they would sound a lot like these guys…they do Mozart and Beethoven…but for jazz, I think Chopin would have been the most appreciative…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykQXH3JhUDY
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
4:05 pm
Jay, it’s Levon Helm. Just sayin’
oops
December 7th, 2012
4:07 pm
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-12/popsci-recommends-dave-brubeck-1920-2012
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
4:13 pm
Another one of them West coast swingers, Gerry Mulligan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV8r41lGHlY
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
4:13 pm
josef: I always did like that Choppin’ feller.
oops
December 7th, 2012
4:14 pm
sweet georgia brown…..
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
4:16 pm
What Jay meant to post.
Jay
December 7th, 2012
4:19 pm
Sorry, guys. The video sometimes vanishes when I try to post off-site. As does the V in Levon, apparently.
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
4:19 pm
Hmmm,
Trying to guess what the masters of yore would think of ANY modern music is an interesting exercise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j5dv3GJfvE
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
4:21 pm
EVERYBODY’S a critic!
oops
December 7th, 2012
4:22 pm
here tis
Dave Brubeck – Sweet Georgia Brown – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA7ebL6Cuf8
josef
December 7th, 2012
4:23 pm
SOOTH
Me, too…
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
4:26 pm
Yurpean acid jazz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Akny2e_HY
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
4:29 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgBrPQCSdW4
ad
December 7th, 2012
4:30 pm
5/4. cool.
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
4:30 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rifhroClGI
SonofConfederateGentlemen
December 7th, 2012
4:32 pm
He was a lucky man to master the jazz sound. Most just sound like they miss the right notes and improvise till they find the right ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuuaCwXlg1Q
deegee
December 7th, 2012
4:39 pm
Like, dig that jazz, daddy-o.
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
4:39 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jE2g055zRA
Georgia on my mind...
December 7th, 2012
4:42 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0oxkwvO4_4
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
4:43 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aib242xM3I
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
4:43 pm
SoCG, I saw Greg Lake earlier this year and what a great show. Not just an amazing artist but a damn fine human being trying to make the world a better place.
I remember when this stunner came out – for me, it was a real game changer…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBvGZP4srZA
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
4:47 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qlYIQgvC-k
josef
December 7th, 2012
4:49 pm
Everybody’s going for Sweet Georgia Brown, so I’ll have to forego linking this fellow’s version…instead, I’ll go for this one…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgNQ4FR6Me8
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
4:50 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VnEEupvpUk
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
4:52 pm
Jam
Nice selection
Back at you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89g1P_J40JA
SonofConfederateGentlemen
December 7th, 2012
4:53 pm
Only fitting that we send him out with some of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAH-lE71wE4
Anita Baker
December 7th, 2012
4:54 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ChVyjwn1io
SonofConfederateGentlemen
December 7th, 2012
4:54 pm
Jam- While the album was before my time, I was brought up around good music. nice song.
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
4:55 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8V-FktUNk
a little Christmas jazz
December 7th, 2012
4:58 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tTwuccsazg
Mick
December 7th, 2012
5:00 pm
jay – off topic
We lost more than the famous this past year….also the living greats were honored with the Kennedy Center honors. I could only laugh as led zeppelin was honored by the president of the united states, imagine that? Buddy guy inspired jimi hendrix who would have been 70 this year…a wonderful life indeed-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_rd8y8A2oE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ_JAgHxR14
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
5:00 pm
josef: I went back and listened to your 4:05. Man, I really like that European Jazz Trio! Where have they been all of my life.
Here’s a good one!
josef
December 7th, 2012
5:01 pm
SON OF
@ 4:53
Now. thass mo my kinna jazz…
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
5:02 pm
Glad you liked it SoCG.
More jazz influenced stuff…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh4GZJlQCfY
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N090STPx-2M
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:04 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmUfP37d8yU
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
5:06 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEPFH-gz3wE
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:09 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWmE8T09-G4
josef
December 7th, 2012
5:13 pm
SOOTH
Glad you liked it…I just recently “discovered” them…
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:13 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuTzxvid5VU
godless heathen Christmas has declared war on me
December 7th, 2012
5:15 pm
Kam,
You’re a tool guy. If you haven’t seen it, google Harbor Freight Parody to see a parody ad for Hazard Fraught Tools, from Mad magazine. I saw it yesterday and laughed until I cried. Featuring 18v cordless hammer, Some kind of gauge for $9.99, 14 HP Noise and Fume Generator.
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:16 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLIrS5dtTZI
Soothsayer
December 7th, 2012
5:18 pm
Here’s a song that the first time I ever heard it I thought it was the most beautiful song I had ever heard. I hope you enjoy it!
