Paul Desmond
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Paul Desmond | |
|---|---|
 Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, October 8, 1954.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Emil Breitenfeld |
| Also known as | "The Stork" |
| Born | December 25, 1924 |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Died | May 30, 1977 (aged 52) |
| Genre(s) | Cool jazz West Coast jazz Mainstream jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Saxophonist Composer Arranger |
| Instrument(s) | Alto saxophone Clarinet |
| Label(s) | Columbia Records RCA Victor Horizon Records CTI Records |
| Associated acts | Dave Brubeck Ed Bickert Gerry Mulligan Jim Hall Chet Baker |
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". Known to have possessed an idiosyncratic wit, he was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the West Coast's "cool jazz" scene.
In addition to his work with Brubeck he led several of his own groups and did significant collaborations with artists such as Gerry Mulligan, Jim Hall and Chet Baker. After years of chain smoking and general poor health, Desmond succumbed to lung cancer in 1977 following one last tour with Brubeck.
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[edit] Early life
Paul Desmond was born Paul Breitenfeld in San Francisco, California in 1924. His father was an organist who played in movie theaters during silent films, and his mother was emotionally unstable during his upbringing. During childhood he spent years living with relatives in New York due to problems at home. Desmond began playing violin at a young age, though his father forbade him to play it.[1]
He played clarinet at the age of twelve at San Francisco Polytechnic High. It was not until he became a freshman at San Francisco State College that he picked up the alto saxophone. In his freshman year he was drafted into the United States Army and joined the Army band while stationed in San Franscisco. He spent three years in the military, but his unit was never called to combat.[1]
[edit] Career
Following the conclusion of World War II, Desmond started working in Palo Alto, California at the Bandbox. He also worked some with Brubeck at the Geary Cellar in San Francisco. Desmond soon hired Brubeck, but cut his pay in half and then replaced him altogether after taking him along to Graeagle at The Feather River Inn for gigs; this was done so Desmond could gamble in nearby Reno. In 1950 Desmond left for New York City playing alto and clarinet for Jack Fina, but returned to California after hearing Brubeck's trio on the radio.[1]
The story of their encounter is somewhat humorous. Brubeck — married with three children now held a grudge from his earlier experience with Desmond — instructed his wife Iola not to let him step foot in his house. But Desmond came to his home in San Francisco one day while Dave was out back hanging diapers on a laundry line, and Iola let him in and took him to Brubeck. Apparently all the begging in the world would not convince Brubeck to hire him, at least not until Desmond offered to babysit Brubeck's children.[1]
[edit] Dave Brubeck Quartet
Desmond had first met Dave Brubeck in 1944 while still in the military. Brubeck was trying out for the 253rd Army band which Desmond belonged to. After making the cut he—unlike Desmond—was sent to war in 1944. Desmond once told Marian McPartland of National Public Radio's Piano Jazz that he was taken aback by the chord changes Brubeck introduced during that 1944 audition. After convincing 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 ever firing him, ensured Brubeck's status as group leader, and gave Desmond twenty percent of all profits generated from the quartet.[1][2]
| Some people called him the stork -- 'Cause he would stand on one leg and leaned on the piano. But that…that was when he was playing great. 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. Dave Brubeck (PBS interview with Hedrick Smith)[3] |
That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December of 1967. The quartet became especially popular with college-age audiences, often performing in college settings like on their 1953 album Jazz At Oberlin at Oberlin College or on their recordings on the campuses of Ohio University and the University of Michigan, among others. The success of the quartet led to a Time magazine piece on them in 1954, with the famous cover featuring Brubeck's face.[4]
The group played until 1967, when Brubeck switched focus from music to composition and broke the unit up. During the 1970s Desmond rejoined with Dave Brubeck for several reunion tours including "Two Generations of Brubeck". Accompanying them were Brubeck's sons Chris Brubeck, Dan Brubeck and Darius Brubeck. In 1976 he played 25 shows in 25 nights with Brubeck, touring the United States in several cities by bus.
[edit] With Gerry Mulligan
| Playing with Desmond and Mulligan was really mind-blowing because they were such heroes for me. Perry Robinson[5] |
In June of 1969 Desmond appeared at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Gerry Mulligan, procuring favorable reactions from critics and audience members.[1] During Brubeck's Two Generations tours, Desmond and Mulligan shared the stage together in 1974. Unlike Brubeck, Mulligan personally shared much in common with Desmond. The two shared similar interests and humor, and both men had no shortage of addictions in their lives.[5]
[edit] With Jim Hall
After some time spent inactive, he was asked to play the famous Half Note in New York City in 1971 by guitarist Jim Hall. With his special brand of humor, he says he only took the job because he was nearby and could tumble out of bed to work. The two continued to play at the club to jam-packed audiences. Desmond also joined The Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971 at the New York Town Hall.[1]
[edit] With Chet Baker
[edit] Paul Desmond Quartet
Desmond met Ed Bickert through Jim Hall in Toronto, Canada and began performing with him at several clubs in the Toronto area. He appeared with the Paul Desmond Quartet at the Edmonton Jazz Festival.
