Dave Brubeck’s Take Five Poem by Bill Galvin

The signature jazz piece of the Quartet,
One that brought jazz to mainstream in the 60s;
From the 1959 album “Time Out”, now placed in
The Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

I don’t read music; but, these are my impressions.

Composed by alto sax man Paul Desmond,
Who plays the melodic lines before and after
The inventive drum solo by Joe Morello;
The sax draws us in to a calm, serene way of life;
Everyday, pleasant, as we like it…
Then we are led to the controlled chaos
Of the battle being waged between calm and stress,
Peace and torment, material and spiritual.
Each drop of the drumstick,
Each kick on the bass drum pedal,
Staccato, yet perfectly spaced and timed,
To show the uncertainties and irregularities
Of a life in quiet desperation or crisis.
Throughout, it is Brubeck’s mellow piano
And the stand up bass
That carries the poised rhythm, not the drummer;
And which represents in the background, an overseer,
An observant spirit watching it all; carrying us when needed;
Behind us, encouraging us, all our lives.
Solo done… sax brings the listener back to the comfort
Of life as we know it, as we need it to be.
Changed, of course; but, challenge met,
The promise of a return to normalcy; or close to it.
In other words… Life goes on.

It has played a role in my life over time;
As the go-to piece in times of stress;
During tumultuous periods…
First marriage failure; career layoffs; surgery, and loss;
A reminder to pause and reflect the ups and downs;
As life will tend to unravel occasionally (the drum solo) ,
But the ship can right itself, if we relax; go with the flow.

A reminder to take a break, a Time Out; “Take Five”…
It ain’t all that bad, after all.

I always put it on replay, until I am purged.
It’s a whole lot cheaper than therapy.

6-27-2015