Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

1383.0. "The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out" by VEEJAY::ECTOR (Nite of the living Cruizoids) Thu Nov 10 1988 13:54

    
    
    Over in the Peter, Paul & Mary note, Jerry Boyajian mentioned the
    old ('57-8) Brubeck Quartet lp called "Time Out." This lp was, in
    it's time a total escape from use of 3-quarter time signatures -
    thus the title, Time Out. Brubeck's guys even had a minor "pop"
    hit on their hands with "Take Five." The flip of the single was
    "Bule Rondo A La Turk," and in those days people did play both sides
    of singles, thus its follow-up popularity.
    
    This music is absolutely ageless, and for once, CBS has really outdone
    itself (as they finally did with Chicago III) in the "digital
    remastering" field. The whole disc, even tho' a short 38:some-odd
    in length is, simply stated, fantastic ! Both "Blue Rondo" and "Take
    Five" just jump out of the speakers (or headphones) and plop you
    right in the middle of the quartet. For you jazz afficianados that
    just gotta know, the quartet is comprised of; Brubeck on piano,
    Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morrello on drums & Gene Wright on
    bass. 
    
    It's not so much that jazz artists hadn't screwed around with
    time signatures before (check Kenton's late 40's stuff or Birds'
    Be-Bop), it's just that Brubeck's guys did it so well that the non-jazz
    buying public ate it up and brought it into the mainstream.
    They proved to the majority that listening to jazz didn't take a
    "cool school" degree, nor did you have to sit in a coffee shop and
    listen to poets to be the type to listen to and ultimately enjoy
    jazz in this form.
    
    I've liked some jazz since I was a kid, but could never recall what
    it was that turned me on to it. Listening to "Time Out," I'm reminded
    excactly who did it. Brubeck tore me away from Elvis & The Everly's
    & Little Richard long enough to pay attention to something else
    happening in music. This led me to Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery,
    Sil Austin & Earl Bostic - more listenable styles of jazz. For that
    I'm thankful. This lp (now CD) has swept me off my feet again and
    sounds like I've never heard it sound before. 
    
    My next venture will be to find the quartet's CD, titled "The Dave
    Brubeck Quarted: "Plays Music from 'West Side Story' and Other Shows
    & Films." It's listed as a CBS Jazz Classic #40455. It can only
    be great !
    
    If you can find "Time Out" - and you even remotely like jazz, you've
    gotta love this one. It's better than it was 30 years ago !
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    Note that the solos on Blue Rondo are over straight 4 time.
    
    Max Roach did much stuff in 3/4 and 5/4 before Time Out.
    
    It is still a great album.
    
    Danny W

    
    No big deal about 3/4 time...that's just a waltz.
    
    

    Jazz waltzes were pretty rare when Max recorded them. Many critics
    at the time said that *real* jazzzmen only played in 4, that 3/4
    (really 6/8) couldn't swing and all that silly stuff.
    
    Almost no one had recorded any jazz but novelty tunes in 3/4 before
    the mid '50's.
    
    Danny W.

    You should get a copy of the Dave Brubeck CD
    
    "We're All Together Again for the First Time
    
    Its got a 16:00 minute live version of Take Five that is superb.
    Accompanying artists include Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Jack
    Six (bass) and Alan Dawson (drums).
    
    Its listed in the Noteworthy Catalog for around $9.  Well worth
    the money- Its also got a terrific version of "Rotterdam Blues".
    
    Sameer

    If you want a real gem on CD that isn't issued anymore as an LP
    try 'The Duets' with just Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond...........magic
    and also discounted at DM16:99 here in Germany as opposed to the
    same figure in pounds (3x as much!) in London's Virgin Records (ok,
    it was pressed in Japan but the differnce is not 3x as good!) This
    is from the A&M/Horizon label. There is also a good CD release of
    Paul Desmond with the Modern Jazz Quartet in New York Live, real
    nice and also unbuyable on LP these days but costs around DM45!
    
    cheers fjeff (the last Paul Desmond/Dave Brubeck fan from down under!)

    Re:.0  "this music is absolutely ageless"
    
    Amen.  My wife teaches high school dramatics.  As a movement exercise,
    she used a cut from this album and several of the students flipped,
    asking what it was (remember, these are jaded high schoolers who
    think "classic" means the next to last Van Halen album :-) ).
    
    I guess there *is* hope...
    
    >R.Michael