Take Five: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By Paul Desmond / arr. Mike Lewis
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0002435
$48.00
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Description
Give Mike Lewis the most famous 5/4 tune ever written and tell him to arrange it for young jazz ensemble, and you have an instant hit. Mike has created a great opportunity for developing young jazz musicians to enjoy this Dave Brubeck standard. Great teaching material! (duration 3:15)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Take Five: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Young Jazz Ensemble
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
90
SKU:
00-PK-0002435
More about this title
About the Composer: Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond (1924-1977) was an alto saxophonist and composer best known as a founding member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. His lyrical tone and sophisticated harmonic sensibility shaped the sound of cool jazz and made him one of the most influential saxophonists of his era.
Desmond composed "Take Five" in 1959, creating what would become one of the best-known jazz standards ever recorded. The piece's unusual 5/4 meter and deceptively simple melody made complex rhythmic thinking accessible to listeners worldwide, and it remains a touchstone for jazz education and performance.
Why we love this
Mike Lewis has done the hard work of making this classic accessible without stripping away what makes it special. Young musicians get to grapple with 5/4 in a way that feels natural and musical, not theoretical, and the arrangement respects Desmond's elegant melody while giving each section genuine voice-leading work.
What to expect
Relaxed and breezy, like a gentle walk through a cool-blue evening. The melody unfolds simply but with an undeniable sophistication, and the 5/4 meter creates a floating quality that rewards patient phrasing and close listening to the ensemble around you.
Who it's for
Young jazz ensembles ready to tackle asymmetrical meters and discover how 5/4 can feel as natural as 4/4. This arrangement works for high school jazz bands, middle school jazz electives, and college jazz combos looking to teach meter without sacrificing musicality.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the 5/4 pulse firmly in the rhythm section before ensemble rehearsals; the drums and bass must establish that five-beat foundation so horn players can focus on phrasing rather than counting.
- Shape the melody with a long musical line rather than punctuating each phrase; the understated elegance of "Take Five" depends on restraint and forward motion.
- Balance the melody against the walking accompaniment by keeping comping voices lighter than you might expect, letting the saxophone line sit clearly without drowning out harmonic movement.
- Record early rehearsals and listen back as a section; hearing yourself together against the steady 5/4 grid builds confidence faster than counting alone.
How to use it
Program this as a mid-set piece to ease the audience into jazz language and asymmetrical thinking. It works especially well alongside other Brubeck-era standards or as a bridge between swing-era repertoire and more contemporary small-group jazz.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and internalizing 5/4 meter in a musical context
- Phrasing and line shape in jazz melody
- Balance between melody and harmonic accompaniment
- Listening to rhythm section pulse while maintaining individual voice independence
- Recognition of jazz harmony and voice leading