[Dixielandjazz] time signatures

[Don Robertson]

I was at a performance last night which included several numbers by an 
Adult Education "Jazz Band".  Actually a "big band" with 6 brass, 4 
reeds and rhythm.  Among their numbers was Brubeck's "Take Five", a time 
signature I have never understood.  I'm glad I wasn't the drummer.  I'm 
with Jim, all I've ever heard were purely mathematical explanations of 
time signatures, but never the "feeling" that goes with it.

Don Robertson
Napa, CA

Jim Kashishian wrote:
> While driving between Seattle & Yakima, Washington recently (another
> story!), my son & I were listening to the car radio.  A song came on that
> was in 12/8 time, and I tried to explain the difference of the afterbeat
> from 4/4 time, due to the triplets on each beat (subdividing 12/8 time), how
> the afterbeat comes just a little later than in 4/4 time, etc.
>  
> Well, my son is a microbiologist, and my simple way of explaining this was
> not good enough for him.  He wanted to know why this & why that.  I'm no
> good whatsoever at explaining music to others, and although I got out the
> pencil & paper later, I was not able to make it clear enough for him.  He
> wanted the mathematical explanation.
>  
> Is there a book out there that explains time, musical time, that a
> completely unknowledgeable person could begin to understand?
>  
> Jim
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