The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Time Out

First released1959

Time Out, recorded in 1959 at Columbia Records' 30th Street Studio in New York, was produced by Columbia executive George Avakian who championed the project despite initial skepticism about its commercial potential. Engineer Fred Plaut oversaw the sessions, which featured innovative multitrack recording techniques that allowed the quartet to layer and refine their performances. The album's signature track, "Take Five," was recorded in 5/4 time signature with Paul Desmond's alto saxophone and Eugene Wright's piano arrangement creating an immediately distinctive sound. The recording sessions took place over several months, with the group experimenting with unusual time signatures throughout, a creative choice that ultimately made Time Out the first jazz album to sell over one million copies. The album's commercial and critical success fundamentally changed the perception of jazz as accessible popular music rather than purely avant-garde art.