Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. His warm, elegant tone was one that he admittedly tried to make sound like a dry martini. He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. Desmond was influenced by Lester Young, but took it further, into melodic and harmonic worlds never before traveled by reedmen -- especially in the upper registers. 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. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Jazz at Oberlin and Take Five were considered essential purchases by college students of the era, but Jazz Impressions of Japan was its most innovative recording. 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. His witty quotations from musicals, classical pieces, and folk songs were also a watermark of his artistry. When the Quartet split in 1967, Desmond began an intermittent yet satisfying recording career. It included dates with Gerry Mulligan for Verve, various sessions with Jim Hall, and a concert with the the Modern Jazz Quartet. He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. Desmond's recordings for RCA have gotten box-set treatment and Mosaic issued one of the complete sessions with Hall. There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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First Place Again (Original Jazz Sound)
Bebop - Released by Original Jazz Sound on Jan 1, 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Jazz Collection
Jazz - Released by Marmot Music on Aug 13, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Take Ten
Jazz - Released by Resurfaced Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bossa Antigua
Jazz - Released by Resurfaced Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Easy Living
Jazz - Released by Resurfaced Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Glad To Be Unhappy
Jazz - Released by Resurfaced Records on Oct 8, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dream Dancing
Jazz - Released by nagel heyer records on Jan 29, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Easy Living (Hd Remastered, Extended Edition, Doxy Collection)
Jazz - Released by Doxy Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music and Lights - Samba & Bossa Nova
Jazz - Released by nagel heyer records on Aug 22, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bossa Antigua (Hd Remastered, Extended Edition, Doxy Collection)
Jazz - Released by Doxy Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nice People
Jazz - Released by nagel heyer records on Sep 20, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
But Happy
Jazz - Released by Nagel heyer records on Jun 19, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Take Ten (Hd Remastered, Extended Edition, Doxy Collection)
Jazz - Released by Doxy Records on Oct 8, 2017
Qobuz Référence16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Two of a Mind (Hd Remastered, Extended Edition, Doxy Collection)
Jazz - Released by Doxy Records on Jan 3, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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First Place Again
Contemporary Jazz - Released by Marmot Music on Oct 21, 2013
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
First Place Again Playboy (Hq Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Vintage Recordings on Jul 5, 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Blues in Time (HD Remastered)
Vocal Jazz - Released by Reborn recordings on Apr 5, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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