paul desmond biography

The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. Paul Desmond Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | AllMusic There were also two albums with a Desmond/Gerry Mulligan quartet. Dave Brubeck. So he just played the second half. When the Quartet split in 1967, Desmond began an intermittent yet satisfying recording career. [5] He never remarried.[1]. 1 (Oct., 2001), pp. Desmond began sitting in with the trio and with Brubecks experimental octet at Mills. Instead, though they shared the same concert stage nearly every night, he didn't speak to Morello for a year. Baker and Desmond also appeared together on two tracks included on Jim Hall's 1975 Concierto album. Paul Desmond | | Discogs Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the cool jazz scene. At first the Quartet spent time touring colleges with Desmond on the Alto Saxophone, and in 1953, they released their debut album titled Jazz at Oberlin, which was a live recording of their performances at Oberlin College. In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond is the story of a jazz artist who transcended genres to establish one of the most immediately recognizable sounds in all of music. To me his lyricism has never been equalled, as far as logic and lyricism combined, because there's always a strand going back some place in his melodies, and in his choruses that shows a great intellect combined with a great emotionalism, and usually you don't find the two things in one person. But his best work of the period was a happy collaboration with three Toronto musicians. The decade was one of learning and exploration. Title: Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond Author: Doug Ramsey, Foreword by Dave and Iola BrubeckPublished: February 2005, Parkside Publications, Inc.Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Theirs was a musical rapport that Desmond described as "kind of scary.". Then it was a logical move to alto saxophone. The quartet became especially popular with college-age audiences, often performing in college settings, including their ground-breaking 1953 album Jazz at Oberlin at Oberlin College and at the campuses of Ohio University and the University of Michigan. In 1953, Down Beat proclaimed, "It is again a case where the sideman (in this instance Desmond) seems to be quite superior to the leader as a jazzman." Desmond hoped for a "tinky-boom" background-type drummer while Morello wanted to be recognized and featured. | But he had really great time feel, he really did swing beautifully. Jazz at Oberlin , Fantasy, 1953. a question invariably asked by airline stewardesses. Best known as a member of Dave Brubeck's legendary quartet and the man who wrote the biggest-selling jazz single ever, 'Take Five', Paul Desmond's importance as a jazz performer cannot be underestimated. Copyright 2005-2022 - JazzStandards.com Desmond once told Marian McPartland of National Public Radio's Piano Jazz that he was taken aback by the chord changes which Brubeck introduced during that 1944 audition. There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print. DESMOND,PAUL - Complete Albums Collection: 1953-1963 - Amazon.com Music "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", Desmond featured Bickert on his 1975 studio album Pure Desmond, and the two played together at the 1976 Edmonton Jazz Festival. They recorded fifty tunes in all, plus an album with strings. Desmond worked several times during his career with baritone saxophonist and band leader Gerry Mulligan. Twenty years after his death from cancer, his music still sells, is still played, and still moves people. But he was also a moody man. He worked occasionally for Dave Brubeck at the Geary Cellar in San Francisco. [2] However, Fred Barton, songwriter/arranger and Desmond's cousin, found extensive genealogical proof that both the Breitenfeld and Lwy families were Bohemian Jews. Genres: Cool Jazz, Jazz, Bossa nova. He worked in dance bands and dixieland groups, entertained in amusement parks and resorts. Whos the richest Saxophonist in the world? Paul Desmond (Paul Emil Breitenfeld) was born on 25 November, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA, is a Soundtrack, Music Department. Eliot's "This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper"). His father suggested that he switch from violin to clarinet. Much to his own amusement his liver was fine, "Pristine, one of the great livers of our time. Paul studied literature at San Francisco State and, although he did not pursue a writing career, he displayed considerable talent. He met Brubeck in the late '40s and played with his Octet. [15] His gift for improvised counterpoint is perhaps most evident on his two albums with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan (Mulligan-Desmond Quartet and Two of a Mind). Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond is the story of a jazz artist who transcended genres to establish one of the most immediately recognizable sounds in all of music. And that's what made "Take Five". Paul Desmond Biography - Jazz Standards By the time he reached college, he started playing the Alto Saxophone, which later became his most preferred instrument. At first glance, his seems a small, perhaps insignificant, career. For the critics it was a strange musical relationship. Paul Desmond is known for A Civil Action (1998), Legends of the Fall (1994) and Glory (1989). Jazz at the College of the Pacific, Volume 2, Anything Goes! Awash in Dewar's and full of health. Desmond was cremated and his ashes were scattered. So thrilled was he with his first two weeks at Toronto's "Bourbon Street", that Desmond rushed back to New York and talked record producer Creed Taylor into flying Bickert in so that he could record an album with him. The writing is exquisite. radio broadcast, "Birdland", NYC, December 15, 1951 At A Perfume Counter (as Perfume Counter) Alto AL 711 That Old Black Magic How High The Moon * Alto AL 711 Dave Brubeck - Modern Complex Dialogues The Dave Brubeck Quartet played until 1967, when Brubeck switched his musical focus from performance to composition and dissolved the group. It included dates with Gerry Mulligan for Verve, various sessions with Jim Hall, and a concert with the the Modern Jazz Quartet. Paul Desmond - Wikipedia National Public Radio - Paul Desmond: 'The Sound of a Dry Martini', Public Broadcasting Service - Biography of Paul Desmond. Take Five - Paul Desmond And Dave Brubeck - Piano Solo (with Sheet Paul Desmond | American musician | Britannica 1924 Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA as Paul Emil Breitenfeld. Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. Jim Hall Show less, Paul Desmond & His Canadians, The Complete Set At Last, More From The Late Ed Bickert With Paul Desmond, Instrument: Saxophone, alto Desmonds airy, melodic style was a perfect balance to Brubecks forceful, polytonal playing. Like many famous people and celebrities, Paul Desmond kept his personal life private. The book never appeared. At 53 years old, Paul Desmond height not available right now. The strengths of this sign are being generous, idealistic, sense of humor, while weaknesses can be to promise more than can deliver, impatient and say anything no matter how undiplomatic. The initials "G.I." Despite his many friends, Gene Lees wrote that Desmond was the "loneliest man" he ever knew. Desmond's improvisation is praised for its logical structure and lyricism. After the Quartet disbanded in 1967, Desmond recorded a duet with Brubeck, guested with Brubecks musician sons, and played in pianoless groups with guitarist Jim Hall and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. And Dave said, "Well let's run it through." Desmond made the move from the San Francisco area to New York where he spent his remaining years. One thing I learned during the years of not playing I started hanging out in the bar in New York called Elaine's, where a lot of heavyweight writers spend a lot of time, and I discovered over a year or so that almost all of them have secret Walter Mitty dreams of becoming jazz players. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. | I knew Paul Desmond, but I found so much more I did not know. - Nat Hentoff, noted critic and jazz writerThe detail of the research is astonishing. Desmond played a Selmer Super Balanced Action model alto saxophone with an M. C. Gregory model 4A-18M hard rubber mouthpiece, both dating from circa 1951, with a moderately stiff Rico 3 reed.[16]. They toured the world, playing 300 concerts a year, and had a Columbia recording contract that called for four albums a year. In this area, Desmond was a private person. He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. Desmond resented this, and threatened to leave the group. The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five. Paul Desmond's sound was like a dry martini, and his melodies flowed Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. It was really easy to play." Paul Desmond's net worth We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 25 November. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Kindle - Don Thompson. Soundtrack: Rushmore. Long before his success as the alto saxophonist with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, decades before he wrote "Take Five," Desmond determined that he would be himself, never a disciple or an imitator, whatever the cost. The success of the quartet led to a Time magazine piece on them in 1954, with the famous cover featuring Brubeck's face. - Dave Brubeck. DR. It was a sound that made him a favourite with critics and fans alike, and won him jazz poll after jazz poll. He appeared with Dave Brubeck in a series of concerts called "Two Generations of Brubeck" in which Dave played with his musical sons, and in 1976, the Quartet reunited for the Silver Anniversary Tour. Desmond played his loping, slow, ordered, and intricate solos in direct contrast to the pianist's obsession with large chords, creating a myriad of textures for melodic and rhythmic counterpoint unlike any heard in jazz. In addition to his work with Brubeck, he led several groups and collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Ed Bickert. After some time spent inactive, Desmond was asked to play the Half Note in New York City in 1971 by Hall. In contrast, Brubeck was deeply religious and a stalwart family man.