Wednesday Music Selection #03: Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five

Midweek is the perfect time to explore our music selection, downshift, step away from the noise, and carve out a solid five minutes of pure, uninterrupted listening. For this Wednesday, we are diving deep into one of the most iconic, masterfully engineered jazz recordings from 1959.

Released on the seminal album Time Out, Take Five became a milestone not only for its unusual 5/4 time signature but also for representing the pinnacle of analog studio engineering of its era. The true brilliance of the composition lies within the incredible sense of space and the sheer physical presence of the studio acoustics.

Why we love it: It is all about the pure sense of presence. The track opens with the instantly recognizable piano vamp and subtle drum cues before Paul Desmond’s alto saxophone steps into the room with absolute realism. The drum solo in the middle section—with the sharp, dry transients of the snare and cymbals—fills the soundstage with uncompromised energy. It is a masterfully structured, airy composition that completely commands your attention from the first second to the last.

Pour yourself a proper espresso or a glass of fine wine, dim the lights, and hit play.

Where to listen:

Wishing you a relaxing Wednesday evening and happy listening,

The Shepherd’s Audio Team