There are just some tunes that, you can hear and feel a million times and they never get old... they always feel just right.  For me, The Dave Brubeck Quartet's album entitled, Time Out sits (or swings) in that category.  

Further more, Blue Rondo a la Turk holds a special place in my heart.  As it is the first track on Time Out, we knew good times were coming every time we heard its opening notes.

What I like about the history of this song, written by Brubeck himself in 1959, was how he stumbled upon the rhythm.  Its time signature, 9/8 with a 4/4 swing, was something that pulled Brubeck in off the street.  He was intoxicated by its unique feel and had to ask its Turkish musicians how they found such a rhythm. (They replied "This rhythm is to us what the blues is to you."  Hence the title of this song.)  

This kind of musical magnetic pull is something that I feel on a daily basis (I, humbly, realize that I am comparing myself to the great Dave Brubeck here but...I don't mean it THAT way).   As I go about my day, listening, feeling and experiencing the music and sounds around me, I frequently stop and ask "What is this... who is this... and where can I find it?"  Then comes the expensive part... its not good enough to just hear the music or know its parent musician... I must have it, own it, and keep it safe.  

Its my addiction of sorts, which is why my college record store job was, well, pretty perfect. The adventure involved in inquiring after music has gotten me to many interesting places, people, good friends and songs in my life... Its like one of those Looney Tunes vignettes where someone smells a freshly baked pie and floats over to the window sill upon which this fresh pie sits... In a haze, they don't really know how they got there, nor do they care but, one thing is for certain... they must have that pie!  And, clearly Mr. Brubeck and I share the same passion for freshly baked tunes :).  I like good company.

So please enjoy this live version of my fave album starter, Blue Rondo a la Turk.  Don't forget to time machine around a little and wonder about the swingin audience members and what life was like for them outside of this inspired live jazz show in 1959.  That's another game I like to play... if only there were really time machines... yes, here it comes, I think Mr. Brubeck and I would have been good friends... he is my Pop's best after all...

Enjoy!

Love,

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