paul desmond biography

Buy. They toured the world, playing 300 concerts a year, and had a Columbia recording contract that called for four albums a year. It was really easy to play." There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print. He died on May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. The 1920s represented an era of change and growth. Desmond appeared at Brubeck's San Francisco apartment one day while Dave was in the back yard hanging diapers on a laundry line, and Iola, defying Brubeck's wishes, let Desmond in and took him to Dave. Desmond's grudge against Morello could also be heard during their performance. It comprises seven discs of live recordings from iconic alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and his quartet across 11 nights at Toronto's Bourbon Street: four in March 1975 and seven in October. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. In that capacity, he interviewed comedian Bob Hope for his school newspaper during one of Hope's visits to San Francisco. When is Paul Desmonds birthday? He was an actor and composer, known for Rushmore (1998), Say Anything (1989) and Constantine (2005). " attractive combination of affection and candor A serious, thoughtful book, as lucidly written as a first-class literary biography" - Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal"A major piece of jazz scholarship, the book cuts no corners." Paul Desmonds birth sign is Sagittarius and he had a ruling planet of Jupiter. All Rights Reserved JazzStandards.com - All Rights Reserved Desmonds childhood was problematic as his parents had a somewhat unhealthy relationship. After meeting and playing together in the late 40s, they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and never looked back. Desmond's improvisation is praised for its logical structure and lyricism. Ramsey has a musical background and was a writer, so it was a fortuitous fit. Fortunately Don Thompson also doubles as a recording engineer, and a number of the club dates were recorded and released. In his playing Desmond was also notable for his ability to produce extremely high notes, the altissimo register, on his saxophone. These illustrations made him a major influence on the image of urban males in twentieth-century America. 1" // "How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. Once more details are available, we will update this section. There were no children by that marriage and long thereafter Desmond was the man-about-town with multiple romances, some serious and some extremely casual. Also during this time, Brubeck became one of the first jazz musicians to regularly tour and conduct seminars at I was ready to trade the entire rights, lifetime-wise of "Take Five" for a used Ronson electric razor. Jazz Goes to College , Columbia, 1954. There was a sign in our hospital medical library which read: Any book is new until youve read it. Frequently covered by a variety of artists, the track is the biggest-selling jazz song of all time and a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.. Dave Brubeck was inspired to create an album based on odd time signatures during his state sponsored 1958 . JJM Strack said that Desmond's two influences were most likely Lester Young for his soft palette, and Artie Shaw for his lyricism. Though a mild-mannered, professorial-looking man, Desmond was capable of strong emotion. Bookstore The Quartet was extremely successful for their Time Series, which was a series of five albums that featured songs in irregular, unusual time signatures such as 5/4 and 9/8. Darius Brubeck recalls thinking that Desmond was his uncle almost into adolescence. In the 1940s and 1950s, Desmond frequently took amphetamines, and in the 1970s, he was known to use cocaine. Desmond is best known for his years with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959-1967) and his well-known composition "Take Five." This page is updated often with new details about Paul Desmond. "Doug Ramsey's Take Five is an invaluable addition to jazz literatureby an especially enduring writer on the music. Desmond grew especially close to Dave's son Michael, to whom he left his saxophone upon his death. He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the cool jazz scene. Interested? This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Some found Brubeck's playing heavy-handed. Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, an arch rival in various jazz polls said, "I believe that Paul Desmond shares with Benny Carter the title of most lyrical altoist. Overview Yet with different musical aspiration and taste, their relationship was full of tension. Of course, the author goes into detail about Desmonds long association with Dave Brubeck and family. After World War II, Desmond started working in the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a backing musician. Hall played on several albums recorded by Desmond between 1959 and 1963 for Warner Bros. and RCA Victor. Genres: Cool Jazz, Jazz, Bossa nova. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. By the time he reached college, he started playing the Alto Saxophone, which later became his most preferred instrument. The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, Rezensionen werden nicht berprft, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese, Foreword by Dave Brubeck and Iola Brubeck, Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. Twenty years after his death from cancer, his music still sells, is still played, and still moves people. This is Desmond as leader and musical organizer, whose wit and warmth come singing through his song choices, his arrangements and his compositions. "@context": "https://schema.org", His mother had some psychological issues such that Paul was sent off to live with relatives from elementary school age until his late teens. The co-author of that enduring hit, "Take Five," was the band's alto sax player, Paul Desmond, who is now the subject of a lavish, beautifully produced, large-format biography by Doug Ramsey called Take Five (Parkside Publications, $44.95). The Singing Program of World War I: The Crusade for a Singing Army Author(s): E. Christina Chang Source: Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Vol. