[Dixielandjazz] time signatures

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Don Robertson wrote:

>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.
(snip)

 You might understand 5/4 time a little better if, the next time you listen
to "Take 5," instead of counting the measures "One Two three four five," 
count them as "one two three, one two."

It is rather difficult for me to improvise in this time signature.  How
ever, I have done it, rather badly a few times, just for fun.  If I had a
chance to do it a lot though, it would become rather second nature, as 4/4
and
3/4 time has become to most of us.

 Several times I heard the great pianist Johnny Guarnieri play both "Lover"
and "The Maple Leaf Rag" in 5/4 time.  Now, that was an experience!

--Bob "One, twothreefour" Ringwald
 Still in NC.

P.S.  Did you hear about the drummer who always drug the beat?  His fellow
musicians kept complaining about it to him.  He finally got so despondent
that he decided to commit suicide.  So he went down and threw himself behind
a train...