The Singing Program of World War I: The Crusade for a Singing Army Author(s): E. Christina Chang Source: Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Vol. Then slowly, Desmond awoke. Desmond is best known for his years with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959-1967) and his well-known composition "Take Five." 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. | Played with the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 until 1967. Brubeck was trying out for the 253rd Army band, which Desmond belonged to. Paul Desmond | American musician | Britannica In the 1940s and 1950s, Desmond frequently took amphetamines, and in the 1970s, he was known to use cocaine. - Paul deBarros, Seattle Times"Rarely in the annals of jazz biography has a subject's career been documented so thoroughly a monumental work." Paul Desmond Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death 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. | Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. He was great to play with. Within several months they attained a measure of national fame, largely by word of mouth among West Coast critics who championed the group's innovations. Desmond's melodic solos were in marked contrast to the polytonal rhythms of Brubeck, but somehow they clicked and drove each other to greatness. Though a mild-mannered, professorial-looking man, Desmond was capable of strong emotion. And that's what made "Take Five". Paul Desmond | Credits | AllMusic "@type": "Person", Desmond also joined the Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971 at the New York Town Hall.[4]. It was first recorded in 1959 and is the third track on Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. His fans were unaware of his rapidly declining health. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA as Paul Emil Breitenfeld. Paul Desmond, alto sax; Dave Brubeck, piano; Wyatt Ruther, bass; Herb Barman, drums. He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the West Coast's . He donated many of his possessions to libraries and to charity. Whos the richest Saxophonist in the world. In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. Ruling Planet: Paul Desmond had a ruling planet of Jupiter and has a ruling planet of Jupiter and by astrological associations Thursday is ruled by Jupiter. Wild, subtle, delicate. The Dave Brubeck Quartet Plays Cole Porter, We're All Together Again for the First Time, The Complete 1975 Toronto Recordings- 7 CD box, "Desmond Vs. He died on May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. Desmond began to study the clarinet at the age of twelve, which he continued while at San Francisco Polytechnic High School. It included dates with Gerry Mulligan for Verve, various sessions with Jim Hall, and a concert with the the Modern Jazz Quartet. This is a jazz music websitespammers will be deleted. Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. Biography in: "American National Biography". His friends tell of his last weeks, when an old friend, jazz legend Charles Mingus, appeared at his apartment draped in a swirling black cape and a matching Spanish cowboy hat. Dave Brubeck(PBS interview with Hedrick Smith)[6]. People born under this sign are clever and charming. And I figure that it's a dumb move to trade a fairly secure place in the world of jazz for Number 493 Unemployed Humorist. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. [10], Desmond had a celebrated studio partnership with guitarist Jim Hall. { Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. National Public Radio - Paul Desmond: 'The Sound of a Dry Martini', Public Broadcasting Service - Biography of Paul Desmond. - Don Thompson. Add photos, demo reels Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Known for A Civil Action 6.6 Paul Shalline 1998 Legends of the Fall 7.5 Roscoe Decker 1994 Glory 7.8 10th Connecticut Soldier 1989 All the King's Men 6.1 Slade 2006 Credits IMDbPro New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. He is from USA. 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. When the Quartet split up in 1967, Desmond unofficially retired. Pauls education details are not available at this time. Stbere im grten eBookstore der Welt und lies noch heute im Web, auf deinem Tablet, Telefon oder E-Reader. Privacy Policy | We do not sell or share your personal information | 2023 All About Jazz & Jazz Near You . This is the way the world ends, not with a whim but a banker." He blew on a couple of albums with his old friend Chet Baker. The 1920s represented an era of change and growth. As guest soloist he ventured out with the Modern Jazz Quartet for a 1971 Christmas concert. His mother had some psychological issues such that Paul was sent off to live with relatives from elementary school age until his late teens. Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Desmond's grudge against Morello could also be heard during their performance. Later married Willis Dean Kaye (died 1986); they had one child, Christopher (1956-2014). - Ben Ratliff, The New York Times"Every jazz musician should be lucky enough to get a biography as thoroughly researched and luxuriously produced." They toured the world, playing 300 concerts a year, and had a Columbia recording contract that called for four albums a year. [15] His gift for improvised counterpoint is perhaps most evident on his two albums with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan (Mulligan-Desmond Quartet and Two of a Mind). Paul Desmond Biography - Jazz Standards Certainly this can apply to Doug Ramseys elegant 2005 biography of saxophonist Paul Desmond (1924-1977). He is a profoundly beautiful player." "[1], Desmond was married from 1947 to 1949 to Duane Reeves Lamon. About, Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. [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. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. In their later years they reconciled and became close friends.[9]. Ramsey has a musical background and was a writer, so it was a fortuitous fit. JUMP TO: Paul Desmonds biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Paul Desmond was born on 25 November 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. Desmond worked several times during his career with baritone saxophonist and band leader Gerry Mulligan. "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", 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. Desmond meanwhile was gaining a reputation for his "original, intensely personal style." Standards such as "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "For All We Know" shared album space with Desmond originals like "Take Ten", and "El Prince". 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. Perhaps it was their uncanny ability to play counterpoint that endeared them to their fans and to each other. One of the things I thought about after Paul died was that it was really a shame because he would have been a really great old man. And we didn't go back on. 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. When is Paul Desmonds birthday? The book never appeared. After high school, Desmond enrolled at San Francisco State College where he majored in English. On the first page of the set's notes, we are informed that Toronto bassist and recording engineer Don Thompson recorded Desmond's quartet in March . During Morello's first performance with the group, he was featured by Brubeck and received an ovation from the audience for his solo. Then in the 70s he changed labels to CTI, and did half a dozen more albums, proving once again that he was more than just a sideman. | 23, No. [5] He never remarried.[1]. Jazz at the College of the Pacific, Volume 2, Anything Goes! He was one of the most popular musicians to come out of the cool jazz scene. Paul Desmond Brown - Biography Paul Desmond Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth Desmond's pure tone, the ingenuity of his melodic lines, his harmonic resourcefulness, the musical wit that reflected his literate and sophisticated personality, made him one of the most personal and appealing of all jazz stylists. The economic boom and the Jazz Age were over, and America began the period called the Great Depression. And, in fact, he was a prolific correspondent, carrying his Olivetti portable typewriter with him even on his foreign trips. 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 A short, witty piece entitled How Jazz Came to Orange County Fair was published in. These were released on the albums She Was Too Good to Me, You Can't Go Home Again, and The Best Thing For You. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. "Okay, set up the chess board." | Albums include Take Ten, Two of a Mind, and Brubeck Time. Paul Desmond Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | AllMusic Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Kindle He first collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, with whom he shared stage in 1969 and in 1974, the former being for the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Parkside Publications [8], After drummer Joe Dodge decided to leave the group, Joe Morello joined in late 1956 with Desmond's recommendation. Songs | Eventually he was coaxed out of retirement to play occasional gigs with his friends. Unlike Brubeck, Mulligan shared much in common with Desmond, such as similar interests and humor, and both men had no shortage of addictions in their lives. She died in 2013. Other articles where Paul Desmond is discussed: Dave Brubeck: the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Alto Saxophonist, Composer. Discover what happened on this day. Much to his own amusement his liver was fine, "Pristine, one of the great livers of our time. Twenty years after his death from cancer, his music still sells, is still played, and still moves people. I read that the electronic version is available for around $15. Genres: Cool Jazz, Jazz, Bossa nova. With his special brand of humor, Desmond said that he took the job only because he was nearby and could tumble out of bed to work. Desmond offered to perform arranging and administrative work for Brubeck's band, and to babysit Brubeck's children, and Brubeck finally relented and agreed to try working with Desmond again.