[edit] Personal life
In their private lives Dave Brubeck and his family were very close to Paul Desmond, though the two men possessed very different personalities. Darius Brubeck recalls thinking that Desmond was his uncle almost into adolescence. Desmond grew especially close to Dave's son Michael, to whom he left his saxophone upon death. Desmond also was never able to hold down steady relationships with women, though he had no shortage of them. In contrast, Brubeck was a religious family man who by all accounts never cheated on his wife in all the years of touring.[2]
| I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness. Paul Desmond[6] |
Desmond was quite well-read and retained a unique wit. He enjoyed reading works by the thinkers of his generation like Timothy Leary and Jack Kerouac, also dabbling in some LSD usage. He was known to have several addictions in life, namely Dewar's Scotch whisky and Pall Mall cigarettes. His chemical dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. Clarinetist Perry Robinson recalls in his autobiography that Desmond would sometimes need a vitamin B12 shot just to go on playing during his later career.[5]
| Pristine, perfect. One of the great livers of our time. Awash in Dewar's and full of health. Paul Desmond[6] |
He died in 1977, not of his heavy alcohol habit but of lung cancer. Desmond had been a very heavy smoker. Never without his humor, after he was diagnosed with cancer he expressed pleasure at the health of his liver. His last concert was with Brubeck in February 1977, in New York City. His fans didn't know that he was already dying. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. The Paul Desmond Papers are held at the Holt-Atherton Special Collections in the University of the Pacific Library.
[edit] Style
Desmond had a light melodic tone when playing the alto saxophone that is similar to the style of Lee Konitz, one of his influences. He was able to achieve particularly high notes, called altissimo, becoming one of the best-known players from the West Coast's "cool school of jazz". Much of the success of the classic Brubeck quartet was due to the superposition of his airy style over Brubeck's sometimes relatively heavy, polytonal piano work.[7] His gift for improvised counterpoint is perhaps most notable on the two albums he recorded with Mulligan ("Mulligan-Desmond Quartet" and "Two of a Mind").
[edit] Awards
In 1977, Desmond was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.
[edit] Discography
| Year | Album | Leader | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | The Dave Brubeck Octet | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy Records |
| 1951 | Brubeck/Desmond | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy Records |
| 1951 | Jazz At Storyville | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy Records |
| 1951 | Modern Complex Dialogues | Dave Brubeck | Alto Records |
| 1951 | How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. 1&2 | Jack Sheedy | Coronet Records |
| 1951 | The Man I Love c/w Down In Honkytonk Town | Jack Sheedy | Coronet |
| 1952 | Jazz At the Blackhawk | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy |
| 1952 | The Dave Brubeck Quartet | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy |
| 1953 | Jazz At Oberlin | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy |
| 1953 | Jazz At College Of The Pacific 1 & 2 | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy |
| 1954 | Dave Brubeck At Storyville 1954 | Dave Brubeck | Columbia Records |
| 1954 | Jazz Goes to College | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1954 | Brubeck Time | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1954 | Jazz Red Hot And Cool | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1954 | Gerry Mulligan/Paul Desmond | Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond | Fantasy |
| 1954 | Desmond | Dave Brubeck | Fantasy |
| 1955 | Chet Baker Quartet Plus: The Newport Years, Vol. 1 | Chet Baker | Philology Records |
| 1956 | The Paul Desmond Quartet With Don Elliott | Paul Desmond | Fantasy |
| 1956-57 | Dave Brubeck Quartet Live In 1956-57 Featuring Paul Desmond | Dave Brubeck | Jazz Band |
| 1956 | Live From Basin Street | Dave Brubeck | Jazz Band |
| 1956 | Dialogue For Jazz Combo And Orchestra | Dave Brubeck w/ Leonard Bernstein | Ozone Records |
| 1956 | Jazz Impressions Of U.S.A. | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1956 | Live Together Dave Brubeck Featuring Paul Desmond | Dave Brubeck | Blue Vox Records |
| 1957 | Reunion | Dave Brubeck w/ Dave Van Kriedt | Fantasy |
| 1957 | Jazz Goes To Junior College | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1957 | Dave Digs Disney | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1957 | Blues In Time | Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond | Verve Records |
| 1958 | In Europe | Dave Brubeck Quartet | Columbia |
| 1958 | Newport 1958 | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1958 | Jazz Impressions Of Eurasia | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1959 | Gone With the Wind | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1959 | Time Out | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1959 | St. Louis Blues | Dave Brubeck | Moon Records |
| 1959 | First Place Again! | Paul Desmond | Warner Bros. Records |
