Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck, iconoclastic jazz composer and pianist, passed from this world earlier today.

He was inspired by the rise of West Coast jazz, but he became famous for his unconventional meters; in particular, for his 1959 album Time Out, a personal favorite of mine. The entire album is fantastic, but there are two pieces that stand out:

Blue Rondo à la Turk is the opening number on the album. The piece’s theme includes an unusual 9/8 rhythm (the theme contains three measures of 2+2+2+3 followed by one measure of 3+3+3).  Apparently, Brubeck first heard the rhythm performed by Turkish street musicians. When he asked about the rhythm, they replied that the rhythm, to them, was like the blues to him; hence the piece’s name. This piece is commonly — and erroneously — thought to be based on Mozart’s Rondo ala Turca.

The other stand-out piece on the album is Take Five, which was written by Paul Desmond, whose flowing, ethereal alto saxophone helped propel this album, and The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Brubeck, Desmond, Eugene Wright (b), and Joe Morello (d)),  into mainstream culture.

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I mourn Dave Brubeck’s passing, but will continue to revel within the genius of his musical vision.

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