Jazz Spotlight: Miles Davis - A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1971)

On April 7, 1970, John McLaughlin picked up his electric guitar in the 30th Street Studio in New York and began improvising some riffs. Soon after, he was joined in by Michael Henderson on electric bass and Billy Cobham on the drums. Herbie Hancock is asked to start playing the organ and does so. Finally, legendary trumpet player Miles Davis enters the studio and begins his own solo about two minutes into the riffing. So began not only one of Miles Davis's greatest albums but one of the greatest jazz fusion albums of all time, A Tribute to Jack Johnson.

A Tribute to Jack Johnson came about as a project as a soundtrack for a documentary by Bill Cayton about the boxing heavyweight world champion Jack Johnson. The result was the closest that Miles Davis would get to rock in his career and by far his funkiest album to date. Miles was riding high off the success of Bitches Brew only a year prior and continued to turn many in the jazz community on their head. Some complained that not only was Bitches Brew not jazz but neither was A Tribute to Jack Johnson. However, these two albums are just an example of Miles leading the way into yet another jazz subgenre as he would do so throughout his entire life. In other words, not only was it jazz but it was most certainly Miles being Miles.

The album can be seen as a bit imitating to your casual jazz listener with there being only two tracks, especially since both of them are at least 25 minutes a piece. However, both tracks have such a level of craftsmanship and level of skill accompanying them that it's hard to stop listening to them once you begin.

The first track "Right Now" contains a legendary lineup not only within the jazz fusion community but within jazz itself. Miles Davis leads the group on his trumpet, arguably the greatest jazz player of all time. John McLaughlin lends his skills on the electric guitar and he is certainly one of the greatest electric guitar players of all time. Herbie Hancock lends his skills on the organ and has already established himself with previous solo albums such as Maiden Voyage. Billy Cobham on the drums would eventually co-found the legendary jazz fusion group, the Mahavishnu Orchestra with McLaughlin. The track also has Michael Henderson on the electric bass and Steve Grossman on the electric saxophone.

As previously noted, "Right Now" starts with McLaughlin's legendary riff as the rest of the group joins in. Miles's solo beginning at 2:19 on the track is where "Right Now" really comes alive and starts to become something really special. Miles performs some of the best work of his career on this track and it's certainly something really funky along with being jazz. The change in sound momentarily at the almost eleven minute mark gives the track an even more special feel before the group kicks it back into high gear about a minute later. The entire group is firing on all cylinders and each one of them shine in their opportunity to showcase their skills on this track.

The second track "Yesternow" is an interesting case. The lineup previously listed performs roughly the first half of "Yesternow" up until about 12:55. The track does a wonderful job in the way it starts quietly and sets the tone for what's to come. Miles's playing on this track is wonderful and really enjoyable.

The lineup for the second half of "Yesternow" is uncredited on the album and their portion was recorded on February 18, 1970. Miles Davis remains on the trumpet and John McLaughlin remains on the electric guitar. Sonny Sharrock joins McLaughlin on his own electric guitar and Bennie Maupin joins in on the bass clarinet. Dave Holland takes over on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette takes over on the drums. Finally, the legendary Chick Corea takes over on electric piano.

The second half of "Yesternow" is certainly different enough from the first half to notice the lineup change as the piece's tone changes. The final result of the track is something just as special as "Right Now". It's a bit more subdued than "Right Now" but the solos are just as fantastic. The entire piece is a great example of improvisation and editing at it's finest.

Overall, Jack Johnson didn't certainly please everyone. It's didn't please many rock fans who were expecting something different from this album and it certainly didn't please many jazz purists who were hoping Miles was going to return to his Kind of Blue days instead of moving even further than he did into fusion after Bitches Brew. It certainly explains why the album didn't perform commercially as well as Bitches Brew but I personally think it is a superior jazz fusion album to Bitches Brew. The album is certainly worth listening to for anybody who considers themselves a fan of Miles Davis and or jazz in general. If only to hear, Miles being Miles.

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Link to the album on Amazon. The album is also available for listening on Spotify.

Jazz Spotlight: Kurt Rosenwinkel - Intuit (1999)

Intuit is Kurt Rosenwinkel's second album as band leader. It was released in 1999 and features a number of jazz standards. Kurt Rosenwinkel plays the guitar on the album. Michael Kanan plays the piano, Joe Martin plays the bass, and Tim Pleasant plays the drums.

