As we mentioned during our review of Thelonious Monk’s brilliant album Brilliant Corners (yes, the pun was intended, yes, I know I’m annoying) only five jazz musicians have ever graced the cover of TIME magazine. Dave Brubeck was one of them, a savant pianist and composer who rose to prominence during the 50’s. He is often thought of as one of the originators of cool jazz, which basically is a form of jazz that took a bunch of influence from bee bop and swing but focused on much more relaxed tempos and a lighter tone than the hard-driving nature of bee bop. Put another way, this is the kind of music that you feel cool as hell listening to sipping on a cocktail in a bar. Time Out is his magnum opus and a true treat to listen to. As a musician it honestly broke my brain a bit to listen to. It’s that complex and that good. This is one I’ll be circling back to for some mood music when the situation calls for it.
Standout Songs: “Blue Rondo a la Turk”, “Take Five”, “Unsquare Dance”
