This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Get Started

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

1959
Time Out
Album Summary

Time Out is a studio album by the American jazz group the Dave Brubeck Quartet, released in 1959 on Columbia Records. Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City, it is based upon the use of time signatures that were unusual for jazz such as 98, 64 and 54. The album is a subtle blend of cool and West Coast jazz.The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard pop albums chart, and was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. The single "Take Five" off the album was also the first jazz single to sell one million copies. By 1963, the record had sold 500,000 units, and in 2011 it was certified double platinum by the RIAA, signifying over two million records sold. The album was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009. The album was selected, in 2005, for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Wikipedia

Rating

3.83

Votes

8254
Genres
Jazz

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Tue Mar 09 2021
5

Do ya like jazz? Do ya like other people knowing you like jazz? Then play Time Out at your nearest social gathering and tell everyone that you enjoy odd time signatures and polyrhythms while you tap your feet to one of the most played jazz tunes ever. You're not normal, you're weird in all the right ways! Lol all joking aside, I fucking love this album, and why shouldn't I? Just like with the Beatles, the reason so many people like the music is because it is genuinely incredible, and Dave Brubeck does it here too. One gripe though - whenever I play this album, I always get a twinge of "maybe I should be playing some jazz by a black artist instead" simply because I've found myself listening to a lot of jazz by white guys. But that doesn't detract from the songs. Unsquare Dance is my favorite here.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 09 2021
5

This is (probably) the ultimate Cool Jazz record. Something you put on and sip a martini and cook a steak to. You can really hear the West Coast laid back playing on this as opposed to the busy New York playing that was coming out of Blue Note (although this was recorded in NYC). It produced 3 jazz standards just on the first side for goodness sake. Favorite song: Take Five and Blue Rondo à la Turk Least favorite song: don’t really have one

👍
View Author
Sun Dec 05 2021
4

It was nice. I’m sure if I understood music theory it would be really interesting. But I’m stupid.

👍
View Author
Sat May 29 2021
5

Smoked a joint and listened to this on vinyl and reading the jacket notes. Got lost in the music. Take 5 is a masterpiece. Put on Miles in a Silent Way after, I don't listen to my jazz collection enough, but I digress. Time Out is a 5.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 09 2021
5

I don’t have anything smart to say, for whatever reason I had never really listening to Dave Brubeck before this and I definitely need to spend more time checking his music out cuz this was great.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 11 2021
5

Before I give my thoughts I want to honor the fact that jazz music was traditionally a black musical style that some white people liked and became famous with in places that many black musicians were not allowed to go. That being said- I really like this Jazz album- I was very productive listening to it because jazz piano is my favorite.

👍
View Author
Wed Jun 23 2021
5

I feel like a broken record (heh) on these, but I have loved all the instrumental albums not by Miles Davis. I've heard a lot of these before but never as an album. Great stuff.

👍
View Author
Sat Sep 18 2021
5

I had no idea what to expect but definitely found myself loving it. During the opening to the first track I had a hard time believing it's a 50's jazz track as it sounded much more like the opening to a 80's prog rock or progressive metal track. The rest of the album sounded more like I imagined highly technical cool jazz to sound like. But unlike other examples of this style I never felt bored with it. Just really good music to have playing which is both excellent in the background and for the occasional more intense listening during the particularly playful segments. Will save this one to re-listen for sure.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 01 2021
5

Another watershed jazz album. Brubeck's playing is complex and experiments with time signatures of various more 'exotic' influences. This coupled with Paul Desmond's acrobatic saxophone playing make this album groundbreaking and approachable.

👍
View Author
Thu Oct 07 2021
5

A classic of cool jazz, and jazz as a greater whole. Dave Brubeck is so precise on the keys that he sounds like a MIDI file, and the rest of the team backs him up superbly, particularly Desmond and Morello on the highlight Take Five.