| 1959 | Southern Scene | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1960 | Brubeck and Rushing | Dave Brubeck w/ Jimmy Rushing | Columbia |
| 1960 | Summit Sessions | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1960 | The Dave Brubeck Quartet Plays Music From Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1960 | Tonight Only w/ Carmen McRae | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1961 | Countdown - Time In Outer Space | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1961 | Time Further Out | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 61, 63, 64 | The Complete Recordings Of The Paul Desmond Quartet With Jim Hall | Paul Desmond | Mosaic Records |
| 1961 | Brandenburg Gate Revisited | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1961 | Take Five With Carmen McRae | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1961 | Desmond Blue w/ Jim Hall | Paul Desmond | RCA Victor |
| 1961 | The Quartet | Dave Brubeck | Europa Jazz |
| 1962 | Bossa Nova U.S.A. | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1962 | Late Lament | Paul Desmond | RCA/Bluebird Records |
| 1962 | Paul Desmond/Gerry Mulligan - Two Of A Mind | Desmond & Mulligan | RCA Victor |
| 1962 | Angel Eyes | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1962 | My Favorite Things | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1962 | Brubeck In Amsterdam | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1963 | The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall, Pt. 1 & 2 | Dave Brubeck Quartet | Columbia |
| 1963 | Take Ten w/ Jim Hall | Paul Desmond | RCA Victor |
| 63, 64, 65 | Easy Living | Paul Desmond | RCA Victor |
| 1963 | Glad To Be Unhappy | Paul Desmond | RCA Victor |
| 1963 | Time Changes | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1964 | Jazz Impressions Of Japan | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1964 | Jazz Impressions Of New York | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1964 | In Concert 1964 | Dave Brubeck | Jazz Connoisseur |
| 1964 | Bossa Antigua | Paul Desmond | RCA Victor |
| 1964 | Dave Brubeck In Berlin | Dave Brubeck | CBS Records |
| 1965 | The Canadian Concert Of Dave Brubeck | Dave Brubeck | Can-Am Records |
| 1965 | Time In | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1965 | Anything Goes! | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1966 | Jackpot! | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1967 | Bravo! Brubeck! | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1967 | Buried Treasures | Dave Brubeck | Columbia/Legacy |
| 1967 | Take Five Live | Dave Brubeck | Jazz Music Yesterday |
| 1967 | The Last Time We Saw Paris | Dave Brubeck | Columbia |
| 1968 | Summertime | Paul Desmond | A&M Records |
| 1969 | From The Hot Afternoon | Paul Desmond | A&M |
| 1969 | From The Hot Afternoon | Paul Desmond | Verve |
| 1969 | Bridge Over Troubled Water | Paul Desmond | A&M |
| 1971 | The Only Recorded Performance Of Paul Desmond With The Modern Jazz Quartet | Paul Desmond | Finesse Records |
| 1972 | We're All Together Again For The First Time | Dave Brubeck/Gerry Mulligan/Paul Desmond | Atlantic Records |
| 1973 | Skylark | Paul Desmond | CTI Records |
| 1973 | Giant Box ("Song to a Seagull", "Vocalise") | Don Sebesky | CTI |
| 1974 | She Was Too Good To Me | Chet Baker | CTI |
| 1974 | Pure Desmond | Paul Desmond | CTI |
| 1975 | Like Someone In Love | Paul Desmond | Telarc Records |
| 1975 | Concierto | Jim Hall | CTI |
| 1975 | 1975: The Duets | Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond | Horizon Records |
| 1975 | The Paul Desmond Quartet Live | Paul Desmond | Horizon |
| 1976 | 25th Anniversary Reunion | Dave Brubeck | Horizon |
| 1977 | You Can't Go Home Again | Chet Baker | Horizon |
| 1977 | The Best Thing For You | Chet Baker | A&M |
[edit] Biography
- How Many Of You Are There In Your Quartet? (unpublished - for years Paul claimed to be working on an autobiography, but nothing publishable was found among his effects. All that remains is a short story by this name [1])
[edit] Media
Take Five - The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, by Doug Ramsey. 2005 Parkside Publications, Inc. Seattle, WA 98104 www.parksidepublications.com ISBN No. 0-9617266-7-9
Forward by Dave and Iola Brubeck.
Excellent bio of the great lyrical alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Author Ramsey discovered a "cache of correspondence and memos-to himself in which Desmond laid out the personal a musical philosophy that created a great modern American musician. This book is the story of a man who was unswerving in his determination to be an individualist in his art, curiously unsure of himself, and adored by his friends."
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Doyle, Brian (2004). Spirited Men: Story, Soul, and Substance. Cowley Publications, pp. 73-74. ISBN 1561012580.
- ^ a b Lees, Gene (2001). Cats of Any Color: Jazz Black and White. Da Capo Press, 55-57. ISBN 0306809508.
- ^ Smith, Hedrick. = 2007-06-04 Dave on Paul Desmond and the Quartet.
- ^ Martin, Henry (2004). Essential Jazz: The First 100 Years. Thomson Wadsworth, 314. ISBN 0534638104.
- ^ a b c Robinson, Perry (2002). Perry Robinson: The Traveler. iUniverse, p. 190-191. ISBN 0595215386.
- ^ a b Paul Desmond-isms. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.
- ^ Owens, Thomas (1995). Bebop: The Music and Its Players. Oxford University Press, p. 68. ISBN 0195106512.