Intuit for the most part is an album full of jazz standards. The exception to this is "Epiphany" by the group's pianist Michael Kanan. The group is able to do a wonderful job and work together seamlessly.

The first track "How Deep is the Ocean"is a jazz standard by Irving Berlin. This track does a wonderful job of showcasing both Rosenwinkel's and Kanan's skills. Kanan has a wonderful piano solo about halfway through the track. It's a wonderful start to the album and also happens to be the longest track on the album.

The second track "Conception I" is by jazz pianist George Shearing. This track is certainly a lot faster than "How Deep is the Ocean". The group does a wonderful job on this fast take. The third track "Darn that Dream" is co-written by Eddie DeLange and Jimmy Van Heusen. The track returns the album to the similar feel of the first piece. Rosenwinkel's playing on "Darn that Dream" is particularly worth noting.

The fourth track "Dewey Square" is a piece by the legendary Charlie Parker. The group does a wonderful job of making the piece their own. The fifth track "When Sunny Gets Blue" is by Jack Segal and Marvin Fisher. The piece is also my personal favorite on the album. An interesting piece of trivia is that this track was also used on the show Hey Arnold!

The sixth track "Sippin' At Bells" was written by the legendary Miles Davis but was wrongly credited to Charlie Parker on this album. The track also happens to be the shortest on the album but the group makes the most of it with their fast playing. The group is certainly able to do the piece justice.

The seventh track "Epiphany" is the sole original on the album by Michael Kanan. The track is the second longest on the album and returns it to it's slower pace. The eighth track "Segment" by the legendary Charlie Parker livens things up a bit. The group does a wonderful job on this Parker piece as well.

The ninth track "Summertime" is by the legendary George Gershwin. The track showcases some of Rosenwinkel's skills and makes for a beautiful addition to the album. The tenth and final track on the album "Conception II" is by George Shearing. The track is an excellent listen and nice way to end the album.

Overall, Intuit is an excellent album and an album where the listener really begins to see how great of a musician Kurt Rosenwinkel is. The album makes for a great listen on a clear sunny afternoon or just when you would like to relax. The album is available for listening on Spotify.

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Jazz Spotlight: Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

A Charlie Brown Christmas is the soundtrack to the beloved Christmas television special of the same name. It was released in 1965, the same year as the television special. The album is by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Vince Guaraldi plays the piano, organ, and does the arrangement for the album. Jerry Granelli plays the drums and Fred Marshall plays the double bass.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a mixture of original pieces by Guaraldi and traditional ones. The album primarily features the playing skills of Guaraldi. The album itself can best be categorized under the cool or west coast jazz subgenre. Although it would also fall under the holiday jazz subgenre as well. A Charlie Brown Christmas also holds the distinction of being the first jazz album that many children listen to.

The first track "O Tannenbaum" is a traditional cover that starts off as most versions do but then breaks into the jazz piano playing of Guaraldi. The trio does a wonderful job showcasing their skills right away on the first track and work together seamlessly. The second track "What Child is This?" is also a traditional cover that heavily features Guaraldi's piano.

The third track "My Little Drum" is the first Guaraldi original on the album and an arrangement by Guaraldi of "The Little Drummer Boy". Guaraldi and company are able to do justice to the original while making a wonderful version of their own.

The fourth track "Linus and Lucy" may arguably be Guaraldi's most well-known and well-beloved track. Even those who do not consider themselves fans of jazz often not only find themselves knowing this piece but loving it. Although originally used on the album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown a year prior, it's A Charlie Brown Christmas where this piece was first introduced to millions. It's difficult to not love this upbeat track but it's not difficult to see why this piece is so beloved. This wonderful piece was co-written by Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson.

The fifth track "Christmas Time Is Here" was also co-written by Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson. This piece is used twice on the album, the first here as an instrumental. This track is such a wonderful listen and it's certainly no disappointment that this also happens to be the longest track on the album. Guaraldi and the rest of the Trio really shine on this track. It's not difficult to see why this track has also become a beloved classic.