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 22 2021
5

My family used to listen to this CD in the car all the times and Take Five is one of my dad's favorite songs, so this album has heavy nostalgic power for me! The music is so masterful and wonderful <<chef's kiss>>

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 24 2022
5

One of the first jazz albums to come into my possession. This could be seen as 'baby's first jazz' in some respects, as it's a light, clean listen with enough toe-tappers for popular appeal. However, even repeated exposure to 'Take Five' hasn't dimmed its lustre. There's a high degree of sophistication at play here - Brubeck was influenced by the rhythms of Balkan and Bulgarian folk music, so 'Take Five', 'Blue Rondo...' step outside of 4/4 time and take the cool paradigm into slippery places. Five stars all the way, I spin this one frequently.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 15 2022
5

One of my all time favourite albums and maybe the only jazz album I really like. The groove of about every track totally gets me. Dave Brubecks simple piano style is great and Joe Morello is phantastic on the drums (e.g. on take five, which they basically created primarily for the drum solo, and I find it ironic when radios cut the song before the solo).

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 13 2022
5

Four profoundly talented, creative, and meticulous musicians, each making it sound effortless. I appreciate that this album is extremely accessible, but that it's does that without compromising richness and complexity. You could listen to each track 10 times in a row and still discover new fills and trills with every playthrough.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 18 2022
5

Very cool. I don’t hate jazz, I hate shrill & stressful trumpets, but the sax on this is smooth and mellow and lovely. It’s both accessible and challenging with the recognisable hooks but crazy time signatures. Good stuff.

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 14 2022
5

Automatic fiver here. Love Dave Brubeck, and this has some of his most signature classics. Opening with "Blue Rondo a la Turk" is enough to let you know you're in for a great ride. I think Brubeck's the pianist, but man, shoutout to whoever is on sax because the sax cuts through these tracks like a hot knife through butter. For me, this is quintessential smooth jazz. I'll always be reminded of that Malcolm in the Middle episode where Hal finds the old bomb shelter in the backyard and hides down there drinking scotch, talking to a portrait of JFK, and listening to "Take Five." Love, love, love it. Favorite tracks: Take Five, Blue Rondo a la Turk, Strange Meadow Lark, Pick Up Sticks, basically all of it. Album art: One of the many jazz albums with the sort of "framed abstract art" concept for the cover, and I really like it. The art is excellent, the text font and colors are bold. It's simple and informative, but very memorable. 5/5

👍
View Author
Sun Jun 26 2022
5

I'm not a jazz aficionado by any stretch, but I know what I like. I like this album and now know it belongs to the cool jazz genre. Cool.

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 03 2022
5

Relaxing, classic jazz. Steady percussion, smooth brass, instrumental jazz.

👍
View Author
Sat Aug 13 2022
5

Shimmers in its understated brilliance, popular this may have been but this in no way detracts from its status as high art. The recording is exquisite, the sophistication in the playing extraordinary. An album to repeat and find new things or to just enjoy and absorb, Time Out is special.

👍
View Author
Sun Aug 28 2022
5

08/27/2022 This album is very special to me for a number of reasons. Take Five was the first jazz recording that I ever heard back in third grade when my elementary school did a program called music memory. We were played sound bytes of different famous recordings and this was one of them. I have loved this recording since 2007-2008. Nearly 15 years of love. Fast forward to the future, I fell in love with the entire album after working at my university’s radio station that played jazz in the afternoons. I was the DJ for the 3-5 hour on Mondays or Wednesdays. Became familiar w many more songs and the style of Dave brubeck’s players because of this. — Today was super chill, I finally got to run some errands. Ran to target, had a great time getting lunch stuff and other little fun items. Came back and made myself a nice lil dinner and then just watched Netflix and crocheted.

👍
View Author
Tue Feb 21 2023
5

Very much a gateway album for me. It's instantly accessible, even with the strange time signatures used throughout, it just sounds cool. There's not been many hit songs in 5/4, but Time Out is more than just Take 5, I probably prefer Blue Rondo à La Turk, but there's not a dud on the album. If you're not sure about Jazz, give this a listen and then go Hard Bop and Free Jazz, just like me! 5 / 5 stars.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 17 2023
5

You know an album is a masterpiece when it's incredibly technical and sophisticated, but is still accessible and enjoyable. A blend of African, Eastern, traditional/folk, and Jazz that comes together just perfectly.

