So, how much is Paul Desmond worth at the age of 53 years old? At the New Orleans Jazz Festival he played a soaring set with Gerry Mulligan. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Paul Desmond - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges He donated many of his possessions to libraries and to charity. Brubeck went back home to California and started work with his trio, with whom he landed a radio gig; upon hearing of Brubecks success, Desmond travelled back to California and begged Brubeck to hire him, which Brubeck did not, until he made Desmond babysit his children. Baker and Desmond also appeared together on two tracks included on Jim Hall's 1975 Concierto album. 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. Biography in: "American National Biography". - Dave Brubeck. Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. His friends called him "the perennial bachelor" few knew that he had been married early in life. Desmond grew especially close to Dave's son Michael, to whom he left his saxophone upon his death. "name" : "Paul Desmond", Paul Desmond was born in 1920s. At first glance, his seems a small, perhaps insignificant, career. 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.
The book never appeared. Brubeck managed to keep both Desmond and Morello in the group but with frictions between them for years. It comprises seven discs of live recordings from iconic alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and his quartet across 11 nights at Toronto's Bourbon Street: four in March 1975 and seven in October. The two continued to play at the club to jam-packed audiences. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. Paul Desmond Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth DESMOND,PAUL - Complete Albums Collection: 1953-1963 - Amazon.com Music 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. 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". Desmond's mother, born Shirley King, was of an Irish Catholic family. This planet represents abundance, prosperity and the principle of expansion. His fans were unaware of his rapidly declining health. [1] His chemical-dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. Perhaps it was their uncanny ability to play counterpoint that endeared them to their fans and to each other. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. - Downbeat Magazine, July, 2005an invaluable addition to jazz literature. After some time spent inactive, Desmond was asked to play the Half Note in New York City in 1971 by Hall. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Goodreads "url": "https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/paul-desmond" 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. He took whatever work he could get as a player. Paul Desmond was a legendary American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Copyright 2005-2022 - JazzStandards.com
I was ready to trade the entire rights, lifetime-wise of "Take Five" for a used Ronson electric razor. [1] His grandfather Sigmund Breitenfeld, a medical doctor, was born in Austria in 1857; he and wife Hermine (ne Lewy) emigrated to the US at the end of the 19th century. Though he never abandoned his gift for writing, music won, and he concentrated on clarinet, then the saxophone. Desmond also played with guitarist Jim Hall in New York City in 1971, and with Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert in Toronto. He was an eminent member of the highly renowned Dave Brubeck Quartet, and he earned a reputation as one of West Coast's best jazz saxophonists. Ramsey has a musical background and was a writer, so it was a fortuitous fit. Take Five - The Public & Private Lives of Paul Desmond Once more details are available, we will update this section. He is not dating anyone. Albums include Take Ten, Two of a Mind, and Brubeck Time. Corrections? In this area, Desmond was a private person. In 1976 Desmond played 25 shows in 25 nights with Brubeck, touring the United States by bus. It issaid that when Desmond started work in California at the Bandbox, Desmond hired Brubeck; only to first cut his pay in half and then fire him after taking him on tour just so that he (Desmond) could gamble in the casinos at Reno. I read that the electronic version is available for around $15. Whereas, Brubeck was a dedicated family man, Desmond was a very private person. But he had really great time feel, he really did swing beautifully. Jazz musician and songwriter who played alto saxophone for the Dave Brubeck Quartet and penned the group's 1959 hit song "Take Five." He was a prominent member of the post-World War II "cool jazz" movement. After high school, Desmond enrolled at San Francisco State College where he majored in English. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. This is the way the world ends, not with a whim but a banker." Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. He was very easy, because harmonically there was a real clear logic in everything he played musically. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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 writing is exquisite. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. In that capacity, he interviewed comedian Bob Hope for his school newspaper during one of Hope's visits to San Francisco. [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. [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. Jazz Goes to College , Columbia, 1954. There was a sign in our hospital medical library which read: Any book is new until youve read it. Desmonds encounter with the legendary Dave Brubeck has become a trademark story in the jazz world. Paul Desmond was a Sagittarius and was born in the G.I. Desmond also joined the Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971 at the New York Town Hall.[4]. The economic boom and the Jazz Age were over, and America began the period called the Great Depression. Paul Desmond Discography Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", One moment, you will be redirected shortly. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Kindle Unlike some biographies which merely rehash each recording, Ramsey does a great job weaving the diverse strands of Desmond's personal life with his music making. "I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness." Within several months they attained a measure of national fame, largely by word of mouth among West Coast critics who championed the groups innovations. In 1953, Down Beat proclaimed, "It is again a case where the sideman (in this instance Desmond) seems to be quite superior to the leader as a jazzman." Desmond met Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert through a recommendation by Jim Hall, and Desmond performed with Bickert at several clubs in the Toronto area during 19741975. So he just played the second half. Paul Desmond was revered for the pure, gentle tone of his alto saxophone, and the elegant lyricism of his improvisations. In Concert at Town Hall (with the Modern Jazz Quartet), DRG, 1971. Desmond began to study the clarinet at the age of twelve, which he continued while at San Francisco Polytechnic High School. Paul Desmond was born in the Year of the Rat. Paul Desmonds mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. 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]. And we didn't go back on. Articles
