Permission & contact information, Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, Paul Desmond - Standard Time (Artist Transcriptions), DownBeat - The Great Jazz Interviews (A 75th Anniversary Anthology) (Book), Joe Williams, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk, Joshua Redman, Monterey Jazz Festival: 40 Legendary Years, The Complete Oberlin & College of the Pacific Concerts. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories and includes a local jazz events calendar. Zodiac Sign: Paul Desmond was a Sagittarius. He was an actor and composer, known for Rushmore (1998), Say Anything (1989) and Constantine (2005). 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. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. Desmond meanwhile was gaining a reputation for his "original, intensely personal style." At the time I really thought it was kind of a throw-away. Chinese Zodiac: Paul Desmond was born in the Year of the Rabbit. In Concert at Town Hall (with the Modern Jazz Quartet), DRG, 1971. Desmond spent the remainder of his life playing with many different artists and composers. Discography Paul Desmond Follow Artist + The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five." Read Full Biography Overview Biography Discography Songs Credits Related Share on facebook twitter tumblr Album Discography In his first year of college, Desmond was drafted into the United States Army and joined the Army band while stationed in San Francisco. So he just played the second half. In contrast, Brubeck was deeply religious and a stalwart family man.[7]. Though various critics credited the success of the Dave Brubeck Quartet to Desmond's horn, others over-looked his playing as "too pretty". - Downbeat Magazine, July, 2005an invaluable addition to jazz literature. 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. He donated many of his possessions to libraries and to charity. One of Desmonds legendary performances was in collaboration with The Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971. There was an early marriage for Desmond but for various reasons, it didnt work out. I read that the electronic version is available for around $15. It was really easy to play." A master of the alto saxophone as well as a consummate composer and musician, Desmond was a pivotal figure on the West Coast cool jazz scene. Most readers likely are familiar with that musical combination and recordings. I knew Paul Desmond, but I found so much more I did not know."Nat Hentoff, author of American . Playing with Desmond and Mulligan was really mind-blowing because they were such heroes for me. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with that. | But it was his simpatico partnership with the formally-trained pianist Dave Brubeck that rocketed him to fame on the concert stages of the world. Despite his many friends, Gene Lees wrote that Desmond was the "loneliest man" he ever knew. 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. He had a reputation as a lady's man, and was often seen accompanied by gorgeous models. Then slowly, Desmond awoke. Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, October 8, 1954. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. He fronted a quartet featuring guitarist Jim Hall for two weeks at the "Half Note" in New York City, and broke their attendance record. [11] Desmond is reported to have quipped, upon seeing a former girlfriend on the street, "There she goes, not with a whim but a banker" (a semi-Spoonerism reference to T.S. Copyright 2005-2022 - JazzStandards.com This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. 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. Paul Desmond was revered for the pure, gentle tone of his alto saxophone, and the elegant lyricism of his improvisations. In his playing Desmond was also notable for his ability to produce extremely high notes, the altissimo register, on his saxophone. He took whatever work he could get as a player. History 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. He died on 30 May 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. In this area, Desmond was a private person. | He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. - Ben Ratliff, The New York Times"Every jazz musician should be lucky enough to get a biography as thoroughly researched and luxuriously produced." After meeting and playing together in the late 40s, they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and never looked back. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. --publisher. In the 1940s and 1950s, Desmond frequently took amphetamines, and in the 1970s, he was known to use cocaine. No wonder that articles started appearing questioning the basis of the Desmond-Brubeck collaboration. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. After Morello's complex rhythm, Desmond would play even quieter and even dropped for a few bars. As a child, he often played the violin (even though his father forbade him to do so), and the age of twelve, he would start studying the clarinet at San Franciscos Polytechnic High School. His ambition, he said, was to sound like a dry martini. Is portrayed by John Timothy Burton in Crazy (2008). Whos the richest Saxophonist in the world? But that that was when he was playing great. The rest of the Time Series albums were released between 1961 and 1963. Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. Pristine, perfect. Corrections? His friends called him "the perennial bachelor" few knew that he had been married early in life. Never without his humor, after he was diagnosed with cancer he expressed pleasure at the health of his liver. Desmond produced a light, melodic tone on the alto saxophone, trying to sound, he said, "like a dry martini." 