👍
View Author
Mon May 08 2023
5

I know every discordant piano chord, every lick of Paul Desmond's clarinet and honed my chops as a drummer learning 5/4 and 7/8 from the master, Joe Morello. My indie/new wave band introduced me to its genius at the age of 16 and I've loved it ever since. Jazz with a wink and a smile on its face. Pure enjoyment. Go on songwriters, throw a change of time signature in every now and then and make the music interesting.

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 16 2022
4

Made somewhat cliche by time and popularity but a great record, with far more complexity and nuance than maybe it gets credit for

👍
View Author
Sat Apr 23 2022
4

Inoffensive, too easy listening. Willing to give it a second chance and not an album I think I'd ever buy. Missing the bite of the jazz I love: Coltrane, Coleman, and Davis.

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 05 2023
4

Wonderfully weird time signatures on some really great tunes. Very listenable.

👍
View Author
Mon Oct 11 2021
3

Such a great album. Everything about this reeks of hep cat coolness...but in a good way! And Joe Morello's ride cymbal on "Take Five" is unparalleled. It doesn't quite make it to four stars for me because I'm not a jazz guy. 3 1/2 would be more like it.

👍
View Author
Sat Apr 01 2023
3

There’s something about this record I just don’t like, not sure what it is. It’s fine, but ultimately just kind of…eh. Like, it makes sense that it’s kind of a gateway record for people to get into jazz- it’s not particularly challenging and it’s easy on the ears, but after two listens it’s kind of driving me nuts.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 04 2020
5

So far the best album I’ve heard so far

👍
View Author
Tue Nov 17 2020
5

Easy listening. Didn't realize I knew this music already.

👍
View Author
Wed Jan 13 2021
5

Strange meadow lark = love it

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 24 2021
5

I listen to this frequently, especially when cooking. It's a ground breaking, fun listening album

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 14 2021
5

Great jazz album, really upbeat and catchy.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 03 2021
5

Classic. Great from the get go. Time signatures keep it interesting

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 28 2021
5

Love the mood throughout. The time signatures are fun.

👍
View Author
Tue Mar 16 2021
5

Classic jazz from one of the greatest!

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 15 2021
5

This is real lovely. Take Five was my favorite.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 11 2021
5

A timeless gem, one of my favorite jazz albums of them all, I'd give it six stars if I could!

👍
View Author
Wed Jan 20 2021
5

Está muy bien. Tranquilo. Música de fondo. O bailar jazz.

👍
View Author
Thu May 27 2021
5

I've actually been jamming this album past few months. Love a bit of that Rondo

👍
View Author
Wed Jun 23 2021
5

I didn’t want to give a jazz album 5, but honestly I liked it end to end.

👍
View Author
Mon May 31 2021
5

AMAZING! Essential relaxing listening.

👍
View Author
Thu May 06 2021
5

Great Jazz album. Rainy day cafe.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 24 2021
5

Fan-fuckin-tastic. First album on this site that I immediately listened to again. Blue Rhondo and Take Five are of course classics but there is so much incredible music made with incredible writing and incredible musicianship. Love it.

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 11 2021
5

Take Five is a groove that has been stuck in my head off and on for over a decade. This is one of my favorite jazz albums of all time and I love the whole record front to back. It just has a timeless bit of soul to it, and always sounds fresh and new.

👍
View Author
Fri May 07 2021
5

Pretty good if you're in a jazzy mood

👍
View Author
Sun Aug 29 2021
5

It felt like an eternal dinner at a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 16 2021
5

The definition of jazz sound, the definition of cool jazz, bit restrained, but cool anyway

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 24 2021
5

This is a classic! I was such a fan as a teenager.