The sixth track "Christmas Time Is Here" has Guaraldi playing on the piano in the background as children add lyrics to "Christmas Time Is Here". The lyrics are beautiful and make it an instant Christmas classic. Marshall's playing on both versions of this piece deserve recognition as well.

The seventh track "Skating" sees the Trio performing a piece that can best be categorized as swing. This piece is also co-written by Guaraldi and Mendelson. Marshall's playing on this track is rich and Granelli really shines on this track especially. The eighth track "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a beautiful cover of the traditional piece with just Guaraldi's organ and the children singing.

The ninth track "Christmas is Coming" is another piece that brings the swing. The piece is a Guaraldi original and the last original track on the album. Guaraldi and the Trio make the most of it and certainly pull no punches as they perform brilliantly.

The tenth track "Fur Elise" is a quick cover of the original by Beethoven. The eleventh track "The Christmas Song" will be almost instantly recognizable to people of all ages as the song also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire". Guaraldi does a terrific job giving justice to the original piece while making it own at the same time. The song is a personal favorite of mine so I find the use of this piece as an excellent way to end the album.

Overall, A Charlie Brown Christmas makes a strong case as the greatest Christmas album of all time on top of being a superb album in general. I personally consider it to be my favorite Christmas album and the type of album that represents everything great about this time of season. If you have never fully listened to this album then do yourself a favor and find the time to do so. This album is worth listening to anybody of all ages that enjoys good music. The album is available for listening on Spotify.

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Jazz Spotlight: Jaco Pastorius - The Birthday Concert (1981)

The Birthday Concert is an excellent live album from American bassist Jaco Pastorius. This concert was recorded on December 1, 1981. The significance of this date is that it was Jaco's 30th birthday. It is also significant to mention that this album was not actually released until 1995, six years after Jaco's death. The majority of the tracks on the album are originals from Pastorius.

Jaco played alongside the Peter Graves Orchestra and drummer Peter Erskine. Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer also play the tenor saxophone. The album itself is very upbeat as Jaco is playing in his prime before his problems unfortunately began to impact his career. The Birthday Concert can be classified under the jazz fusion subgenre and it's jazz fusion at some of it's finest.

The album opens up with a wonderful intro and then the first track "The Chicken" begins. The track is very upbeat with the horns firing on all cylinders. Jaco also does a wonderful job on the track and it was co-written by him. The second track "Continuum" is a Jaco original and slows down the pace with Jaco's fantastic playing.

The third track "Invitation" does a wonderful job of showcasing the skills of everybody on stage. The track also clocks in as the longest on the album. The track even has a conga solo at one point by Don Alias. The fourth track "Three Views of a Secret" is a Jaco original and a bit softer than the previous track.

The fifth track "Liberty City" is a Jaco original and returns the album to its upbeat tempo. "Liberty City" is definitely one of the best tracks on the entire album and features some of Jaco's best playing. The sixth track "Punk Jazz" is also a Jaco original and simply outstanding. The horns once again are heavily featured on this track and do an excellent job.

The seventh track "Happy Birthday" is a jazz cover of the famous song as they perform it for Jaco. The eighth track "Reza" is a Jaco original and is the second longest track on the album. Jaco and company are magnificent and the track is an enjoyable listen.

The ninth track "Domingo" is the last Jaco original on the album. All of the originals by Jaco on the album really showcase his stellar composing skills and why he still has such a large influence today despite dying at the age of 35. After that follows the band intros. The album ends with the track "Amerika". The track is essentially Jaco performing the song "America" on the bass alone and doing a wonderful job of it.

The Birthday Concert is a magnificent live album and showcases some of Jaco's greatest work. Jazz fans that enjoy jazz fusion will definitely enjoy this album. Although the album is worth listening to for any jazz fan. The album is also available for listening on Spotify.

Jazz Spotlight: Stephane Grappelli - Afternoon in Paris (1971)

Afternoon in Paris is a wonderful and unique album from french violinist Stephane Grappelli. The album also features drummer Kenny Clare, bassist Eberhard Weber, and pianist Marc Hemmeler. Although the album features no original tracks from Grappelli, his own versions of these ballads and other pieces are fantastic. Afternoon in Paris was released in March 1971.

