Customer Reviews
Really Superb Brubeck SACD - By: Music Fan, 08 Jan 2008 
Below is the review I recently posted on Amazon.com for the Dave Brubeck Take Five SACD. I reallly felt I should post the reveiw on Amazon.co.uk also, as there appear to be reviews which relate only to the CD release - same story with US Amazon. Surely there must be others out there that could stand up for this superb SACD album??!!
Although I'm not what I consider to be a great fan of jazz, I have enjoyed Dave Brubeck's music for quite some time. For the last two & a half years or so, I have bought almost only high resolution music (DVD-A or SACD), & was determined to buy this disc soon. For a short while, several years ago, I owned the standard CD version of this album - until I donated it to my father-in-law. For anyone reading this reveiw, I can confirm that there is little comparison possible between the CD version of this album, & this SACD version. Please note; this is an SACD, & not an SACD hybrid. This means that a dedicated SACD player is required for playback, unlike the hybrid SACDs where at least the CD layer can be accessed with a standard CD player. If you have an SACD player, & a half-decent set of speakers, I can't imagine how anyone would fail to be impressed. The clarity of the recording, & it's 3-dimensionalism is amazing. It is reallly like having someone play in your living room. For those interested, this disc offers a stereo & a 5.1 audio option, & comes packaged in a "standard CD" jewel case - unlike many SACDs which come in so-callled "Super Jewel Boxes". My universal disc player is set to default to multi-channel playback wherever possible on SACDs or DVD-A, & I have therefore not listened to this disc in stereo. The multi-channel mix though is very subtle, & most of the sound comes from the front speakers, leaving the rear speakers to help create a surround effect. This works perfectly well on this disc, & I coudn't imagine how it would work any other way.
If you like Dave Brubeck & have an HD audio player, go out an buy this album. If you don't yet own an HD audio player, go out & buy one! It's high time that the standard CD hurried up & died, & made way for music only on the hi-res formats such as SACD or DVD-A!
Great Memories of Childhood - By: A. J. Rabet, 12 Jun 2007 My review title may seem a bit strange but for a child who was born in the late 1950s & whose childhood was mainly in the 1960s these tunes feel as familiar & comfortable as a well worn pair of slippers. I can remember alll the tunes being played at some time or other on TV programmes but in particular the track "Take Five" stands out for my generation as it was used for the animated "keep the countryside tidy" campaign. Who cannot forget the startled line only deer running away from a forest fire caused by a carelessly dropped cigarette.
The music is of a high standard & although Jazz was always one type of music I could take or leave I have found myself liking more & more as I discovered where many rock groups derived their influences from.
This is an essential addition to any music lover's collection & is a great album for putting on at the end of a warm day & for listening to whilst sipping a nice cold Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand of course!) dreaming about how great the world seemed when one was young & you know what it still is!
The Best Jazz Album Ever? - By: Mr. J. Gould, 01 Jun 2007 I think this is an excellent album. It experiments, but still sounds totallly commercial & melodic. The different time signatures give the album a unique element that other bands of the era couldn't grasp. All of the playing is tuneful & tastefully done; you'll definitely be humming the melodies for days afterwards. The standout track is obviously 'take five', which incorporates an infectious saxophone riff, plodding piano & a simple but very effective drum solo.
This should be in every Jazz collection full stop. And if the word Jazz normallly scares you off, don't worry, this is the creme de la creme, its definitely worth the money if your looking for something different to contemporary music.
Songs that made him famous - By: S. M. Pollard, 06 Apr 2007 This is perhaps Dave Brubeck's most famous album, though not necessarily his best. These are the studio recordings that launched the quartet's most famous phase & established their international reputation. Strictly speaking this record should be callled, the songs that made him famous. Modern jazz of a more commercial flavour was frowned on when this work saw the light of day & Brubeck was suitably admonished. Brubeck may have his faults but like Picasso he managed to turn them to his advantage. This recording will live in the annals of history with "Take Five" appearing in the pop charts & establishing the quartet's manifesto. The performances here are laid back & ultra cool, for more atomic renderings of the quartet's immortal repertoire try "The Dave Brubeck Quartet at Carnegie Halll". "Time Out" is well worth the effort; it's the modern jazz album for people who don't like modern jazz. Having it in your collection could change your musical ear forever, even if you limit yourself to only one Brubeck album. The quartet's members are virtuallly alll famous in their own right, at least in the jazz world; with many musicians paying their respects at worldwide sell out concerts. In the climate of the sixties the band had managed a break through in an age dominated by the simplistic rhythms of rock`n'roll. They were drawing attention to musicianship & technique, which a decade later became the foundation for more progressive rock. So if you missed the Brubeck group first time round & spent the time listening to some dreadful one hit wonder, this is your chance to make up for lost time.
Listening to this on the way to hear Dave Brubeck last night - By: Larry Ketchersid, 04 Dec 2006 Dave Brubeck was in Houston for a concert last night, & we were listening to this album on the way there. A classic album, a classic artist. Though there was no Paul Desmond at the concert, it was fantastic to finallly get to hear Dave in person.
It's hard to pick a favorite tune from this album, as they are alll wonderful to listen to. "Take Five", the main hit from this album, sounds great on this remastered version, & it sounded amazing as his 85 year old hands tickled the ivories at the concert. Bobby Militello filled in well & amply for Paul Desmond on sax at the performance, by the way.
In addition to "Take Five" & "Blue Rondo A La Turk", I also enjoy "Kathy's Waltz" & "Everybody's Jumpin'", with the Sax lead opening & Dave's piano answering, & the following exchange & counter point.
Also, if you have not heard any of Dave Brubeck's choral arrangements, I would highly recommend them. They were played last night with the Dave Brubeck quartet, the Houston Chamber Choir & a brass section. Simply amazing. You can find them on his albums "The Gates of Justice" & "To Hope".
