Song Reassignment Surgery: Bold Covers, 1

Take 5 (Paul Desmond), 1959: The Dave Brubeck Quartet

The brilliant guitarist Marc Ribot and his Ceramic Dog rhythm section take a musical ball-peen hammer to the otherwise dusty bronzed American standard. Ribot’s fingers leave little of the original. Instead, he treats the tune like a textbook, leaving his highlights, notes, and doodles all over the pages. The original rhythm remains, if less recognizable, and the melody gets battered and deep-fried like a county fair Twinkie. By the time he gets into deep space with it, what’s left kind of skips off towards Neptune.

As a pilot, Ribot has never navigated anywhere straight, but if you’re prepared, the trip will be extraordinary.