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:21 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_OQfvKwUlg
josef
December 7th, 2012
5:26 pm
Before Indigo gets here with his usual…here’s a little Louie for him to ponder…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ZvZQT81OY
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think
December 7th, 2012
5:29 pm
Anyone done ol’ Stan yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pyoP0iA_k0
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:29 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQEDwjhaDE
SonofConfederateGentlemen
December 7th, 2012
5:33 pm
Well I’m off to cut some wood and then go watch the oldest spawn sing in a Christmas show. Ooops. Did I just type Christmas?
I’ll leave with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnBG3DvlrvA
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
5:34 pm
gh
Heh, heh, heh.
Just about all of that can be found on HSN for realz.
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think
December 7th, 2012
5:35 pm
Then there is my school boy favorite…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK-b5PLhrEI
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think
December 7th, 2012
5:38 pm
Josef,
Just ran across this.. Pour vous…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFy8gjQqoU8
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:39 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzePqXEJrBY
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
5:46 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfK2CpH3BHI
josef
December 7th, 2012
5:48 pm
CORBIN
Merci…those early 60s movie themes…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdIw-IK3my4
Oscar
December 7th, 2012
5:52 pm
Did anyone say Harry James.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Zvep7F-YA
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think
December 7th, 2012
6:02 pm
Oscar, Match you with this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ZSQUyU00s
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
6:04 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHRbEhLj540
They BOTH suck
December 7th, 2012
6:08 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a48gIt84AZc
Everyone have a great FNM and and even better weekend
Peace out my fellow Bookmanites………..
later
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
6:12 pm
Gay women will marry your boyfriends (NSFW)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Be8LnuG3U
josef
December 7th, 2012
6:24 pm
K’CHAK
indigo
December 7th, 2012
6:27 pm
josef – 5:26
I’ll surprise you with one of the best ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3–HVjDk7s
josef
December 7th, 2012
6:54 pm
indigo
I agree with that one being one of the best ever…keeping company with my own personal favorite…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXeKFac2qSM
josef
December 7th, 2012
7:02 pm
St SIMONS/ Ha ne ha
When you check in…Unmentionable wants to know what your take on this drummer is..
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
7:33 pm
Who cares what Wolfgang and Ludwig von might have thought?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFPaxK-q5gI
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 7th, 2012
7:44 pm
Don’t get mad at me.
PSY is slated to perform for President Obama for a Christmas In Washington special to air on TNT Friday, December 21.
.
Performing……….for…………..President…………..Obama.
.
Lyrics as follows.
.
Kill those f***ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives
/Kill those f***ing Yankees who ordered them to torture/
Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers
/Kill them all slowly and painfully,”
.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYPvAMrMzwI
.
.
Lol………..or sigh.
I know not.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
7:50 pm
Shorter Thomas Heyward Jr: BOO-HOO-HOO
josef
December 7th, 2012
7:51 pm
Well, we got to 70 before the plop in the punchbowl…:-)
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 7th, 2012
8:07 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
7:50 pm
Shorter Thomas Heyward Jr: BOO-HOO-HOO
———————————————————————————-
.
No boo hoo for me.
.
I’ve decided to lol.
A white boy from Georgia with those kind of lyrics would get “rendered”, droned, or black-bagged.
All legal here in Amerika…….now.
A Glamorous Korean gets…….invited to the WhiteHouse.
.
Afterall……….he’s your president.
.
lol
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
8:11 pm
Afterall……….he’s your president.
Afterall……….he’s your’s too.
Brosephus™
December 7th, 2012
8:14 pm
I’ve posted this one a few times before, but it is my favorite rendition of “Take Five”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLF46JKkCNg
————————–
dB: (Took me years to think of hip hop as anything but a joke at best. Still not really my cuppa Joe, but certainly not “noise.”)
Well bro, I gotta set you back a few years…
Merry Christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPXWZxtDooY
Brosephus™
December 7th, 2012
8:18 pm
Well, we got to 70 before the plop in the punchbowl…:-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjn0Yw0mxuk
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
8:18 pm
pseudo 80s jazz.
reminds me of NYC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBJUHvQPFTI
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
8:28 pm
Jeux sans frontieres
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKb9XQ39-zc
Fred ™
December 7th, 2012
8:44 pm
What a pain in the butt job. What SHOULD have taken at most 45 minutes took what, 3 hours? When was it Jay told me to stop, (stop defending myself you $%$##@$$? Why?), i was already gone.