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. This is Desmond as leader and musical organizer, whose wit and warmth come singing through his song choices, his arrangements and his compositions. Desmond made the move from the San Francisco area to New York where he spent his remaining years. 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. But he had really great time feel, he really did swing beautifully. 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. The book has been out of print for several years and I obtained my copy through interlibrary loan. Paul Desmond was born in 1920s. Desmond was cremated and his ashes were scattered. He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the West Coast's . Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? : Paul Emil Breitenfeld : American jazz alto saxophonist and composer (Composed "Take Five" for the Dave Brubeck Quartet). Desmond's mother Shirley was emotionally unstable throughout his upbringing, and appears to have suffered from obsessivecompulsive disorder and other mental illnesses. Paul Emil Breitenfeld is part of G.I. Born : November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. Jim Hall talked him into coming to Toronto to play with Canada's premier jazz guitarist Ed Bickert. 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. Overview 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. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. So thrilled was he with his first two weeks at Toronto's "Bourbon Street", that Desmond rushed back to New York and talked record producer Creed Taylor into flying Bickert in so that he could record an album with him. 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. It was a sound that made him a favourite with critics and fans alike, and won him jazz poll after jazz poll. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Privacy Policy | We do not sell or share your personal information | 2023 All About Jazz & Jazz Near You . After this long and expensive process, Desmond willed the piano to Cunningham, a characteristic and final prank. He was great to play with. With the immense success of Desmond's "Take Five," the Brubeck Quartet became the first million-selling jazz group. Desmond was born Paul Emil Breitenfeld in San Francisco, California, in 1924, the son of Shirley (ne King) and Emil Aron Breitenfeld. The groups popularity had spread via college campuses, but a Time magazine article featuring Brubeck brought them international attention in 1954, the same year that Paul recorded his first album as a leader, The Paul Desmond Quintet - Desmond. This planet represents abundance, prosperity and the principle of expansion. After making the cut heunlike Desmondwas sent overseas in 1944, to Europe. Played with the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 until 1967. He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 53 years old group. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA as Paul Emil Breitenfeld. 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. Jazz Goes to College , Columbia, 1954. He blew on a couple of albums with his old friend Chet Baker. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. The Breitenfeld family in Bohemia and Vienna featured musicians in every generation throughout the 1800s, 1900s, and to the present day. - Paul Desmond. 23, No. Desmonds wry humor was intact even as he was dying. 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. Genres: Cool Jazz, Jazz, Bossa nova. Colin Skinner: In Praise of British Big Bands, The Scintillating Enigma of Una Mae Carlisle, Integration in the Recording Studio: Eddie Condons Story, Peggy Haine & The Lowdown Alligator Jass Band to Play Again, James Reese Europe and the Clef Club Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. He is from USA. Supplement 1, pp. 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. Awash in Dewars and full of health." New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. [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. His last concert was with Brubeck in February 1977, in New York City. It was first recorded in 1959 and is the third track on Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. Songs | JazzStandards.com - All Rights Reserved "Take Five" is a jazz standard composed by Paul Desmond. His fans were unaware of his rapidly declining health. 1" // "How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. Stbere im grten eBookstore der Welt und lies noch heute im Web, auf deinem Tablet, Telefon oder E-Reader. His many fans didn't know that he was dying, and incapable of the level of playing that he was famous for. Desmond worked several times during his career with baritone saxophonist and band leader Gerry Mulligan. [1] His chemical-dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. Paul Desmond (Paul Emil Breitenfeld) was born on 25 November, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA, is a Soundtrack, Music Department. The writing is exquisite. Also during this time, Brubeck became one of the first jazz musicians to regularly tour and conduct seminars at When pushed musically he rose to the occasion, turning out chorus after brilliant chorus. He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. In 1953 Iola Brubeck Iola Brubeck wrote to more than 100 colleges and universities enclosing reviews of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, a . Born : November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Twenty years after his death from cancer, his music still sells, is still played, and still moves people. [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 addition to his work with Brubeck, he led several groups and collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Ed Bickert. He is not dating anyone. [4], Following his military discharge, Paul Emil Breitenfeld legally changed his last name from Breitenfeld to Desmond in 1946.