Search - Dave Brubeck :: For All Time

Take 5! - the Brubeck Quartet's five great 'Time' Pieces

Steven Kosakowski | West Coast Jazz | 03/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Columbia/Sony have finally completed the remastered re-rollout of all five Brubeck Quartet 'TIME' albums (each with extra tracks), and collected them here in a budget-priced box set.The box in this case is simply a very sturdy slipcase holding the five individualy available jewel-cased cd's. Three of the albums, as detailed in another review here, have not been available for years, so this collection is a great and inexpensive way to sweep them all up at once.For the record, the five albums are:1 - TIME Out (1959), including the classic Desmond/Brubeck cut 'Take Five';2 - TIME Further Out (1961) with 1 bonus track from the sessions plus a live 'Raggy Waltz' from the '63 Carnegie Hall shows;3 - Countdown TIME in Outer Space (1961) with 1 bonus track;4 - TIME Changes (1963-64) including the orchestral 'Elementals'; 5 - TIME In (1965) with 3 bonus tracks, and the last of the Brubeck Quartet's 'time signature' albums.Not included (though well worth picking up) is the 1954 'Brubeck Time', as its titular 'Time' refers to the news magazine's 1954 cover story on Brubeck and jazz rather than to the experiments in time signatures cut by the complete classic quartet.Anyone enjoying this Time Box should also take a good hard look at Paul Desmond's 'Complete RCA' Box of his solo work for that label from '61-'65, including his reworking of the 'Take Five' theme called 'Take Ten'."

Jazz at its best

Tweeedly Eeeedly | Fremont, CA United States | 10/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Short review:

This is a superb set. If you love: jazz, Brubeck, any one of the quartet members, superb musicianship, great drumming, great piano jazz, beautiful bass tone, beautiful alto sax tone... then buy this set



Long review:

I came to jazz late and discovered Time Out around 1995. I loved it. Till now I thought that was all there was this quartet produced (I admit I was ignorant). I fell in love with the bold experimentation of this group, and as a bassist myself I was inspired by Eugene Wright's bass sound.



Fast forward to 2004 and lo and behold, I discover this boxed set. My favorite jazz quartet playing with time... it was like discovering "lost" tunes by a favorite band and I couldn't resist purchasing it. Its been several days now and I am thrilled with it.



Several people have commented on the packaging being subpar. This may be true when compared to Columbia's Miles Davis sets which I don't own, but I happen to think the packaging is excellent. In particular I feel there is a unity to this set that must be rare in the history of jazz. Allow me to eloborate: 1) The same band was used for the entire set 2) The same (superb) recording studio was used (the famed NY 30th street), 3) The same exciting experimentation is used throughout the set, 3) The same producer was used (probably the most respected in jazz - Teo Macero), 4) The same engineer was available (and a top notch one at that! - Fred Plaut), 5) The same reissue director was used, 6) All tracks were remastered to greater than a CD's 16-bit sound quality (most are 24bits, the rest are 20... not sure it matters beyond 16bits but suffice it to say that it sound very good!), 7) The compositions are excellent working both as "background music" and music you can listen to in a trance-like state, 8) The CDs all have the same "look" - clear CD cases with original liner notes and additional notes from Brubeck, and 9) the cost is reasonable for 5 CDs.



I was afraid that this was going to be "Time Out" plus filler albums, but I assure you this is NOT the case. Time Out was the first album and not necessarily the best (at the moment I am partial to "Time in Outer Space" and "Time Explorations"). I don't know what else to say, I plan on listening to this for the rest of my life and am grateful that Columbia had the foresight to release this set. Do yourself a favor and buy this boxed set."

For All jazz Fans

J. Thomas | Out on the Lost Highway | 03/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the HEAT. Everybody has heard or owns TIME OUT and maybe 10% of everybody has heard or owns TIME FURTHER OUT but almost nobody has heard or owns TIME IN OUTER SPACE or the next two titles from this line up. Thes guys were tight, tight and could cook like no others. Impossible time signatures were like flippin' burgers to these cats. Some of the tunes on discs 3-5, you would swear each musician is playing a different song or time/beat and yet it is melodic, musical and 100% enjoyable. I just can't recommend this box set enough."