Afternoon in Paris heavily features Grappelli's violin and Hemmeler's playing on the piano. It is difficult to categorize the album into one category or genre but the album as a whole has a swing feel to it. The instruments on the album for many of the tracks are played with an uptempo and are done wonderfully.

The first track "This Can't Be Love" quickly starts off with Grappelli's playing and quickly establishes the tone for the album. Grappelli does a brilliant job and the rest of the band does as well. The second track "Time After Time" starts off slower than the first track and has a heavy emphasis on the piano to begin the track. Grappelli's playing on this track is slower and softer but it works perfectly. The group's sound as a whole mixes beautifully especially on this track.

The third track "Undecided" immediately reestablishes the album's swing feel as Grappelli and the band get back in full swing (no pun intended). Grappelli's playing on the track is consistently great throughout. The fourth track "Vous, Qui Passez Sans Me Voir" returns the album once again to it's slower pace with Hemmeler's playing taking emphasis alongside Grappelli. The band does a stellar job of making it work.

The fifth track "Tangerine" has the piano returning to a more swing feel as Grappelli plays tremendously. The sixth track "Chicago" continues the swing with the entire group really doing a great job playing together. The seventh track "Manoir De Mes Reves/ Daphne" returns the album once again to it's slower pace on both the piano and violin. It's worth noting that this track was originally created by Django Reinhardt. Grappelli and company are able to do this track justice and pull off a wonderful version of their own.

The eighth track "Misty" originally was co-written by Johnny Burke and Erroll Garner. The track continues the slow pace as Grappelli's violin takes precedence on this track throughout. Grappelli does a brilliant job of showing his skills and range on this track. The ninth track "Afternoon in Paris" is also the title track for the album. The album returns to it's more upbeat tempo and there's also a solo for Weber on this track.

The final track of the album "Autumn Leaves" is also the longest on the album. The last track does a great job of showcasing the skills for the quartet and also is a great track to end the album.

Afternoon in Paris is unlike many of your typical jazz albums from this time period since the tracks range from the shortest at 3 minutes and 17 seconds to 5 minutes and 32 seconds. It's also unlike many typical jazz albums since it heavily features a violin as the main instrument. However, Afternoon in Paris is a magnificent album and some of Grappelli's best work in his career. This album is worth listening for any jazz fan. This album is also available for listening on Spotify.

Jazz Spotlight: Getz/Gilberto (1964)

Getz/Gilberto is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time and cemented bossa nova as a jazz subgenre.  The album featured American saxophonist Stan Getz, already known to many jazz fans at the time due to his previous bossa nova album Jazz Samba. The album also featured Brazilian guitarist/singer Joao Gilberto, who played a pivotal role in creating the style of bossa nova. The majority of the tracks on the album are at least partially written by composer/pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim. The album also features Joao's wife Astrud Gilberto singing on several tracks.

Getz/Gilberto was released in March 1964. The album garnered critical acclaim by both reviewers and audiences alike. This acclaim culminated in the album winning the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year among several other awards. This would be the first time that a jazz album has received the distinction of Album of the Year in the history of the Grammy's.

The first track on Getz/Gilberto is perhaps the most famous, "The Girl from Ipanema". Ipanema is a neighborhood located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The track does a wonderful job of combining the Portuguese lyrics sung by Joao with Astrud's singing in English. Meanwhile, Joao does a fantastic job on the guitar and Getz adds a great deal to the track with his saxophone.

The second track "Doralice" is one of the few tracks on the album not written at all by Jobim. However, Joao does a wonderful job singing and playing while Getz chimes in with a wonderful solo midway through the song for the rest of it. The third track "Para Machuchar Meu Coracao" heavily features Jobim playing on the piano and Joao's singing.

The fourth track "Desafinado" has become a jazz standard covered by several other jazz artists and it's not difficult to see why. The fifth track "Corcovado" features Astrud singing and once again she does a wonderful job. The sixth track "So Danco Samba" has some brilliant saxophone playing from Getz and the track itself is superb.

The seventh track "O Grande Amor" heavily features Getz playing the saxophone. The combination of his playing along with Jobim on the piano is terrific. The eighth and final track from the original LP is "Vivo Sonhando". It's an enjoyable track to end the album as it ends with Getz's playing.

