Dave Brubeck, one of America's greatest jazz composers and performers, would be 96 if he were still alive. No, May fourth is not his birthday; his birthday is in December. Like crazy dates and other mathematical oddities, Brubeck loved to play with musical meter. You know, beats per measure; things that make your toes tap or hands clap.
Brubeck liked to stand meter on its head, spin it around, saber it, then serve it up to audiences on a silver platter.
He's not the only one to do so. As a matter of fact, anyone who has heard Zeppelin's "Black Dog" or "Possum Kingdom" by The Toadies has had their ears assaulted by this unbelievably jarring and coincidentally amazing musical rhythm of 5/4 time. The most familiar, though, is Brubeck's musical masterpiece "Take Five."
5/4 time. 5/4 meter. 5/4 rhythm. Get it? 5/4 . . . May 4th. Not Star Wars Day; Dave Brubeck Day.
Okay, I'm willing to grant it can be both of those special days. After all, Star Wars only has "May the force (fourth) be with you." Brubeck has "Take Five," but he also has "Unsquare Dance," the fabulous and haunting 7/4 time. Since 7/4 is my birthday, I hereby declare Dave Brubeck Day to be both 5/4 and 7/4, making him the best damn jazz musician and composer of all time since he warrants not one but two days in his honor.
Click here to see the Dave Brubeck Quartet perform"Take Five" (and I dare you to count 5/4 time):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFk-kiDW_tA
Click here to see the late Jon Lord of Deep Purple perform "Unsquare Dance" (and I dare you to clap along in 7/4 time):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WrK0UrqyE0