But seriously Jay, I have had this nhappen MANY times. You make a post, it posts, it’s THERE for a while, hell on this one that fine speciman of a human being Indigo even had time to read it and complain to me about it, and then suddenly it’s “in moderation.” How does that happen if someone isn’t “reporting it?” It obviously made it past the auto snagger…….
I posted that Brubeck first lol. I had it posted before the AJC even had the news that he was dead here onthe website. In light of the great job they do here I have the perfect song………
(well how crappy, the official video has been blocked in my country)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0xr31XbSOU
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 7th, 2012
8:51 pm
it’s THERE for a while, hell on this one that fine speciman of a human being Indigo even had time to read it and complain to me about it, and then suddenly it’s “in moderation.” How does that happen if someone isn’t “reporting it?” It obviously made it past the auto snagger…….
The same thing happened to me a few days ago.
Someone made a tasteless joke about the new toy this season was gonna be Fondle Me Elmo, an obvious reference to the recent revelation about the puppeteer that is the voice of Elmo.
My subsequent comments about the individual that made the joke got moderated hours afterwards.
Jay obviously reads what we post even if it is hours later.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 7th, 2012
8:52 pm
Well, things is hoppin’ up here at Billy Bob’s and I’ve kinda enjoyed all the songs you folks played, tho some of them are a little hard to dance to. Anyhow, it’s time for some Redneck Blues and this guy’s got some weird notes and timing. Have a good weekend everybody and try and not let anybody step on your fingers while you’re making your way to the door.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxZpE9DQM3A
Jones
December 7th, 2012
8:52 pm
Take the weekend off Susan Rice. You have somehow amassed a 30 million net worth with no one really knowing how. You have invested lot of that net worth into Canadian oil. You had no clue what happened that day that Americans died in f’ing Libya. Don’t you worry as you were simply the UN ambassador. You had a lot to figure out about your on net worth that week.
Say hi to Rumsfeld and Cheney.
godless heathen Christmas has declared war on me
December 7th, 2012
8:52 pm
And, STAY THE F*CK OFF OF FRED’S LAWN!
http://youtu.be/ZqsW_noBIjQ
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
8:53 pm
Bro, love that Take 5.
Crazy.
I’m working my way backward through the songs.
josef
December 7th, 2012
8:54 pm
moonbat
Eighties flashback sorta the mood I’m in tonight… a sax says it all…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ueaD22hg8
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
8:58 pm
Redneck, thanks for stocking the brews homeboy.
Here’s some weird muszak for ya.
Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLk75fFXqH4
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
9:02 pm
Nice, jo, hadn’t heard that in forever!
more sax:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us3LemNhFOA
getalife
December 7th, 2012
9:07 pm
jones,
congress made insider trading legal so blame congress.
There is only one thing left to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0LDWOd2mQ
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
9:08 pm
betty, back at ya with the Gabriel
Fox the fox
Rat the rat
You can ape the ape
I know about that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo9riZYUpTw
josef
December 7th, 2012
9:08 pm
BROSEPHUS and HEATHEN
FRED
Now, now….
JONES
….and coming in at 8:52… la deuxième étron!
wet wiccan
December 7th, 2012
9:11 pm
josef
Feeling a little melancholy tonite? Happy Chanukah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxH0xF84h_0
josef
December 7th, 2012
9:13 pm
moonbat
on the sax…pulled this one up earlier…not exactly 80s in time, but certainly as a preview to where good music was going…ahead of its time, and still, imo, timeless…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIw09oqsYo
Fred ™
December 7th, 2012
9:17 pm
yeah Josef, happy Hanukkah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDV_reO930A
josef
December 7th, 2012
9:20 pm
moonbat
Hora, hora, hora!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoF8b65OSww
JamVet
December 7th, 2012
9:21 pm
One of the comments: “torturing myself with his music and crying because i miss him”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebtC3ORg9fU
Fred ™
December 7th, 2012
9:26 pm
I’m sorry, we are doing Sax stuff now? Anyone for some Chris Wood accompanying some no talented hack named Stevie Winwood?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8M8R835Ck4
josef
December 7th, 2012
9:27 pm
FRED
At least here in Georgia I can have my gin and tonicah…and my friends in Seattle can have their marijuanicah
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
9:36 pm
jo,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP14m_OlSIs
Fred ™
December 7th, 2012
9:36 pm
josef: my across the street neighbor is a catholic coon-ass from New Orleans, and his wife is a militant yankee jewish woman. I was teasing him one year because instead of Christmas lights he had ”Hanukkah lights” a big Star of David and a menorah I think. He said, Hey, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to having Christmas lights………
moonbat betty
December 7th, 2012
9:54 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qapmUgzMbHY