Getz/Gilberto is not just a bossa nova staple but a jazz staple. It's a great example of the perfect combination of people coming together to make an album. It's not hard to see why Rolling Stone included this album on its list of the 500 greatest albums earlier this year. The album itself is an essential list for any jazz fan. The album is available for listening on Spotify.

Five More Introductory Jazz Albums

As a followup to my original post about introductory Jazz albums, this is a list of five more. This post is an attempt to help guide new listeners to jazz albums that anybody can find accessible and enjoy. It is certainly not a definitive introductory list and is merely one of opinion. The following five albums range from a short period of jazz's history (1956 - 1969) but all offer a great foundation for listening to jazz. All of the following albums can be found on Spotify or Youtube.

1.) A Love Supreme - John Coltrane

A Love Supreme is largely not only one of John Coltrane's greatest albums but one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. Released in December 1964, the album offers listeners a mixture of hard hop with some of Coltrane's earlier free jazz sound. The album is so widely popular that it was ranked number forty seven (47) on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003. A Love Supreme can largely be considered a spiritual album.

Coltrane is both the bandleader and plays tenor saxophone for the album. Jimmy Garrison plays the double bass. Elvin Jones is on the drums and McCoy Tyner plays the piano. A Love Supreme is a must-listen for any would be jazz fan.

2.) Brilliant Corners - Thelonious Monk

Brilliant Corners is considered largely by many to be Monk's finest hour and it's not difficult to hear why. Released in 1957, the tracks on the album have such an energy to them. The album can be considered a great hard bop listen. The album also has a lineup of some legendary musicians. The album consists of mostly original pieces by Monk.

Monk plays the piano on the album and the celeste on the track "Pannonica". The legendary Sonny Rollins plays the tenor saxophone and Max Roach plays the drums. Ernie Henry plays the alto saxophone on multiple tracks and Oscar Pettiford plays the double bass on multiple tracks. Clark Terry plays trumpet on "Bemsha Swing" and Paul Chambers plays double bass on "Bemsha Swing".

3.) Count Basie at Newport - Count Basie Orchestra

Count Basie at Newport is one of the greatest jazz live albums of all time. It also happens to be a recording of one of the greatest sets at the Newport Jazz Festival that takes yearly in Rhode Island. Recorded on July 7, 1957, this album certainly does not disappoint as Count Basie and his orchestra give a roaring show for listeners. The album also consisted of a 21-man piece band to go along with Count Basie.

Count Basie himself plays the piano. Notable musicians in the band on the album include Lester Young on tenor saxophone. Roy Eldridge is also one of several trumpet players on the album. The album clocks in at 54 minutes including the almost 5 minute introduction.

4.) Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins

Saxophone Colossus is one of Sonny Rollins's greatest albums ever recorded. Released in 1956, this album marked the high point for Rollins's time at Prestige Records. Out of the five tracks on the album, three are originals from Sonny Rollins. The other two are standards.

Sonny Rollins leads the group playing the tenor saxophone. Tommy Flanagan has piano duties on the album and Doug Watkins plays the bass. Max Roach plays the drums on the album as well. The album clocks in at a little under 40 minutes.

5.) A Boy Named Charlie Brown - Vince Guaraldi Trio

A Boy Named Charlie Brown is a unique album on this list since it is the only one that is actually a soundtrack used for an animated film. The album marks the first time that Guaraldi would do a soundtrack for Peanuts and would introduce many pieces that are beloved by millions today. The track "Linus and Lucy" is one of the most well-known jazz pieces of all time. The album itself is a delightful cool jazz listen for all jazz listeners and not just Peanuts fans.

A Boy Named Charlie Brown is an important album within the jazz genre since it is likely the first introduction to jazz for millions of children. Guaraldi composes all of the tracks on the album except for the last, which is a cover of "Fly Me to the Moon". The album consists of Guaraldi playing the piano, Colin Bailey playing the drums, Monty Budwig, and Gigi Gryce playing the alto saxophone. This album is certainly a classic that has stood the test of time.

Five Introductory Jazz Albums

It's difficult to define any music genre and jazz is certainly no exception to the rule. The genre itself is over a hundred years old now and continues on through today. The genre has evolved from its roots in blues and ragtime to become something that has been enjoyed by millions of listeners. For those who wish to begin listening to jazz, it can be difficult to know where to jump in. After all, there is over a hundred years of history and so many different subgenres within the genre of jazz itself. 

