Take Five by Brubeck (+ Take two by Benson)

I first heard Take Five at the iconic Cafe Mondegar  in Bombay , India back in '93 when  visiting from Delhi with my friends Keith and Usha. Mondy's had what was a novelty in India at the time  : a jukebox.  Usha, who now owns and runs Jamini Designs (here)from her Paris base, jukebox-ed this number, and as I recall it,  thought it pretty weird that we were unfamiliar with it ! Hmm.

Dave Brubeck passed on yesterday. To be honest , I didn't even know that he was still alive. Great great great musician and , like most of that breed, gets straitjacketed with that one hit.   I myself know only a handful of others .... But then that's what great tunes do : subsume the people behind them 

Incidentally , the tune was composed by his saxophonist Paul Desmond not Brubeck himself. So there !

I also love the George Benson studio version , the lovely whistle-clean tone and fluidity of it. Then i stumbled upon this awesome live version on You Tube today. Benson at the height of his powers , what a treat ! 

Here's the link 

RIP Dave Brubeck.