There was an early marriage for Desmond but for various reasons, it didnt work out. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with that. He worked in dance bands and dixieland groups, entertained in amusement parks and resorts. So, how much is Paul Desmond worth at the age of 53 years old? 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. Desmond enjoyed reading works by the thinkers of his generation like Timothy Leary and Jack Kerouac, also dabbling in some LSD usage. - Dave Brubeck. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. He died on May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. In 1959 their Time Out album, which experimented with time signatures, was an enormous hit, and Take Five, written by Desmond in 5/4 time, was the first jazz instrumental to sell over a million singles. He met Brubeck in the late '40s and played with his Octet. 1" // "How Long, Baby How Long, Pt. But he was also a moody man. 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. Desmond died on May 30, 1977, not of his heavy alcohol habit but of lung cancer, the result of his longtime heavy smoking. 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 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. Eliot's "This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper"). The group also appeared on CBC-TV's Take 30, and were recorded at the Edmonton Jazz Festival. 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. 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. Desmond had a falling out with Brubeck when he resigned from the Band Box and prevented Brubeck from taking over the residency. People born under this sign are clever and charming. - Paul Desmond. [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. Later married Willis Dean Kaye (died 1986); they had one child, Christopher (1956-2014). He is a profoundly beautiful player." He is from USA. [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. There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print. The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five. Certainly this can apply to Doug Ramseys elegant 2005 biography of saxophonist Paul Desmond (1924-1977). Desmond's mother, born Shirley King, was of an Irish Catholic family. 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 Baker and Desmond also appeared together on two tracks included on Jim Hall's 1975 Concierto album. "image": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/Paul-Desmond-200-2017.jpg", National Public Radio - Paul Desmond: 'The Sound of a Dry Martini', Public Broadcasting Service - Biography of Paul Desmond. Jazz at Oberlin , Fantasy, 1953. Title: Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond Author: Doug Ramsey, Foreword by Dave and Iola BrubeckPublished: February 2005, Parkside Publications, Inc.Extensive biography of jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond, one of the major jazz figures of all time, written by noted jazz critic Doug Ramsey. He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. Paul Desmond discography and songs: Music profile for Paul Desmond, born 25 November 1924. [1] His chemical-dependency problems would sometimes drain him of his energy on the road. Doug Ramsey in his book Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond reports that when asked if he wanted a memorial service, Desmond replied, I dont care. JJM Strack said that Desmond's two influences were most likely Lester Young for his soft palette, and Artie Shaw for his lyricism. [4] During Brubeck's Two Generations tours, Desmond and Mulligan shared the stage in 1974. - Don Thompson. Genres MusicBiographyJazzHistory 370 pages, Unknown Binding Desmonds airy, melodic style was a perfect balance to Brubecks forceful, polytonal playing. In 1953 Iola Brubeck Iola Brubeck wrote to more than 100 colleges and universities enclosing reviews of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, a . He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. | The writing is exquisite. 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. Desmond who had studied creative writing and loved the "concept" of being a writer never got around to it. He was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and composed that group's biggest hit, "Take Five". Take Five : The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Google Books 156-157. That RCA deal called for two albums a year and led to an incredible series of recording dates with guitarist Jim Hall, and the Modern Jazz Quartet drummer Connie Kay. 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. Paul Desmonds birth sign is Sagittarius and he had a ruling planet of Jupiter. The Paul Desmond Papers are held at the Holt-Atherton Special Collections in the University of the Pacific Library. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. [5] He never remarried.[1]. She died in 2013. Desmond's melodic solos were in marked contrast to the polytonal rhythms of Brubeck, but somehow they clicked and drove each other to greatness. The book details how Desmond was an only child whose father was a musician-composer in the San Francisco area. Many of Desmond; own pieces have a breathy bossa nova lyricism, true to the Brazilian original, not the jivey Americanized version. After years of chain smoking and poor health, Desmond succumbed to lung cancer in 1977 after a tour with Brubeck. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories and includes a local jazz events calendar. 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. He began by playing clarinet in high school and was tutored in music theory by his father, a theater organist and arranger. Paul Desmond was born in the Year of the Rat. Yet with different musical aspiration and taste, their relationship was full of tension. 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. Theory Some people called him the stork'Cause he would stand on one leg and leaned on the piano. The rest of the Time Series albums were released between 1961 and 1963. Despite his many friends, Gene Lees wrote that Desmond was the "loneliest man" he ever knew. 