Jazz musician and songwriter who played alto saxophone for the Dave Brubeck Quartet and penned the groups 1959 hit song Take Five. He was a prominent member of the post-World War II cool jazz movement. "[1], Desmond was married from 1947 to 1949 to Duane Reeves Lamon. There are several photos of Desmond in Europe carrying the portable typewriter case. Awash in Dewars and full of health." His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. 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 History Paul Desmond was born in 1920s. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. Playing with him, you really couldn't go wrong. Paul Desmond was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer, best known for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for composing that group's biggest hit, "Take Five". Buy. By the time he reached college, he started playing the Alto Saxophone, which later became his most preferred instrument. In this area, Desmond was a private person. Overview 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. In the 1940s and 1950s, Desmond frequently took amphetamines, and in the 1970s, he was known to use cocaine. After World War II, Desmond started working in the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a backing musician. In their 'Take The A Train' performance in Hanover, Germany in 1958, for example, Desmond's playing sounded lack-luster and uninterested. He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. Articles The closest he came was one hilarious chapter that appeared in the British humour magazine, Punch. All Rights Reserved One of the great livers of our time. 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. Accompanying them were Brubeck's sons Chris Brubeck, Dan Brubeck and Darius Brubeck. He was a modest, retiring man, known to his friends for his wit and charm. He did however, play one last concert with Brubeck in February 1977. Desmond was a heavy smoker, several packs a day, as well as a drinker who could play well while in his cups. Lung cancer accounted for his decline and death at age 52. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you. Paul Desmond is known for A Civil Action (1998), Legends of the Fall (1994) and Glory (1989). Also during this time, Brubeck became one of the first jazz musicians to regularly tour and conduct seminars at 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. [1] Starting in 1933, Desmond spent nearly five years living with relatives in New Rochelle, New York due to his mother's mental health problems. In their private lives Dave Brubeck and his family were very close to Paul Desmond, though the two men possessed very different personalities. He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the West Coast's . I've never seen a biography like it. - Gene Lees, Editor of "The Jazz Letter"This is the finest biography we've had of an important jazz figure. - Dan Morgenstern (Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies), LEARNTimelineBrubeck BooksAbout Dave BrubeckBrubeck Living Legacy, LISTENLullabiesJazz WorksCompositionsTime OutTakes, CONNECTContact Find EventsDave Brubeck 100. When pianist Marian McPartland asked him about his dates he punned, "Sometimes they go around with guys who are scuffling for a while. Most readers likely are familiar with that musical combination and recordings. Biographies Paul Desmond was a legendary American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. 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. 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 moment, you will be redirected shortly. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. Dr. F. Norman Vickers is a founder of the Jazz Society of Pensacola/Pensacola Jazzfest and a charter member of the Jazz Journalists Association. "Okay, set up the chess board." Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness. the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Later married Willis Dean Kaye (died 1986); they had one child, Christopher (1956-2014). Finally it clicked the hooded harvester from Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. He is from USA. Also learn how He earned most of Paul Desmond networth? Paul Desmond was born on 25 November 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. After meeting and playing together in the late 40s, they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and never looked back. The Paul Desmond Papers are held at the Holt-Atherton Special Collections in the University of the Pacific Library. Permission & contact [1], Desmond's father Emil Breitenfeld was a pianist, organist, arranger, and composer who accompanied silent films in movie theaters and produced musical arrangements for printed publication and for live theatrical productions. [1] His chemical-dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. In their later years they reconciled and became close friends.[9]. 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. Jim Hall talked him into coming to Toronto to play with Canada's premier jazz guitarist Ed Bickert. 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 . For the critics it was a strange musical relationship. Pauls education details are not available at this time. [4][7] That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December 1967. DR. 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]. Paul Desmond was a legendary American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Live recordings of that concert and club dates with Bickert performed during 1974-1975 were released during and after Desmond's lifetime. His witty quotations from musicals, classical pieces, and folk songs were also a watermark of his artistry. 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. Ramsey has a musical background and was a writer, so it was a fortuitous fit. Much to his own amusement his liver was fine, "Pristine, one of the great livers of our time. Desmond meanwhile was gaining a reputation for his "original, intensely personal style." He donated many of his possessions to libraries and to charity. As guest soloist he ventured out with the Modern Jazz Quartet for a 1971 Christmas concert. "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", Whos the richest Saxophonist in the world? [2] However, Fred Barton, songwriter/arranger and Desmond's cousin, found extensive genealogical proof that both the Breitenfeld and Lwy families were Bohemian Jews. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. About, Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. ". Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? But we knew he was getting weaker and weaker. Eventually they became friends, but Desmond could often be found backstage, reading a book during Morello's extended drum solo on "Take Five". The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five." Jazz at Oberlin , Fantasy, 1953. Desmond was a heavy smoker, several packs a day, as well as a drinker who could play well while "in his cups." Lung cancer accounted for his decline and death at age 52. No wonder that articles started appearing questioning the basis of the Desmond-Brubeck collaboration. Jazz at the College of the Pacific, Volume 2, Anything Goes! Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. We will continue to update information on Paul Desmonds parents. 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. Observers noted that he seemed out of shape, needing 2 or 3 breaths to complete a phrase that he usually did with one great gasp. 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. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. It's so smooth and yet it's uncommon.If I ever decide I need another name, it's going to be Desmond. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. 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 . He worked in dance bands and dixieland groups, entertained in amusement parks and resorts. He told many stories over the years regarding how he chose the name Desmond, but his biographer Doug Ramsey offers an account from Desmond's friend Hal Strack that the two were listening to the Glenn Miller band singer Johnny Desmond in 1942, and Desmond told Strack "that's such a great name. When the Quartet split up in 1967, Desmond unofficially retired. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Paul studied literature at San Francisco State and, although he did not pursue a writing career, he displayed considerable talent. The decade was one of learning and exploration. He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. An introvert whose literary ambitions found some expression in his bright and funny album liner notes, Desmond, who died of lung cancer in 1977 at 52, became famous in the 1950s with the hugely.
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