Last Five Taken

Last week a legend in jazz world died, you might not know his name but you will certainly know his work - he was Joe Morello - the man responsible for the driving beat of the drums in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for the drumming on the one jazz record that everyone knows after a couple of bars, the amazing Take Five.

I went to see the Dave Brubeck when he toured the UK about five years ago.  Onto the stage of the Cliffs Pavilion shuffled several very old men, including Dave, frankly I thought that they had no chance of making it to their instruments let alone the intermission and to be honest I thought it was mean not letting the drummer use a zimmer but then Dave counted them into Caravan and in front of my eyes they rejuvenated and were leaping around like spring chickens.  It was one of the best jazz evenings I have ever been to.

Now the problem with YouTube is that your eye will always wander... and that happened to me when I was looking for the Joe Morello clip and I came across the Gene Krupa Quartet... watch it and watch very closely when Gene starts to play the Double Bass... amazing virtuousity.

So I would like to say a big thank you to all those jazz men and women who keep me going as I whizz down a seam on my sewing machine.

RIP Joe and thanks for a cool classic.