JazzStandards.com - All Rights Reserved 156-157. We will update Paul Desmond's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. He is a profoundly beautiful player." Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. You don't think of Paul Desmond as a real swinging musician, he's not famous for that. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond He was an actor and composer, known for Rushmore (1998), Say Anything (1989) and Constantine (2005). Paul Desmonds income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. "I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness." 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]. Jim Hall Show less, Paul Desmond & His Canadians, The Complete Set At Last, More From The Late Ed Bickert With Paul Desmond, Instrument: Saxophone, alto His time was amazing. [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. - Dave Brubeck. The writing is exquisite. 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. Paul Desmond, alto sax; Dave Brubeck, piano; Wyatt Ruther, bass; Herb Barman, drums. In an era that worshipped the frenetic, bebop style of Charlie Parker, Paul Desmond found his own sound, a tone that he claimed imitated a "dry martini." [8], After drummer Joe Dodge decided to leave the group, Joe Morello joined in late 1956 with Desmond's recommendation. Tell us why you would like to improve the Paul Desmond musician page. Supplement 1, pp. 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. After this long and expensive process, Desmond willed the piano to Cunningham, a characteristic and final prank. Desmond was a guest artist on five tracks by Chet Baker recorded between 1975 and 1977. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Then it was a logical move to alto saxophone. Desmond resented this, and threatened to leave the group. They made two studio albums together (Gerry Mulligan - Paul Desmond Quartet (1957), and Two of a Mind (1962)). 1 (Oct., 2001), pp. Desmond began to study the clarinet at the age of twelve, which he continued while at San Francisco Polytechnic High School. 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 Highlights Paul Desmond / Gerry Mu Two of a Mind Paul Desmond Paul Desmond - Biography. Chinese Zodiac: Paul Desmond was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA as Paul Emil Breitenfeld. Ramsey has a musical background and was a writer, so it was a fortuitous fit. Paul Desmond's net worth "Doug Ramsey's Take Five is an invaluable addition to jazz literatureby an especially enduring writer on the music. 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. After making the cut heunlike Desmondwas sent overseas in 1944, to Europe. According to our Database, He has no children. For several weeks, he led a small jazz combo at the Band Box in Redwood City that included Dave Brubeck. Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. In their 'Take The A Train' performance in Hanover, Germany in 1958, for example, Desmond's playing sounded lack-luster and uninterested. All rights reserved. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. JJM Strack said that Desmond's two influences were most likely Lester Young for his soft palette, and Artie Shaw for his lyricism. And when it came time for the encore, because the whole audience wanted Paul back onstage he said the old cliche "Leave em wanting more." Paul Desmond Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death After high school, Desmond enrolled at San Francisco State College where he majored in English. Jeff Barnhart, Hal Smith -with- Andy Schumm. So, how much is Paul Desmond worth at the age of 53 years old? Desmond first met pianist Dave Brubeck while both were in the Army, and in 1947 they connected again. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. Baker and Desmond also appeared together on two tracks included on Jim Hall's 1975 Concierto album. Brubeck was trying out for the 253rd Army band, which Desmond belonged to. Desmond worked several times during his career with baritone saxophonist and band leader Gerry Mulligan. Buy. The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five. Instead, though they shared the same concert stage nearly every night, he didn't speak to Morello for a year. "Take Five" is a jazz standard composed by Paul Desmond. There are several photos of Desmond in Europe carrying the portable typewriter case. Lesser known, however, are the personal traits of Desmond. They're curious, but sometimes too motivated by money. Frequently covered by a variety of artists, the track is the biggest-selling jazz song of all time and a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.. Dave Brubeck was inspired to create an album based on odd time signatures during his state sponsored 1958 . He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. People of this zodiac sign like freedom, travel, philosophy, being outdoors and dislike clingy people, constrained, off-the-wall theories. Biography in: "American National Biography". 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. Read Full Biography. He was known to have several addictions, including Dewar's Scotch whisky and Pall Mall cigarettes. Alto Saxophonist, Composer. Paul Desmond's sound was like a dry martini, and his melodies flowed When the Quartet split up in 1967, Desmond unofficially retired. He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. Desmond's mother Shirley was emotionally unstable throughout his upbringing, and appears to have suffered from obsessivecompulsive disorder and other mental illnesses. But we knew he was getting weaker and weaker. Paul Desmond Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | AllMusic Search 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. DR. "Okay, set up the chess board." Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, an arch rival in various jazz polls said, "I believe that Paul Desmond shares with Benny Carter the title of most lyrical altoist. 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. Many of Desmond; own pieces have a breathy bossa nova lyricism, true to the Brazilian original, not the jivey Americanized version. "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", Awash in Dewars and full of health." He was great to play with. And we didn't go back on. Biographies Paul Desmond Musician - All About Jazz Paul Desmonds birth sign is Sagittarius and he had a ruling planet of Jupiter. 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". Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". 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. (1924 - 1977) Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. Privacy Policy | We do not sell or share your personal information | 2023 All About Jazz & Jazz Near You . - Downbeat Magazine, July, 2005an invaluable addition to jazz literature. Eliot's "This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper"). the addition of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. Was he just a minor figure in a jazz landscape of greats? Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. I knew Paul Desmond, but I found so much more I did not know. - Nat Hentoff, noted critic and jazz writerThe detail of the research is astonishing. Paul Desmond Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family His warm, elegant tone was one that he admittedly tried to make sound like a dry martini. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond History Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Desmond enjoyed reading works by the thinkers of his generation like Timothy Leary and Jack Kerouac, also dabbling in some LSD usage. His father suggested that he switch from violin to clarinet. This is a jazz music websitespammers will be deleted. Looking up, he searched his memory, trying to make sense of the image looming before him. At that time, he began playing the alto saxophone, after being influenced by the likes of Lester Young and Charlie Parker. Dave Brubeck(PBS interview with Hedrick Smith)[6]. Take Five - Paul Desmond And Dave Brubeck - Piano Solo (with Sheet When the Quartet split in 1967, Desmond began an intermittent yet satisfying recording career. 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. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Paul Desmond - 1959-65 Quartet Recordings - Mosaic Records - Paul Desmond. Bookstore JUMP TO: Paul Desmonds biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. This is the way the world ends, not with a whim but a banker." The Breitenfeld family in Bohemia and Vienna featured musicians in every generation throughout the 1800s, 1900s, and to the present day. There were also two albums with a Desmond/Gerry Mulligan quartet. He had a reputation as a lady's man, and was often seen accompanied by gorgeous models. [4][7] That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December 1967. One thing I learned during the years of not playing I started hanging out in the bar in New York called Elaine's, where a lot of heavyweight writers spend a lot of time, and I discovered over a year or so that almost all of them have secret Walter Mitty dreams of becoming jazz players. 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." People born under this sign are clever and charming. Observers noted that he seemed out of shape, needing 2 or 3 breaths to complete a phrase that he usually did with one great gasp. Played with the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 until 1967. [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. Born: November 25, 1924Died: May 30, 1977. [5] He never remarried.[1]. Doug Ramsey. 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. About, Paul Desmond had a sound on alto saxophone that remains highly recognizable. - Don Thompson. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Desmond also joined the Modern Jazz Quartet for a Christmas concert in 1971 at the New York Town Hall.[4]. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. In his playing Desmond was also notable for his ability to produce extremely high notes, the altissimo register, on his saxophone. One moment, you will be redirected shortly. | His ambition, he said, was to sound like a dry martini. Take Five - Wikipedia His last concert was with Brubeck in February 1977, in New York City. 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. They were greeted with enthusiasm wherever they played until the deteriorating eyesight of drummer Joe Morello cut short the tour. Jazz at the College of the Pacific, Volume 2, Anything Goes! Desmond was also credited as the lead songwriter for the Quartets most famous composition, Take Five. The group also appeared on CBC-TV's Take 30, and were recorded at the Edmonton Jazz Festival. Songs | Paul Desmond Discography Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. Desmond hoped for a "tinky-boom" background-type drummer while Morello wanted to be recognized and featured. : Paul Emil Breitenfeld : American jazz alto saxophonist and composer (Composed "Take Five" for the Dave Brubeck Quartet). Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. 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. In June 1969 Desmond appeared at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Gerry Mulligan, with favorable reactions from critics and audience members. - Ben Ratliff, The New York Times"Every jazz musician should be lucky enough to get a biography as thoroughly researched and luxuriously produced." 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.