👍
View Author
Tue Oct 05 2021
5

only recognized Time Out, but the whole album was great. I don't enjoy all Jazz, but this really speaks to the best of what older jazz groups can do!

👍
View Author
Tue Oct 05 2021
5

Odd to find a Jazz song that I recognize and know that name of but a pleasant surprise. A nice listen throughout and speaks to a more impactful song with Take Five being the most successful album of all time

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 06 2021
5

Haven't had time to listen to this today, but my Dad introduced me to it as a kid. He loved Take Five. It's brilliant, it uses complicated time signatures but makes them poppy. Genius.

👍
View Author
Thu Oct 07 2021
5

Oh this is a sneaky one. I listened to this and immediately thought it was gonna be boring so it faded into the background, and then as I listened it crept to the forefront. Incredible storytelling here.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 03 2021
5

Que finura, no se salen del manual ni nada, pero no hace falta.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 10 2021
5

Take Five was definitely great (the seemingly most popular) Katherine told me it's in 9/8, which, means nothing to me other than it must be complex. However, I think my favourite song by far was Pick Up Sticks. I found myself stopping what I was doing to just listen which is my favourite moment when listening to music. When it transcends other activities.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 12 2021
5

I have known "time out" my whole life, but the first track, "Blue Rondo à la Turk" was amazing! thankful to finally hear the full album.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 12 2021
5

Never heard of this band before but I felt I listened to the first track, Blue Rando a la Turk, in a film. After a Google search, it appears that this song has been included in many films' soundtrack - including, Wedding Crashers and Next Stop Greenwich Village.

👍
View Author
Tue Nov 16 2021
5

I've heard people refer to this as the jazz album for people that hate jazz. My dad bought me this "white guys play jazz" album when I was in high school and I wore this thing out. For the record, I'm white, and I'd like to think I like jazz, but in reality... notsomuch. Anyway, Time Out has been a guilty pleasure of mine in the past. Though, I feel less guilty about it as time has moved on. (To put this in perspective, It's not like Counting Crows-guilty pleasure which is now just an embarrassment). Evidently, this is a quintessential 'Cool Jazz' album. [side note] One of my favorite t-shirts I had when I was a kid had an illustration of a Saxophone with music notes flying out of it and a headline that read "Smooth Jazz Blows" DB is pretty amazing, when I hear this album, I imagine the guys at Doyle Dane Bernbach and George Nelson sitting around smoking and drinking Martinis joking around laughing and getting ready to watch Playboy's Penthouse, which at that time was pretty cool, but by today's standards, almost cringeworthy. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel did a great job of recreating a similar scene in an episode, "Comedy vs. Cabbage," I think. Regardless of the associations, the music is still great.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 18 2021
5

A Take Five-nál hangulatosabb szám kevés létezik a világon. Hibátlan album.

👍
View Author
Sat Nov 20 2021
5

Being recommended this album is one of the reasons I'm already a fan of 1001albumsgenerator...love how this album switched up my day

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 22 2021
5

This is the right kind of jazz, could listen to this album on repeat for days.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 26 2021
5

One of my all-time favorite albums.

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 29 2021
5

I've had this album for a while and I really enjoy it. Definitely a jazz staple. Everyone knows the one song, but I realized I knew at least one other song, thanks to ELP. At first the songs feel a little... clinical, but once I got into it it was great. Probably Blue Rondo is my favorite of the whole 7. Really it's hard to believe that the band can have such different moods, but they really do get there. A definite must for any jazz fan.

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 29 2021
5

Still an amazing and influential work. Joe Morello is brilliant on Take 5.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 20 2021
5

Even this perpetual jazz neophyte can hear how peerless this is. The one instantly recognizable piece took on greate depth and nuance for me in its proper context here.

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 23 2021
5

It was delightful. The technical skill and playful attitude were brilliant.

👍
View Author
Tue Jan 04 2022
5

It's a total jazz staple, with one of the best, most iconic jazz songs of all time leading the way.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 14 2022
5

Exceptional collection of jazz standards.

👍
Load more reviews