Jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck was quite simply one of the greats. His album Time Out was the first jazz LP to reach Platinum status, and his most famous work Take Five is still the best-selling jazz single of all time. In order to honour this legend, local musician Brendon Fitzgerald has pulled together a high-quality group to recreate the sounds of Brubeck, and in particular those of the classic quartet: Brubeck himself on piano; Paul Desmond on alto sax; Joe Morello on drums; and Eugene Wright on bass. Filling those roles are Fitzgerald himself, Peter Raidel, Steve Todd, and Quinton Dunne. Take Five is anchored firmly in the music, but within a framework of stories from Brubeck’s life and career. Back projection is used to show an extraordinary collection of photos, album covers, and posters. And the show is book-ended by video of Fitzgerald performing as Jimmy Lyons, the great jazz radio presenter and entrepreneur, who gave Brubeck his first break. The set-list is beautifully curated. Opening with the seminal Take Five, the group moves through such numbers as Three to Get Ready, Southern Scene, Bossa Nova USA, and Blue Shadows in the Street, before breaking for a short interval. Second half opens with the fun clap-along Unsquare Dance, moving through complex numbers such as Eleven Four, and pieces influenced by Brubeck’s travels and work with non-Western musicians, such as Koto Song and The Golden Horn. Fitzgerald’s exquisite keys keep the pace, whilst allowing space for the other musicians to shine. Todd delivered some particularly fine work on Koto Song, which requires a delicate touch that some drummers might struggle with. Raidel’s alto certainly reached some of the “dry martini” moments that Desmond himself strived for. And Dunne’s bass work was spot on, including some great bowing. The set ends with Brubeck’s second most-famous piece, Blue Rondo a la Turk, which was the B-side to the Take Five release (although originally was going to be the A-side). Final number is the Carnegie Hall version of Take Five, which moves the number into different places, before returning to the theme. Take Five is one for the jazz lovers (obviously!), but also a show for anyone who loves damn fine music, or is wanting to expand their knowledge of the development of modern music. But above all, this is an entertaining, engaging, and moving night out, watching four top-notch musicians deliver some of the most important works of the contemporary music canon.