Analogue Productions - CAPJ 8192 SA - SACD Hybrid Multichannel  

Mastered By  Bernie Grundman - 3 Channel & 2.0 Mix

Hybrid SACD Plays On Normal CD Players

All other releases of this title are worthless now, this is the only one you want.- Music review

Dave Brubeck's defining masterpiece Time Out ranks as one of the most popular jazz albums ever made even though its radical exploration of time signatures outside of the standard 4/4 beat or 3/4 waltz was widely disparaged by his record company and critics initially. 

Featuring the first jazz instrumental to sell a million copies with Paul Desmond's "Take Five," this is the Dave Brubeck Quartet at the height of their popularity and power. Recorded in 1959, the album is overflowing with superb performances by pianist Brubeck, alto saxophonist Desmond, drummer Joe Morrello and bassist Gene Wright.

• This Hybrid SACD is playable on ALL CD Players!
• Rare black & white photos from Columbia Studios recording sessions
• Remastered by Bernie Grundman
• Authored by Gus Skinas on the SONOMA system

Dave Brubeck's defining masterpiece, Time Out is one of the most rhythmically innovative albums in jazz history, the first to consciously explore time signatures outside of the standard 4/4 beat or 3/4 waltz time. It was a risky move -- Brubeck's record company wasn't keen on releasing such an arty project, and many critics initially roasted him for tampering with jazz's rhythmic foundation. But for once, public taste was more advanced than that of the critics. Buoyed by a hit single in altoist Paul Desmond's ubiquitous "Take Five," Time Out became an unexpectedly huge success, and still ranks as one of the most popular jazz albums ever.

That's a testament to Brubeck and Desmond's abilities as composers, because Time Out is full of challenges both subtle and overt -- it's just that they're not jarring. Brubeck's classic "Blue Rondo à la Turk" blends jazz with classical form and Turkish folk rhythms, while "Take Five," despite its overexposure, really is a masterpiece; listen to how well Desmond's solo phrasing fits the 5/4 meter, and how much Joe Morello's drum solo bends time without getting lost.

The other selections are richly melodic as well, and even when the meters are even, the group sets up shifting polyrhythmic counterpoints that nod to African and Eastern musics. Some have come to disdain Time Out as its become increasingly synonymous with upscale coffeehouse ambience, but as someone once said of Shakespeare, it's really very good in spite of the people who like it. It doesn't just sound sophisticated -- it really is sophisticated music, which lends itself to cerebral appreciation, yet never stops swinging. Countless other musicians built on its pioneering experiments, yet it's amazingly accessible for all its advanced thinking, a rare feat in any art form.

This belongs in even the most rudimentary jazz collection.

Please note: For the Multichannel program of this SACD, we used the same hi-res file as was used for the previous Sony SACD release of this title. The Multichannel program was not remixed or remastered. Please understand that our focus and interest is on making the best sounding two-channel layer possible. We have remastered the stereo program from the original analog tapes. Because the disc allows space to include a multichannel program and because one already existed, we decided to include it as a bonus.

Dave Brubeck Time Out

1. Blue Rondo à la Turk
2. Strange Meadow Lark
3. Take Five
4. Three To Get Ready
5. Kathy's Waltz
6. Everybody's Jumpin'
7. Pick Up Sticks