In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated April 30th as International Jazz Day. 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of International Jazz Day, and we’re celebrating with Dave Brubeck’s classic “Take Five” as performed by Al Jarreau.
What is International Jazz Day?
Led by legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, this global event celebrates one of the world’s richest art forms.
“International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication,” UNESCO writes. “Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; fostering gender equality; and promoting freedom of expression.”
Al Jarreau’s 2016 “Take Five” Performance
Composed by saxophonist Paul Desmond and recorded by the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1959, the song’s cool vibe and 5/4 time made it one of the most recognizable jazz songs. As NPR‘s Tony Sarabia reported, it is the biggest-selling jazz single of all time – perhaps for its unique cultural blend.
“A lot of new things were happening in jazz in those days, but rhythmically, the music was still being played mostly in four-four time,” he wrote. “Brubeck had always been interested in polyrhythm and polytonality. The first theory is what drives African music; the second is tied closely to classical.”
The song has been a staple for jazz musicians ever since its release, and it’s also a staple for UNESCO’s annual jazz celebration. This incredible clip comes from a “Jazz at the White House” television aired on International Jazz Day 2016, and it features five masters of the genre: vocalist Al Jarreau, pianist Chick Corea, alto saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, guitarist Lee Ritenour, drummer Brian Blade, and bassist Christian McBride.
Although they’re collectively some of the most seasoned musicians in the world, you can see just how much joy they bring to the music.
They begin the tune with its iconic two-chord vamp, and Jarreau launches into scat improvisation before singing the song’s lesser-known lyrics, which were penned by Brubeck’s wife, Iola. This performance came less than a year before his death in 2017, but his spirit is undeniable. His unique approach emulates the freedom and articulation of a saxophone.
“His bag of sounds and improvisations is informed by a host of influences—the music of the church and Africa and Brazil, for example—administered with a taste of funk,” Roseanna Vitro wrote in Jazz Times Magazine.
The band responds to his spontaneous creativity, building with each arc of his lines and incorporating small licks to accentuate his phrases. Following the melody, the solo section returns to the vamp for solos. Even as Watanabe and Ritenour take solos, Jarreau contributes to the groove with little jabs that keep the energy high.
In Jarreau’s hands, “Take Five” becomes more than a classic. It’s a celebration of jazz’s capacity to continually renew itself as a living art form.