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; November 25, 1924 May 30, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer and proponent of cool jazz. The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five. Theirs was a musical rapport that Desmond described as "kind of scary.". Desmond's pure tone, the ingenuity of his melodic lines, his harmonic resourcefulness, the musical wit that reflected his literate and sophisticated personality, made him one of the most personal and appealing of all jazz stylists. } One moment, you will be redirected shortly. a question invariably asked by airline stewardesses. Desmond meanwhile was gaining a reputation for his "original, intensely personal style." His time was amazing. 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. Interestingly, usually these were with guitaristsnotably Jim Hall and Canadian Ed Bickert. Privacy Policy | We do not sell or share your personal information | 2023 All About Jazz & Jazz Near You . I read that the electronic version is available for around $15. I knew Paul Desmond, but I found so much more I did not know."Nat Hentoff, author of American . Desmond had a falling out with Brubeck when he resigned from the Band Box and prevented Brubeck from taking over the residency. Whereas, Brubeck was a dedicated family man, Desmond was a very private person. Desmond was also described as a womanizer who was unable to form (and was uninterested in maintaining) steady relationships with women, though he had no shortage of female companions throughout his life. Then it was a logical move to alto saxophone. He is a profoundly beautiful player." His fans were unaware of his rapidly declining health. Desmond is best known for his years with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959-1967) and his well-known composition "Take Five." He met Brubeck in the late '40s and played with his Octet. Drums, or Adventures in Tinky-Boom", "Paul Desmond was revered for the pure, gentle tone of his alto saxophone, and the elegant lyricism of his improvisations", "Paul Desmond - 1959-65 Quartet Recordings - Mosaic Records", Paul Desmond Quartet Featuring Don Elliott, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Desmond&oldid=1143875769, United States Army personnel of World War II, Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Joker (Italy) SM-3804; Blue Vox (Switzerland) B/90174, Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond/Dave Van Kriedt, Europa Jazz (Italy) EJ-1032; Denon (Japan) 33C38-7681, Columbia C2L-26/C2S-826 [as double LP]; CL-2036/CS-8836 and CL-2037/CS-8837 [as single LPs], "How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. Tell us why you would like to improve the Paul Desmond musician page. It included dates with Gerry Mulligan for Verve, various sessions with Jim Hall, and a concert with the the Modern Jazz Quartet. He spent three years in the military, but his unit was not called to combat. Trivia (5) Dave Brubeck. His friends tell of his last weeks, when an old friend, jazz legend Charles Mingus, appeared at his apartment draped in a swirling black cape and a matching Spanish cowboy hat. (1924 - 1977) Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. But through their years together Desmond remained remarkably loyal to his partner, "There's certainly nobody else with whom I would have stuck around this long." Songs | The first Time Series album, Time Out, was released in 1959 and it was the first ever jazz album to sell over a million copies. { Zodiac Sign: Paul Desmond was a Sagittarius. He was an eminent member of the highly renowned Dave Brubeck Quartet, and he earned a reputation as one of West Coasts best jazz saxophonists. One of the great livers of our time. He is primarily known for his paintings, drawings and sketches of horses and equestrian sports. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 25 November. But his best work of the period was a happy collaboration with three Toronto musicians. In Concert at Town Hall (with the Modern Jazz Quartet), DRG, 1971. What used to scare me is I'd look at him and it would just be whites in his eyes, wouldn't be any eyeballs. He served a three-year term in the United States Army. Most readers likely are familiar with that musical combination and recordings. [4][7] That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December 1967. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. But he was also a moody man. He is currently single. But he had really great time feel, he really did swing beautifully. His many fans didn't know that he was dying, and incapable of the level of playing that he was famous for. After making the cut heunlike Desmondwas sent overseas in 1944, to Europe. Jazz musician and songwriter who played alto saxophone for the Dave Brubeck Quartet and penned the group's 1959 hit song "Take Five." He was a prominent member of the post-World War II "cool jazz" movement. Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. Paul Emil Breitenfeld is part of G.I. The rest of the Time Series albums were released between 1961 and 1963. I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness. : Paul Emil Breitenfeld : American jazz alto saxophonist and composer (Composed "Take Five" for the Dave Brubeck Quartet). Within several months they attained a measure of national fame, largely by word of mouth among West Coast critics who championed the group's innovations. Desmond was a guest artist on five tracks by Chet Baker recorded between 1975 and 1977. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. The group also appeared on CBC-TV's Take 30, and were recorded at the Edmonton Jazz Festival. With a style that was similar to that of Lee Konitz, one of his influences, he quickly became one of the best-known saxophonists from the West Coast's cool school of jazz. And I figure that it's a dumb move to trade a fairly secure place in the world of jazz for Number 493 Unemployed Humorist. He is also well-known for his over three decades of illustrations for Brooks Brothers catalogs including more than one-thousand drawings. Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. Desmond who had studied creative writing and loved the "concept" of being a writer never got around to it. He was a modest, retiring man, known to his friends for his wit and charm. In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. He was very easy, because harmonically there was a real clear logic in everything he played musically. A short, witty piece entitled How Jazz Came to Orange County Fair was published in. Paul Desmond discography and songs: Music profile for Paul Desmond, born 25 November 1924. In his first year of college, Desmond was drafted into the United States Army and joined the Army band while stationed in San Francisco. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. Dave Brubeck(PBS interview with Hedrick Smith)[6]. Sign up with your email address to receive Brubeck news and updates. Paul Desmond. Desmond's melodic solos were in marked contrast to the polytonal rhythms of Brubeck, but somehow they clicked and drove each other to greatness. Ill be dead., Copyright 2005-2020 - He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. Also during this time, Brubeck became one of the first jazz musicians to regularly tour and conduct seminars at. She died in 2013. In June 1969 Desmond appeared at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Gerry Mulligan, with favorable reactions from critics and audience members. That RCA deal called for two albums a year and led to an incredible series of recording dates with guitarist Jim Hall, and the Modern Jazz Quartet drummer Connie Kay. Desmond was torn for a time between a career as a writer and one as a musician. Wild, subtle, delicate. During World War I, while training with the 17th New York Regiment in Plattsburgh, New York, he composed The Last Long Mile, one of the best-known soldiers' songs of that war.[3]. 1 (Oct., 2001), pp. Other of his compositions such as Audrey, Desmond Blue, and Wendy are often visited by jazz musicians. Please check back soon for updates. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. At that time, he began playing the alto saxophone, after being influenced by the likes of Lester Young and Charlie Parker. He was great to play with. Desmond featured Bickert on his 1975 studio album Pure Desmond, and the two played together at the 1976 Edmonton Jazz Festival. [2] However, Fred Barton, songwriter/arranger and Desmond's cousin, found extensive genealogical proof that both the Breitenfeld and Lwy families were Bohemian Jews. Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. There was a period of time when Desmond left Brubeck and performed with small groups. We will continue to update information on Paul Desmonds parents. Unlike Brubeck, Mulligan shared much in common with Desmond, such as similar interests and humor, and both men had no shortage of addictions in their lives. 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. 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. Despite his many friends, Gene Lees wrote that Desmond was the "loneliest man" he ever knew. Desmond was cremated and his ashes were scattered. [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). Search One of the greats, Charlie Parker, named him as his favourite alto player. 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. Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Playing with him, you really couldn't go wrong. Desmond began to study the clarinet at the age of twelve, which he continued while at San Francisco Polytechnic High School. [1] In 1950 Desmond joined the band of Jack Fina and toured with Fina for several months, but he returned to California after hearing Brubeck's trio on the radio and deciding that he should repair his relationship with Brubeck and attempt to join Brubeck's increasingly successful band. As guest soloist he ventured out with the Modern Jazz Quartet for a 1971 Christmas concert. [1] His chemical-dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. Desmond spent the remainder of his life playing with many different artists and composers. Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. This is a jazz music websitespammers will be deleted. In addition to his work with Brubeck, he led several groups and collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Ed Bickert. | In 1976 Desmond played 25 shows in 25 nights with Brubeck, touring the United States by bus. Desmond made the move from the San Francisco area to New York where he spent his remaining years. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? 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." Much of the success of the classic Brubeck quartet was due to the juxtaposition of his airy style over Brubeck's sometimes relatively heavy, polytonal piano work.[14]. 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. And Dave said, "Well let's run it through." Other articles where Paul Desmond is discussed: Dave Brubeck: the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. For several weeks, he led a small jazz combo at the Band Box in Redwood City that included Dave Brubeck. 23, No. For the critics it was a strange musical relationship. We have estimated He was famous for being a Saxophonist. Then slowly, Desmond awoke. Eliot's "This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper"). Paul Desmond was a legendary American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Like many famous people and celebrities, Paul Desmond kept his personal life private. Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. - Paul deBarros, Seattle Times"Rarely in the annals of jazz biography has a subject's career been documented so thoroughly a monumental work." On the first page of the set's notes, we are informed that Toronto bassist and recording engineer Don Thompson recorded Desmond's quartet in March . 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. 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. Eventually he was coaxed out of retirement to play occasional gigs with his friends.

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