The most common time signatures in music are 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4. Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond famously recorded Take Five in 5/4 time, but another jazz icon named Don Ellis took time signature experiments to a new level.

Berndt Meyer [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

I know him best from the Don Ellis Orchestra. It was with this big-band-style group that he played the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival, with a custom trumpet that could play quarter tones and ambitions to do something unique.

His first piece at the festival was in 19/4 time. In fact, the subdivision in that time signature is also the title of the piece: 3 222 1 222. As Ellis joked, it’s “just the area code.” You can hear it below.

Ellis went on to do the soundtrack to The French Connection (for which he won a Grammy Award) but never really hit mainstream success. He died of a heart attack at 44 years old.

• Don Ellis

Categories: Arts & recreation Music

The Generalist

I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and am curious about most things.