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. After meeting and playing together in the late 40s, they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and never looked back. Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It became the theme for the Quartet, de rigueur at all their concert appearances, and it made Desmond a small fortune in royalties. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. JUMP TO: Paul Desmonds biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. It's so smooth and yet it's uncommon.If I ever decide I need another name, it's going to be Desmond. Sign up with your email address to receive Brubeck news and updates. Paul Desmond - IMDb There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print. In the 1940s and 1950s, Desmond frequently took amphetamines, and in the 1970s, he was known to use cocaine. Awash in Dewar's and full of health. [13] Desmond reportedly owned a Baldwin grand piano, which he lent to Bradley Cunningham, owner of Bradley's piano bar in Greenwich Village, provided that Cunningham move the large piano back to Desmond's Upper West Side apartment to become part of Desmond's estate. Paul Emil Breitenfeld is part of G.I. 1" // "How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. Famed critic Nat Hentoff called him "one of the most creative figures in modern jazz." Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. The book has been out of print for several years and I obtained my copy through interlibrary loan. Desmond met Dave Brubeck in 1944 in the military. Paul Desmond (November 25, 1924 - May 30, 1977), born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, best known for the work he did in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for penning that group's greatest hit, "Take Five". 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. Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. Desmond featured Bickert on his 1975 studio album Pure Desmond, and the two played together at the 1976 Edmonton Jazz Festival. [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. 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. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. Paul Desmond Musician - All About Jazz |
In his first year of college, Desmond was drafted into the United States Army and joined the Army band while stationed in San Francisco. "@type": "Person", Wild, subtle, delicate. |
Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. Generation. 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. In addition to his work with Brubeck, he led several groups and collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Ed Bickert. There were also two albums with a Desmond/Gerry Mulligan quartet. Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? Finally it clicked the hooded harvester from Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. All About Jazz musician pages are maintained by musicians, publicists and trusted members like you. JJM Strack said that Desmond's two influences were most likely Lester Young for his soft palette, and Artie Shaw for his lyricism. The quartet became especially popular with college-age audiences, often performing in college settings, including their ground-breaking 1953 album Jazz at Oberlin at Oberlin College and at the campuses of Ohio University and the University of Michigan. Paul studied literature at San Francisco State and, although he did not pursue a writing career, he displayed considerable talent. Looking up, he searched his memory, trying to make sense of the image looming before him.
Real Name: Paul Emil Breitenfeld Profile: American jazz alto saxophonist and composer (Composed "Take Five" for the Dave Brubeck Quartet). (1924 - 1977) Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. He died on May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. Desmonds wry humor was intact even as he was dying. } Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. His last concert was with Brubeck in February 1977, in New York City. But we knew he was getting weaker and weaker. Desmond officially started work with the Dave Brubeck Trio (now Quartet with the inclusion of Desmond) in 1951. information, Home |
Discover what happened on this day. It was really easy to play." The harmony was always right, the melodies were always right. 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. And, in fact, he was a prolific correspondent, carrying his Olivetti portable typewriter with him even on his foreign trips. Though a mild-mannered, professorial-looking man, Desmond was capable of strong emotion. It was first recorded in 1959 and is the third track on Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Paul Desmond | Discography | Discogs "[1] Desmond developed a talent for writing during high school as well, becoming co-editor of his high school newspaper. Doug Ramsey. His warm, elegant tone was one that he admittedly tried to make sound like a dry martini. His ambition, he said, was to sound like a dry martini. At the time, Brubeck and wife Iola had three small children, and Brubeck had instructed Iola not to let Desmond set foot in the family home. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. Desmond was born Paul Emil Breitenfeld in San Francisco, California, in 1924, the son of Shirley (ne King) and Emil Aron Breitenfeld. Jim Hall talked him into coming to Toronto to play with Canada's premier jazz guitarist Ed Bickert. Desmond produced a light, melodic tone on the alto saxophone, trying to sound, he said, "like a dry martini." Genres: Cool Jazz, Jazz, Bossa nova.
Desmond enjoyed reading works by the thinkers of his generation like Timothy Leary and Jack Kerouac, also dabbling in some LSD usage. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. 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 Credits (1-1,530 of 1,530) 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. I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness. In one Down Beat review he was described as "oftimes loud and pounding and seemingly at a loss for melodic ideas." Many of Desmond; own pieces have a breathy bossa nova lyricism, true to the Brazilian original, not the jivey Americanized version. Desmond once told Marian McPartland of National Public Radio's Piano Jazz that he was taken aback by the chord changes which Brubeck introduced during that 1944 audition.