Ron Knobler – Blue Rondo a la Turk (Dave Brubeck) – Solo Bass Cover

Written/Recorded by: Dave Brubeck
Arranged for Solo Bass by: Ron Knobler

"Blue Rondo a la Turk" is a my favorite Dave Brubeck song, and is the leading track on his iconic 1959 "Time Out" album (which also contains the iconic song "Take Five" which I've covered in the past).

The song was inspired by Brubeck's trip to Turkey and hearing aksak time signatures in 9/8, which the various rondo themes in the song are based on. When Brubeck asked a Turkish musician about the rhythm, that person said: "This rhythm is to us what the blues is to you." So, Brubeck added a slick transition in the song to a 4/4 12-bar blues and a solo section over the blues progression in the middle of the song.

In the original, the melody of the song alternates between piano and sax, while the piano and bass keep the harmony during all of the various 9/8 parts. I'm playing all of that on solo bass, and definitely have my hands full! When the song switches to 4/4 12-bar blues, I'm playing my favorite piano and sax licks from the original. The song then ends back on a condensed version of the 9/8 rondo parts.

I hope you enjoy my arrangement!

For this solo bass cover I’m playing the WHOLE song on bass – the piano parts, saxophone parts, and bass parts are all played on bass simultaneously. No overdubs, looping, or backing tracks.

Gear used for this recording: Roscoe SKB 3005 bass, Harley Benton Block 800B-MKII bass amp (DI out), Behringer U-Phoria UM2 digital interface.

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