Take Five: Piano/Vocal/Chords Sheet

Name: Take Five: Piano/Vocal/Chords Sheet
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-0158TSMX
Price: 3.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Recorded by The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Item: 00-0158TSMX

$3.95

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Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 4

UPC: 029156181791

SKU: 00-0158TSMX

More about this title

About the Artist: The Dave Brubeck Quartet

The Dave Brubeck Quartet stands as one of jazz history's most influential ensembles, founded in 1951 by pianist Dave Brubeck. The group became the first jazz band to sell over a million records and brought complex rhythmic ideas and compositional sophistication to mainstream audiences during the 1950s and 1960s. Their work challenged the boundaries of what jazz could express while remaining deeply accessible to listeners across genres.

Composer Paul Desmond, saxophonist and primary voice of the quartet, created "Take Five" in 1959. The piece became the first jazz single to sell over a million copies, earning its place as one of the most recognizable jazz compositions ever written. Desmond's elegant melodic sensibility combined with the quartet's rhythmic ingenuity created a work that bridges jazz sophistication and popular appeal.

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Why we love this

This arrangement captures everything that made "Take Five" a cultural landmark: the hypnotic 5/4 groove, Desmond's sing-along melody, and the harmonic sophistication that students can learn from at every level. Piano students gain access to a genuine jazz standard in a format that works for solo performance, voice and piano study, or ensemble play, making it invaluable for jazz pedagogy and repertoire building.

What to expect

Calm yet propulsive, sleek yet playful. "Take Five" moves with an unrushed confidence, the kind of groove that feels both inevitable and surprising. The melody floats above steady swing comping like a summer evening that somehow never ends, creating the rare quality of sophistication that never sounds complicated.

Who it's for

Jazz pianists ready to tackle a standard with rhythmic complexity beyond the typical "straight" feel, vocalists who want an accessible jazz arrangement for recital or informal settings, and piano students building a foundation in jazz harmony and reharmonization. This also serves teachers looking for repertoire that introduces 5/4 meter in a musical, ear-friendly context rather than as an abstract exercise.

How to get the most out of it

Lock the 5/4 pulse in your body before playing the melody. Count "1-2-3-4-5" as one unit rather than fighting against the irregular bar length.
Resist the urge to rush the comping figures under the melody. The charm of this piece lives in rhythmic ease, not urgency.
If singing, let the melody breathe with swing inflection rather than straight rhythm. The original recording has subtle syncopation that transforms a "square" melody into something irresistible.
Explore the chord voicings rather than playing block harmony. Voice-leading that mirrors the original trio sound will deepen both solo and accompaniment parts.

How to use it

Program this as a bridge between classical and contemporary in a jazz-focused recital, or pair it with other Paul Desmond compositions to spotlight his compositional voice. It works beautifully as an opening number that immediately signals musical intelligence, or as a chance for pianists to demonstrate their jazz chops without overcomplicating the program.