The Dave Brubeck Beat

This 1956 file photo shows Dave Brubeck, American composer, pianist and jazz musician. (AP Photo/File)

The Brubeck Beat
Most popular music has a familiar rhythm – a rhythm used so often it's called "common time." If you can clap along to a song on the off beats, it's probably written in common time or 4/4. If it sounds more like a waltz – ONE two three, ONE two three – that's 3/4 time. Those two rhythms represent almost every jazz, rock and blues song ever written.

Except Dave Brubeck's music. Brubeck was known for writing songs in unusual rhythms – most notably "Take Five." The title of the song comes from its rhythm, which is 5/4 time. Where you'd hear three beats in a waltz or four in a rock song, you hear five in Brubeck’s jazz classic.

Brubeck experimented with other rhythms and released entire albums in which he played around with different times – like Time Out and Time Further Out, which included his first piece in 7/4 time, "Unsquare Dance."

"Blue Rondo a la Turk" was written in both 9/8 and 4/4 times.

Any time you listen to Dave Brubeck, his music is likely to challenge your idea of rhythm. And what a catchy challenge it is.

Written by Linnea Crowther