# Dave Brubeck takes five - Dead at 91. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089 "2012-12-05T17:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/21 "2012-12-05T22:35:00Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Joe Morello just [passed](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600487)a year or so ago. > > **Chefguy** : story? I’ve related this before, but I was in Moscow as part of the Diplomatic Security advance team for the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in 1988. As a thank you for all the support staff work, the ambassador had a “do” at his residence after it was all over. As I walked in the door, I could hear Brubeck’s unmistakable piano playing and thought, “oh, they got a DJ”. My jaw hit the floor when I saw him at the piano. His son was playing with him and Eugene Wright, who happened to be on tour on his own, was also playing with him. Reagan gave a little spiel and then Brubeck and company left the stage. I saw him heading out the door to the garden, and when everybody started flocking around the Secstate to yammer at him, I headed out after Dave. He was talking to one of the Marine Security Guards, and signing an album cover (FUCK!). I thought “what the hell” and walked up to him, introduced myself and we just stood and chatted for about five minutes with nobody else around. I had lost track of his group after the 70s, and when he told me that Desmond had died and Morello had gone blind, I teared up at the injustice of the world. I didn’t even think to get an autograph, but I found the Marine afterward and discovered I didn’t have enough money in the bank to get that album from him. I told him to sleep with one eye open until I went back to Frankfurt. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/22 "2012-12-05T23:10:18Z")
My favorite version of \*\*Bicycle Built for Two \*\*(“_Daisy Bell_” for the inevitable band of nitpickers) is the one Brubeck did for some animated Charlie Brown feature. It’s fantastic. [Link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNjoQpDBjGA) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/23 "2012-12-05T23:28:56Z")
The [ultimate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbUklDXdH2o) West Coast take on an East Coast jazz tune. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/24 "2012-12-06T00:04:55Z")
This is what I want to be listening to when I die. [40 Days](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8PQBYEkHHg) ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/25 "2012-12-06T02:06:25Z")
Check out this tribute performance for him at the Kenendy Center Honors. There’s a point where… they pull back a partition to reveal that all his sons are on stage performing, and he clearly mouths “son of a bitch!” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1jWlpMQW3Y) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/26 "2012-12-06T02:22:07Z")
[Photo Gallery](http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=SR&Date=20121205&Category=A_NEWS&ArtNo=120509858&Ref=PH&Presentation=desktop#img-22) from the Stockton Record. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/27 "2012-12-06T02:25:45Z")
I’ve been tearing up several times today reading all the tributes and watching and listening to so many of his performance. I’m a quite recent fan (collected several of his albums over the last 3-4 months), and I’m really surprised how hard this has hit me. I never saw him in person, but I listen to something by him pretty much every day. RIP Dave. The world is a poorer place without you. And thanks very much for that link, **Pork Rind**. I hadn’t seen it before and it was the most recent thing to bring tears to my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/28 "2012-12-06T03:17:12Z")
I think that like a lot of people, Take Five was my gateway song to jazz. I’m forever indepted to him for that. That video of him playing with the impromptu violinist in Moscow is just too much. When I see something like that, I think people like them should run the world. > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Not to detract in the slightest from Brubeck’s well-deserved accolades, but I gotta give some props to Joe Morello here too. What a fabulous drummer. Brubeck fans are probably already familiar with this, but for those who aren’t, here’s Morello playing the melody to Shortenin’ Bread–as a drum solo. https://www.youtube.com/embed/5vO2Qb_6FkY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/29 "2012-12-06T03:30:33Z")
Oh, man, that was great! Wouldn’t surprise me if the big grin on Dave’s face on that album cover was shot as he was listening to Morello play that! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Unix\_Geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unix_geek/32/19368_2.png) [@Unix\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unix_Geek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/30 "2012-12-06T03:30:33Z")
Make sure your children know his music. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/31 "2012-12-06T03:31:28Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > RIP Dave ☹ > > Interesting timing. We’d just gotten a new set of speakers for the kitchen and I’ve been breaking them in with all things Brubeck. The Dudeling can now recognize Take Five, Blue Rondo and Unsquare Dance (e’s only three, but can keep the clapping bit in Unsquare Dance). > > To break from the classics, [here’s one of my favourite Brubeck clips](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceiDpI_ZabA). Like lots of things, it’s better to just watch it through and you’ll totally understand, but if you want a reason to click a blind Youtube link: > > Brubeck’s face at 2:09 is priceless. An instant of “what’s _that_?” to a big smile of recognition and a joyous grin. Perfecting it is how he effortlessly moves to support the violinist. It’s beautiful. Thank you. I’m not much of a jazz fan but that was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/32 "2012-12-06T04:07:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > This is what I want to be listening to when I die. > > [40 Days](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8PQBYEkHHg) Beautiful piece. Desmond was a god. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/33 "2012-12-06T04:16:52Z")
I thought I’d throw in [a picture of the young Dave Brubeck,](http://gdb.voanews.eu/0C6710D4-FA2E-46E5-8EE7-B8F8BE529101_mw1024_s.jpg) looking like the nerdliest guy this side of Buddy Holly. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/34 "2012-12-06T05:30:47Z")
I still own, and play, the original LP _Take Five_ that my parents bought. I think I’ll put it on now. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/35 "2012-12-06T06:22:35Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I still own, and play, the original LP _Take Five_ that my parents bought. > > I think I’ll put it on now. I meant the LP _Time Out_.:smack: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/36 "2012-12-06T08:07:18Z")
I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl in the summer of '65 along with Peter, Paul and Mary. What a great night of music. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/37 "2012-12-06T13:23:54Z")
The passing of a Great is always depressing to me, so I will spend this afternoon listening to a lot of his music and simply enjoying. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/38 "2012-12-06T15:21:39Z")
> [@Unix\_Geek](#): > > Make sure your children know his music. Already done. I yammer on so much about Joe Morello that I get eye rolls from my son, but he concedes that [Castillian Drums](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LBZJk5Kfgw) is one of the finest drum solos ever played. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/39 "2012-12-06T15:28:41Z")
Oh, man. This really makes me sad. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089/40 "2012-12-06T15:56:32Z")
Listened to the first half of _Time Out_ on my commute to work this morning, looking forward to the second half on the way home tonight. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-brubeck-takes-five-dead-at-91/643089.md?page=3)