[7]. Paul Desmond was born in San Francisco. Paul Desmond Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth Jeff Barnhart, Hal Smith -with- Andy Schumm. All About Jazz musician pages are maintained by musicians, publicists and trusted members like you. The group also appeared on CBC-TV's Take 30, and were recorded at the Edmonton Jazz Festival. Brubeck himself, thought that Desmond lacked ambition, but was upset when he signed a deal with RCA to record on his own, while still part of the Quartet. Desmond continued with the Quartet until their breakup in 1967, after which the Quartet only reassembled for reunion tours, the last of which was held in 1976, a year before Desmonds death. He was an eminent member of the highly renowned Dave Brubeck Quartet, and he earned a reputation as one of West Coast's best jazz saxophonists. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Goodreads They were greeted with enthusiasm wherever they played until the deteriorating eyesight of drummer Joe Morello cut short the tour. The Dave Brubeck Quartet 25th Anniversary Reunion , A&M, 1976. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories and includes a local jazz events calendar. Paul Desmond was a legendary American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Sign up with your email address to receive Brubeck news and updates. Desmond's melodic solos were in marked contrast to the polytonal rhythms of Brubeck, but somehow they clicked and drove each other to greatness. I could see him about 70-75 years old he would have been terrific just to talk to and hang out with. In 1959, Desmond penned the first million-seller, jazz single, "Take Five". Desmond first met pianist Dave Brubeck while both were in the Army, and in 1947 they connected again. Desmond was also drafted into the army for three years due to World War II, however, his unit was never called up to the front lines. [4] During Brubeck's Two Generations tours, Desmond and Mulligan shared the stage in 1974. And when it came time for the encore, because the whole audience wanted Paul back onstage he said the old cliche "Leave em wanting more." After this long and expensive process, Desmond willed the piano to Cunningham, a characteristic and final prank. Paul Desmond Albums and Discography | AllMusic Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. One of the great livers of our time. The greatest overall compatibility with Sagittarius is Gemini and Aries. "@context": "https://schema.org", Some found Brubeck's playing heavy-handed. I was ready to trade the entire rights, lifetime-wise of "Take Five" for a used Ronson electric razor. One of the things I thought about after Paul died was that it was really a shame because he would have been a really great old man. | Paul Desmond (November 25, 1924 - May 30, 1977), born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, best known for the work he did in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for penning that group's greatest hit, "Take Five". Played with the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 until 1967. | People born under this sign are clever and charming. He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. Desmond also played with guitarist Jim Hall in New York City in 1971, and with Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert in Toronto. Fortunately Don Thompson also doubles as a recording engineer, and a number of the club dates were recorded and released. Desmond who had studied creative writing and loved the "concept" of being a writer never got around to it. Paul Desmond discography and songs: Music profile for Paul Desmond, born 25 November 1924. "name" : "Paul Desmond", In his first year of college, Desmond was drafted into the United States Army and joined the Army band while stationed in San Francisco. She died in 2013. Born: November 25, 1924Died: May 30, 1977. Other articles where Paul Desmond is discussed: Dave Brubeck: the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. After Desmond convinced Brubeck to hire him following his stint with Jack Fina, the two had a contract drafted (of which Brubeck was the sole signatory); the language forbade Brubeck from firing him, ensured Brubeck's status as group leader, and gave Desmond twenty percent of all profits generated from the quartet.

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