Track Listing

1. Blue Rondo A La Turk
2. Strange Meadow Lark
3. Take Five
4. Three To Get Ready
5. Kathy's Waltz
6. Everybody's Jumpin'
7. Pick Up Sticks

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #324 in Music
• Released on: 1997-03-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Enhanced, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com essential recording
Boasting the first jazz instrumental to sell a million copies, the Paul Desmond-penned "Take Five," Time Out captures the celebrated jazz quartet at the height of both its popularity and its powers. Recorded in 1959, the album combines superb performances by pianist Brubeck, alto saxophonist Desmond, drummer Joe Morrello and bassist Gene Wright. Along with "Take Five," the album features another one of the group's signature compositions, "Blue Rondo a la Turk." Though influenced by the West Coast-cool school, Brubeck's greatest interest and contribution to jazz was the use of irregular meters in composition, which he did with great flair. Much of the band's appeal is due to Desmond, whose airy tone and fluid attack often carried the band's already strong performances to another level. Together, he and Brubeck proved one of the most potent pairings of the era. --Fred Goodman

Album Details
Limited Millennium Edition. Packed in a Heavy Weight Card Wallet that Faithfully Recreates the Original Vinyl Sleeve, Right Down to the Inner Bag. The Wallet Will Come in a Plastic Cover.

Customer Reviews

An extraordinary recording
Take Five is an amazing CD by one of the master quartets of jazz. The music seems as fresh and new today as it did when it was first recorded
-- lilting, clever, intricate, and yet utterly right in every note. If you like jazz at all, you must listen to this album. It is delicious!

Entertaining, solid musicianship,
My piano instructor recommended this CD to me. I decided to pick it up, and presto a day later a review is jumping from my fingers. This album is considered a classic Jazz album by many and I can hear why. Odd time signatures, solid play, and quality compositions. That being said I can't rate this CD 5 stars. I just can't put this recording in the same catagory as Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue." Don't get me wrong!!! I'm glad I own it, and it will get many plays in my CD player and I-POD. However, I just can't put it on par with some of the other Jazz CD's I've come across in times past.

I actually enjoyed the entire CD. However, my favorite compositions on here are: Blue Rondo, and Strange Meadow Lark. I just find that my ear happens to enjoy the rhythmic and melodic content in those two compositions over the others. This CD sounds before it's time (1959 originally recorded), but music has come a long way since.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this CD, it's worth having, but there are other jazz artists I like more.

Not thrilled with SACD version
The music itself is very good, but not great I would have liked more sax, horns. (This is coming from a Steely Dan fanatic) However, for a recording that is nearly 50 years old, the sound is fantastic, most people couldn't tell the age. My main comment is that the SACD surround mix is TOO subtle. I thought my player wasn't working. I have yet to compare the CD version to the SACD version. Maybe the SACD version is better, but I was hoping for a better surround mix such as Avalon.