This post is an attempt to help guide new listeners to jazz albums that anybody can find accessible and enjoy. It is certainly not a definitive introductory list and is merely one of opinion. The five albums in this list are from only a small era in jazz's history. In fact, three of the five albums were released in 1959 and the other two were released in 1958 and 1961 respectively. However, I do believe that the albums listed in this post are a great foundation for anyone who wishes to listen to jazz. All of the following albums can be found on both Spotify and Youtube.

1.) Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

Kind of Blue is one of the most well-known and best selling jazz albums in history. Released in August of 1959, Kind of Blue is perhaps one of the most influential albums of all time. The album was ranked number 12 on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album features a lineup of some of the best jazz musicians of all time to go along with it.

Miles Davis not only serves as the band leader but also plays the trumpet. Julian "Cannonball" Adderley plays the alto saxophone for the majority of the album and John Coltrane is on the tenor saxophone. Bill Evans plays the piano for the majority of the album with Wynton Kelly taking piano duties on "Freddie Freeloader". Paul Chambers playing the bass and Jimmy Cobb on the drums rounds out this legendary lineup.

The album itself is one of the greatest modal jazz albums of all time. Davis and company excel especially in this author's opinion on the tracks "So What" and "All Blues". Although the entire album itself is a masterpiece.

2.) Somethin' Else - Julian "Cannonball" Adderley

Somethin' Else is perhaps Cannonball Adderley's finest work as a musician. This hard bop album is a wonderful listen from beginning to end. Cannonball excels in playing the alto saxophone. This album is well-known to many jazz fans for also the significant contributions by Miles Davis on the album and his playing the trumpet. Art Blakey plays the drums while Hank Jones has piano duties. Sam Jones rounds out the group on the bass.

This album was released in March of 1958 and was released on Blue Note Records. Cannonball and company excel especially in this author's opinion on the tracks "Autumn Leaves" and "Dancing in the Dark".

3.) Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus is one of the greatest jazz musicians to ever play the bass and Mingus Ah Um may very well be his masterpiece. Released in 1959, this hard bop album starts strong with "Better Git It In Your Soul" and doesn't let up until the end with "Jelly Roll".  Ah Um has quite the lineup with John Handy on alto sax for the majority of the album and Shafi Hadi on the tenor sax. Horace Parlan has piano duties as Dannie Richmond plays the drums. Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis share trombone duties. Meanwhile, Mingus plays the bass for the album and also plays the piano in "Pedal Point Blues".

The tracks that Mingus and company excel especially in this author's opinion are "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", "Better Get It in Your Soul", and "Boogie Stop Shuffle". It should also be noted that the track "Open Letter to Duke" is a tribute to the one and only Duke Ellington. "Jelly Roll" is also a tribute to composer Jelly Roll Morton.

4.) Sunday at the Village Vanguard - Bill Evans Trio

Sunday at the Village Vanguard is a live jazz album recorded on June 25, 1961. It was recorded at the Village Vanguard in New York City for where it gets its name. The trio consists of Bill Evans on piano, Scott LeFaro on bass, and Paul Motian. The album also marks one of the last times that the trio would perform together, as LeFaro would die in a car accident ten days after the recording.

The album both begins and ends with tracks by LeFaro. The trio perform consistently well throughout the album and play together in such a well-knit manner. This album especially excels on the tracks "My Man's Gone Now", "Solar", and "Jade Visions". 

5.) Time Out - The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Time Out is a album where anyone who wishes to listen to jazz should look to begin. Time Out was released in 1959 and showcases some of the best tracks that can be heard within the subgenre of cool jazz. The Quartet consists of Dave Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. All of the tracks on the album except "Take Five" were written by Dave Brubeck.

Desmond wrote "Take Five" and in doing so wrote what is easily one of the most recognizable tracks in jazz history. Many people who are not even fans of jazz or have listened to a jazz album will recognize this track. "Take Five" isn't the only good track on the album however, as the entire album is a jazz masterpiece. "Blue Rondo a la Turk" stands out as another classic on the album.