What is a good album to introduce Brubeck?
I’ve heard “Take Five” and I’ve got John Coltrane and Miles Davis.
I think “Jazz at the College of the Pacific” is very nice…
Introduce him to who?
For most people, the best place to start with Brubeck is with two albums: Time Out, which contains classics such as Take Five and Blue Rondo ala Turk. Time In contains the single most beautiful piece of music Brubeck, or anyboy else ever composed, Forty Days. Either would be a good introduction to the man and his work. Ask any questions you want about him…I have, I believe, every album ever issued in the US by Brubeck and his bandmates.
Time Out is his most popular album and one of his best, but I’ll put in a good word for Jazz Impressions of Eurasia as well.
You might simply pick a “Greatest Hits” or “Best of” package. There have been many issued. You would get a variety of moods, styles and group membership over the years.
Since you already have “Time Out,” I’ll recommend “Time Further Out.”
Keep in mind that Brubeck’s signature Time Out is so named for the odd time signatures used. Take Five is in 5/4 time and Blue Rondo à la Turk in 9/8 time, and it can make for some toe tapping difficulties.
If you want a real challenge, try clapping along to Unsquare Dance. There is a reason Joe Morello breaks out with a whoop of joy at the end! 
Ah, is that a live cut?
Live in studio. It is in 7/4 time, and has three or more rhythms going at any given time. The claps are on beats 2, 4, 6 & 7. Beat clap beat clap beat clap clap. Then add a bass line, and Dave’s piano bouncing around, and you have quite a mix. The last few bars are viscious!
I’ve been listening to *Bravo Brubeck * a lot lately, his Latinesque album. Way lotta fun.
“Dave Brubeck in Europe” is beautiful, mellow and intriguing. Perfect for a Saturday night cocktail party.
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagan…
All of the “Jazz Impressions of…” albums are wonderful. My personal favorite is “Japan,” but the rest are sublime as well. For people with a few bucks to spend, there is a CD set called “Time Signatures” that captures the soul of Brubeck admirably.
Speaking of weird time signatures, Blue Rondo a la Turk is weird, too. It’s in 9/8–but not a normal 9/8. Where 9/8 usually has a 3/4 feel (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), in Blue Rondo it’s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9