[4]. Paul Desmond was born in 1920s. Whereas, Brubeck was a dedicated family man, Desmond was a very private person. Paul Desmond - IMDb Most readers likely are familiar with that musical combination and recordings. All Rights Reserved The harmony was always right, the melodies were always right. Interestingly, usually these were with guitaristsnotably Jim Hall and Canadian Ed Bickert. He served a three-year term in the United States Army. He was known to have several addictions, including Dewar's Scotch whisky and Pall Mall cigarettes. To me his lyricism has never been equalled, as far as logic and lyricism combined, because there's always a strand going back some place in his melodies, and in his choruses that shows a great intellect combined with a great emotionalism, and usually you don't find the two things in one person. I shudder to think how close we came to not using that, because I said "Well I got this theme that we could use for a middle part". The rest of the Time Series albums were released between 1961 and 1963. Paul Desmonds birth sign is Sagittarius and he had a ruling planet of Jupiter. In 1976 Desmond played 25 shows in 25 nights with Brubeck, touring the United States by bus. At the New Orleans Jazz Festival he played a soaring set with Gerry Mulligan. One of the great livers of our time. "I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness." His time was amazing. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. 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. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Real Name: Paul Emil Breitenfeld Profile: American jazz alto saxophonist and composer (Composed "Take Five" for the Dave Brubeck Quartet). He spent three years in the military, but his unit was not called to combat. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. He had a reputation as a lady's man, and was often seen accompanied by gorgeous models. Darius Brubeck recalls thinking that Desmond was his uncle almost into adolescence. Doug Ramsey, author of Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. There were also two albums with a Desmond/Gerry Mulligan quartet. Tell us why you would like to improve the Paul Desmond musician page. Generation. Paul Desmond's sound was like a dry martini, and his melodies flowed Who are the richest people in the world? JJM Strack said that Desmond's two influences were most likely Lester Young for his soft palette, and Artie Shaw for his lyricism. They're curious, but sometimes too motivated by money. During World War I, while training with the 17th New York Regiment in Plattsburgh, New York, he composed The Last Long Mile, one of the best-known soldiers' songs of that war.[3]. The first Time Series album, Time Out, was released in 1959 and it was the first ever jazz album to sell over a million copies. At first glance, his seems a small, perhaps insignificant, career. In a business where booze and drugs abound, his drinking was legendary, but it was three packs a day that caught up with him in May of that year. These illustrations made him a major influence on the image of urban males in twentieth-century America. But he was also a moody man. 2" [78rpm 10" disc], "The Man I Love" // "Down In Honkytonk Town" [78rpm 10" disc], This page was last edited on 10 March 2023, at 12:58. After World War II, Desmond started working in the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a backing musician. "Take Five" is a jazz standard composed by Paul Desmond. 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. But usually they end up marrying some cat with a factory. At the time I really thought it was kind of a throw-away. the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Best known as a member of Dave Brubeck's legendary quartet and the man who wrote the biggest-selling jazz single ever, 'Take Five', Paul Desmond's importance as a jazz performer cannot be underestimated. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. His last concert was with Dave Brubeck in February, 1977 at New York's Avery Fisher Hall. Desmond's mother, born Shirley King, was of an Irish Catholic family. There was an early marriage for Desmond but for various reasons, it didnt work out. At 53 years old, Paul Desmond height not available right now. This page is updated often with new details about Paul Desmond. Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. [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. He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. It is an oversized book, clothbound at 10 x 11. When pushed musically he rose to the occasion, turning out chorus after brilliant chorus. Despite his many friends, Gene Lees wrote that Desmond was the "loneliest man" he ever knew. Paul Desmond - IMDb Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. One of Desmonds legendary performances was in collaboration with The Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971. | 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. But that that was when he was playing great. They made two studio albums together (Gerry Mulligan - Paul Desmond Quartet (1957), and Two of a Mind (1962)). Many of Desmond; own pieces have a breathy bossa nova lyricism, true to the Brazilian original, not the jivey Americanized version. Desmond continued with the Quartet until their breakup in 1967, after which the Quartet only reassembled for reunion tours, the last of which was held in 1976, a year before Desmonds death. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. 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. The writing is exquisite. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Also learn how He earned most of Paul Desmond networth? DR. His many fans didn't know that he was dying, and incapable of the level of playing that he was famous for. Zodiac Sign: Paul Desmond was a Sagittarius. But through their years together Desmond remained remarkably loyal to his partner, "There's certainly nobody else with whom I would have stuck around this long." Corrections? Looking up, he searched his memory, trying to make sense of the image looming before him. He worked occasionally for Dave Brubeck at the Geary Cellar in San Francisco. In contrast, Brubeck was deeply religious and a stalwart family man.[7]. The Dave Brubeck Quartet played until 1967, when Brubeck switched his musical focus from performance to composition and dissolved the group. It was really easy to play." "url": "https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/paul-desmond" His friends called him "the perennial bachelor" few knew that he had been married early in life. After years of chain smoking and poor health, Desmond succumbed to lung cancer in 1977 after a tour with Brubeck. 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. 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. ". The Breitenfeld family in Bohemia and Vienna featured musicians in every generation throughout the 1800s, 1900s, and to the present day. In this area, Desmond was a private person. Desmond met Dave Brubeck in 1944 in the military. He died on 30 May 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. His witty quotations from musicals, classical pieces, and folk songs were also a watermark of his artistry. Bookstore His ambition, he said, was to sound like a dry martini. 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. [4][7] That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December 1967. Paul Desmond is known for A Civil Action (1998), Legends of the Fall (1994) and Glory (1989). The book details how Desmond was an only child whose father was a musician-composer in the San Francisco area. Desmond was born Paul Emil Breitenfeld in San Francisco, California, in 1924, the son of Shirley (ne King) and Emil Aron Breitenfeld. Lemme Tell Ya 'Bout Desmond: the Music of Paul Desmond, Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, Desmond After Dark (With the Dave Brubeck Quartet). He was known for being a Saxophonist. Though various critics credited the success of the Dave Brubeck Quartet to Desmond's horn, others over-looked his playing as "too pretty". Desmonds encounter with the legendary Dave Brubeck has become a trademark story in the jazz world. The Complete Recordings of the Paul Desmond Quartet with Jim Hall (1959-65) , Mosaic, 1988. He was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and composed that group's biggest hit, "Take Five". He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. He met Brubeck in the late '40s and played with his Octet. 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. All rights reserved. 1991 Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. [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. 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. He was an actor and composer, known for Rushmore (1998), Say Anything (1989) and Constantine (2005). Desmond featured Bickert on his 1975 studio album Pure Desmond, and the two played together at the 1976 Edmonton Jazz Festival. Desmond was also credited as the lead songwriter for the Quartets most famous composition, Take Five. There was a period of time when Desmond left Brubeck and performed with small groups. When drummer Joe Morello joined the Quartet in 1956, Desmond disliked his crowd-pleasing performances so much that he threatened to quit the Quartet. With the immense success of Desmond's "Take Five," the Brubeck Quartet became the first million-selling jazz group. Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. Omissions? The Quartet was extremely successful for their Time Series, which was a series of five albums that featured songs in irregular, unusual time signatures such as 5/4 and 9/8. Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, October 8, 1954. Thanks to Parkside Publications and author Dave Ramsey for this labor of love., Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, By Doug Ramsey with foreword by Dave and Iola Brubeck. 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 cost. 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. Desmond officially started work with the Dave Brubeck Trio (now Quartet with the inclusion of Desmond) in 1951. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The initials "G.I." Read Full Biography. You don't think of Paul Desmond as a real swinging musician, he's not famous for that. 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.
