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Since Paul Desmond only recorded two albums for CTI, this best-of accumulation from that label stretches the definition a bit by including Desmond appearances on other CTI albums by Jim Hall, Chet Baker, Don Sebesky, and Jackie & Roy, along with extensive samplings from the solo albums. Of course, a more sweeping idea would have been to raid Columbia's vast Dave Brubeck archives for more prime Desmond, but the archivists presumably wanted a more musically unified package. In any case, during this period Desmond was working at a very relaxed pace, recording now and then, fitting into the carefully produced small-group CTI format and a handful of orchestral sessions. He plays beautifully at all times, with Creed Taylor's production inflating the famous dry-martini alto sax tone into something fuller and lusher. Yet he didn't have too much that was new and striking to say at this stage; the earlier Creed Taylor A&M releases are more eloquent and Desmond's true Indian summer would come in his later Horizon recordings with and without Brubeck. Standouts include the lopsidedly swinging remake of "Take Ten" with Gabor Szabo on guitar; two tracks from Pure Desmond with guitarist Ed Bickert as Desmond's subdued, inspired new sidekick ("Squeeze Me," "I'm Old Fashioned"); and an absolutely gorgeous "Song to a Seagull" from Sebesky's Giant Box. As a summation of a particular period of Paul Desmond's career, there is plenty to enjoy here.
© Richard S. Ginell /TiVo
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J. Mitchell, Composer - J. Mitchell, Lyricist - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Don Sebesky, Piano - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Ron Carter, Bass - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer
(P) 1974 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Creed Taylor, Producer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - P. Desmond, Composer - P. Desmond, Lyricist
(P) 1973 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Paul Desmond, Performer - Creed Taylor, Producer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Don Sebesky, Adaptor - Don Sebesky, Composer - Don Sebesky, Lyricist - Don Sebesky, Arranger - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer
(P) 1973 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
P. Simon, Composer - P. Simon, Lyricist - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Ralph MacDonald, Percussion - Bob James, Piano - George Ricci, Acoustic Cello - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Creed Taylor, Producer - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Ron Carter, Bass - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Gene Bertoncini, Guitar
(P) 1973 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Billy Cobham, Drums - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Wayne Andre, Trombone - G. Gershwin, Composer - G. Gershwin, Lyricist - Marvin Stamm, Trumpet - Jackie Cain & Roy Kral, Vocal - Phil Kraus, Percussion - Creed Taylor, Producer - Peter Gordon, French Horn - John Frosk, Trumpet - Garnett Brown, Trombone - Jimmy Buffington, French Horn - Phil Bodner, Flute - I. Gershwin, Composer - I. Gershwin, Lyricist - Alain Rubin, Trumpet - D. Brubeck, Composer - D. Brubeck, Lyricist - Ron Carter, Bass - D. Heyward, Composer - D. Heyward, Lyricist - Roy Kral, Vocal
(P) 1972 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Paul Desmond, Performer - C. Williams, Lyricist - C. Williams, Composer - Creed Taylor, Producer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - T. Waller, Composer - T. Waller, Lyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer
(P) 1974 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Creed Taylor, Producer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Jerome Kern, Composer - Jerome Kern, Lyricist
(P) 1974 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
J. Larue, Composer - J. Larue, Lyricist - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Paul Desmond, Performer - Creed Taylor, Producer - Ed Bickert, Guitar - Ron Carter, Bass - Connie Kay, Drums - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - D. Reinhardt, Composer - D. Reinhardt, Lyricist
(P) 1974 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Chet Baker, Trumpet - Jim Hall, Guitar - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Thomas Ruff, Mastering Engineer - C. Porter, Composer - C. Porter, Lyricist - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Creed Taylor, Producer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Ron Carter, Bass - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Roland Hanna, Piano
(P) 1975 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Chet Baker, Trumpet - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Bob James, Piano - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Creed Taylor, Producer - J. Mercer, Composer - J. Mercer, Lyricist - Steve Gadd, Drums - J. Prevert, Composer - J. Prevert, Lyricist - Ron Carter, Bass - J. Kosma, Composer - J. Kosma, Lyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer
(P) 1974 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
H. Carmichael, Composer - H. Carmichael, Lyricist - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Bob James, Piano - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Paul Desmond, Performer - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - J. Mercer, Composer - J. Mercer, Lyricist - Ron Carter, Bass - Gene Bertoncini, Guitar
(P) 1973 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Max Ellen, Violin - Paul Desmond, Performer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone - Randy Brecker, Trumpet - Harry Lookofsky, Violin - Seymour Barab, Acoustic Cello - Warren Covington, Trombone - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Ron Carter, Bass - Creed Taylor, Producer - Bob James, Piano - Charles McCracken, Acoustic Cello - Joe Shepley, Trumpet - Emanuel Green, Violin - Alan Shulman, Acoustic Cello - Garnett Brown, Trombone - Irving Spice, Violin - Gene Orloff, Violin - Romeo Penque, Flute - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer - George Ricci, Acoustic Cello - Jim Buffington, French Horn - Jerry Dodgion, Flute - Phil Bodner, Flute - David Nadien, Violin - Didier C. Deutsch, Producer - Charles Libove, Violin - George Marge, Flute - Alan Rubin, Trumpet - Al Brown, Violin - Joe Malin, Violin - Harry Glickman, Violin - Harry Cykman, Violin - S. Rachmaninoff, Composer - S. Rachmaninoff, Lyricist - Elliot Rosoff, Violin - Earl Chapin, French Horn - Paul Gershman, Violin - Harold Kohon, Violin - Jack DeJohnette, Drums
(P) 1973 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Album review
Since Paul Desmond only recorded two albums for CTI, this best-of accumulation from that label stretches the definition a bit by including Desmond appearances on other CTI albums by Jim Hall, Chet Baker, Don Sebesky, and Jackie & Roy, along with extensive samplings from the solo albums. Of course, a more sweeping idea would have been to raid Columbia's vast Dave Brubeck archives for more prime Desmond, but the archivists presumably wanted a more musically unified package. In any case, during this period Desmond was working at a very relaxed pace, recording now and then, fitting into the carefully produced small-group CTI format and a handful of orchestral sessions. He plays beautifully at all times, with Creed Taylor's production inflating the famous dry-martini alto sax tone into something fuller and lusher. Yet he didn't have too much that was new and striking to say at this stage; the earlier Creed Taylor A&M releases are more eloquent and Desmond's true Indian summer would come in his later Horizon recordings with and without Brubeck. Standouts include the lopsidedly swinging remake of "Take Ten" with Gabor Szabo on guitar; two tracks from Pure Desmond with guitarist Ed Bickert as Desmond's subdued, inspired new sidekick ("Squeeze Me," "I'm Old Fashioned"); and an absolutely gorgeous "Song to a Seagull" from Sebesky's Giant Box. As a summation of a particular period of Paul Desmond's career, there is plenty to enjoy here.
© Richard S. Ginell /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 01:10:20
- Main artists: Paul Desmond
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Contemporary Jazz Masters
- Genre: Jazz
(P) 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1990 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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