“What animal keeps the best time?
A WATCH dog!
Spotlight Artist: Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck was a jazz musician. He was born in California and died in 2012 at age 91. He loved experimenting with different time signatures such as 5/4, 6/4, and 9/8. He recorded Take 5 in 1959 and it became a jazz hit and a classic. Take 5 was written by Paul Desmond.
Take 5
A Mashup of Take Five and Beethoven’s Fur Elise
Fun With Fives
Try a few of these ideas!
Body Percussion
- Count to five repeatedly and clap on the numbers FOUR and FIVE. Add the music.
- Instead of clapping on the 4 and 5, what else could you do?
- Get with a partner or small group, come up with a plan, and share with the class!
Movement & Parachutes
- Can we move on all five numbers? Let’s try some opposites.
- Hands up on 1-2-3 and down on 4-5
- Bend over on 1-2-3 and straighten on 4-5
- Smile on 1-2-3 and frown on 4-5
- Right arm up on 1-2-3 (then down) and left arm up on 4-5 (then down)
- Challenge move: Sway one direction on 1-2-3 and then the opposite on 4-5.
- Parachute-whether you have a big parachute, mini parachutes, or scarves, create a move for the 1-2-3 and then another for the 4-5.
- Parachute-up on 1-2-3 then while up, pull, shake, or beat of hands on 4-5. Repeat for down. So, “Up, two, three, pull, pull. Down, two, three, pull, pull.”
- Create movement for the A section and then the B section to perform the entire first section Intro and ABA. (see notes below)
Speech
- 3+2=5 Add a 3-syllable animal to a 2-syllable animal-“mockingbird + robin”
- Play the TWO syllable game. The teacher says “An-i-mal” and each student (or with a partner) in rhythm has to say a two syllable animal. The teacher can point to random students or go in order. If you play it as an out game, students who are out could then be in charge of clapping on 4 and 5 or playing an instrument on 4 and 5.
- Could you play using “Yum-my fruit” or “Stu-dent names”?
- Try the 3 + 2 activity with colors, food, plants, reptiles, etc.
Instruments
- Drums
- Play on beats 4 and 5 trying out different drum techniques. (low, high, brush, knock, fist.
- Put two together for the 1-2-3 + 4-5. Maybe brush for 1-2-3 and high for 4-5. Let students explore and then share with class.
- Try playing just on the 1.
- Try using the form ABA. The A section is the two styles on 1-2-3, 4-5 and the B section is just on the 1. Try it with the recording.
- Sticks-exactly the same idea as drums but partners could tap each other’s sticks on the 4 and 5 of the A section or beat 1 of the B section.
Spotlight Artist: Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau was a singer. He was born in Wisconsin and came from a very musical family. He sang jazz, pop, soul, and R & B music and won many Grammy awards. He died in 2017.
Singing-Take 5 Cover with lyrics.
Les Nuages is a band from Romania.
If you are adventurous, here are some lyrics I created to show students some possibilities. Sing along 😀 and try writing some of your own.
Lyric Template-Write a class version!
Teacher Notes
- The form (video above): Intro (drum solo then 8 measures of piano intro), ABA, sax improv, drum improv, at 4:20 a return to ABA, coda.
- Depending on your school situation, lots of additional opportunities are available if you use a variety of formations: rows and columns, circles
- Parachute activity-It’s always best to verbalize movements of this type. I’ve included what you might say.
Kahoot Questions
- Who performed the piece Take 5?
- What genre of music is Take 5?
- What is the time signature for Take 5?
- Identify the piano, saxophone, and drums.
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