Paul Desmond, I hardly knew ye...

[LoveSickLouie]

I was recently watching a BBC doco on 1959 and some of it covered Brubeck and the making of Time Out, some of the clips of the band at work were really sweet and I realised I have Paul Desmond shape hole in my saxophone experience, can anyone clue me in on some recommended listening of this Smooth Operator?...

 

[Kingsleyhk]

G'day - anything with Brubeck (obviously) but also recommend PD with the Modern Jazz Quartet, with Gerry Mulligan, or his album Bossa Antigua.

Is the Basement still operating as a jazz club?

 

[LoveSickLouie]

G'Day Yourself Mate...thanks for these directions to follow, his playing had such tone and poise that it really struck me and I'd like to see where it leads. Been really learning to love West Coast Jazz recently and clearly he's a big stop on that route...Yeah, the Basement is still a Jazz Club, but I thinking it's working on it's wine bar credentials and I didn't really enjoy my last drink there. I work at the Opera House and we've had Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins (twice), Bill Frisell and the Count Basie Orchestra come through in recent years so I haven't had to go far to cop some sweet, sweet music...

 

[Clivey]

This was the 2nd Desmond/Brubeck track I heard. It was a B side I think and that would have been about 1980 I heard it . I still try and play it from time to time. It was actually my dad that put me on to this so he must have been cool once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AXJagyIY2c


Ps I think Hamish will like this

 

[jbtsax]

My all time favorite Desmond solo is in Perdito. He doesn't improvise, he composes using motif after motif to weave his brilliant melodic ideas. This has got to be one of the most inspired performances of his career.

One of my favorite albums that Paul recorded after leaving Brubeck is Summertime. His playing is elegantly understated, backed up by beautiful arrangements by Don Sebesky. The CD is hard to find and very expensive, but the tracks can be downloaded as MP3 files for around $9.00.

 

[Jazzaferri]

My 2 faves are Time Out - Dave Bubrek and the live 76 Edmonton Festival with Ed Bickert on guitar.

If you can find some really early stuff ...pre Brubek ....you will find out that back then he played lots of boppy lines at speed and would go up into the altissimo register with no noticeale change in tone or effort.

IMO one of the true giants of jazz

 

[kevgermany]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1MSR9Hxun0

 

[saxplorer]

As it turns out, this is one of the tunes I've been working on this weekend....

Sublime... unlike my honking ;}

 

[dubrosa22]

Desmond is stunning!
I love his solo work with Jim Hall, especially the album 'Take Ten' which besides including the eponymous sequel to the brilliant Take Five it also features his stunning Theme from Black Orpheus, Embarcadero and Alone Together.
The album 'Bossa Antigua' is great too for more Desmond/Hall.

 

[trimmy]

One of my favourites........ just a side note (pardon the pun) have you noticed when he plays how he sort of wipes the previous notes away from his fingers, it's more noticeble in 'Emily'

 

[Dave McLaughlin]

...have you noticed when he plays how he sort of wipes the previous notes away from his fingers...

Now that you mention it, I've taken a good look at his fingers. My teacher often tells me not to move my fingers too far from the keys - it sure doesn't seem too detrimental to Desmond's playing!

 

[AndyWhiteford]

My all time favorite Desmond solo is in Perdito. He doesn't improvise, he composes using motif after motif to weave his brilliant melodic ideas.<snip>

Thanks for the link, I love the way each phrase often reminds you of the previous one or contrasts against it, shows real awareness /
spontaneous motif / phrase development. S'beautiful.