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. Like many famous people and celebrities, Paul Desmond kept his personal life private. Theirs was a musical rapport that Desmond described as "kind of scary.". Paul Desmond Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth And, in fact, he was a prolific correspondent, carrying his Olivetti portable typewriter with him even on his foreign trips. [4][7] That is how the Dave Brubeck Quartet had its start, a group that began in 1951 and ended in December 1967. Sign up with your email address to receive Brubeck news and updates. 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. Jeff Barnhart, Hal Smith -with- Andy Schumm. Paul Desmond, alto sax; Dave Brubeck, piano; Wyatt Ruther, bass; Herb Barman, drums. Take Five - The Public & Private Lives of Paul Desmond This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. In 1959, Desmond penned the first million-seller, jazz single, "Take Five". He learned to play the alto saxophone during his first year at San Francisco State College. He is primarily known for his paintings, drawings and sketches of horses and equestrian sports. Paul Desmond - Composer Biography, Facts and Music Compositions There was a period of time when Desmond left Brubeck and performed with small groups. In that capacity, he interviewed comedian Bob Hope for his school newspaper during one of Hope's visits to San Francisco. Brubeck himself, thought that Desmond lacked ambition, but was upset when he signed a deal with RCA to record on his own, while still part of the Quartet. Paul Desmond. Within several months they attained a measure of national fame, largely by word of mouth among West Coast critics who championed the groups innovations. Born in San Francisco in 1924, Desmond was one of the leading proponents of the West Coast "cool" style. 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. The co-author of that enduring hit, "Take Five," was the band's alto sax player, Paul Desmond, who is now the subject of a lavish, beautifully produced, large-format biography by Doug Ramsey called Take Five (Parkside Publications, $44.95). Finally it clicked the hooded harvester from Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. They recorded fifty tunes in all, plus an album with strings. The closest he came was one hilarious chapter that appeared in the British humour magazine, Punch. Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. Paul Desmond was born in 1920s. "I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness." He stood in silent vigil at Desmond's bedside. Paul Desmond's sound was like a dry martini, and his melodies flowed [4], Following his military discharge, Paul Emil Breitenfeld legally changed his last name from Breitenfeld to Desmond in 1946. 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. His ambition, he said, was to sound like a dry martini. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Ramsey and Desmond were friends for a long period. Paul Desmond - Biography - IMDb I knew Paul Desmond, but I found so much more I did not know."Nat Hentoff, author of American . 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 was born on the 25th of November, 1924. Paul Desmond (Paul Emil Breitenfeld) was born on 25 November, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA, is a Soundtrack, Music Department. Omissions? He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. Played with the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 until 1967. Looking up, he searched his memory, trying to make sense of the image looming before him. 23, No. It became the theme for the Quartet, de rigueur at all their concert appearances, and it made Desmond a small fortune in royalties. We will update Paul Desmond's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. Much to his own amusement his liver was fine, "Pristine, one of the great livers of our time. Take Five - Wikipedia 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. Then slowly, Desmond awoke. Paul Emil Breitenfeld is part of G.I. Though he never abandoned his gift for writing, music won, and he concentrated on clarinet, then the saxophone. Corrections? Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Kindle At 53 years old, Paul Desmond height not available right now. There are several photos of Desmond in Europe carrying the portable typewriter case. No wonder that articles started appearing questioning the basis of the Desmond-Brubeck collaboration. He took whatever work he could get as a player. Biography in: "American National Biography". Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. Paul Desmond's net worth 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. As guest soloist he ventured out with the Modern Jazz Quartet for a 1971 Christmas concert. And we didn't go back on. The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond - Parkside Publications He was known for being a Saxophonist. Paul Desmond Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death , money, salary, income, and assets. Instead, though they shared the same concert stage nearly every night, he didn't speak to Morello for a year. Although this book is out of print, there are occasionally copies available in the used book ads, some priced at $100 or more. 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 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 And he grinned. Most readers likely are familiar with that musical combination and recordings. Zodiac Sign: Paul Desmond was a Sagittarius. Take Five - Paul Desmond And Dave Brubeck - Piano Solo (with Sheet Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, October 8, 1954. Eventually they became friends, but Desmond could often be found backstage, reading a book during Morello's extended drum solo on "Take Five". 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." He was an actor and composer, known for Rushmore (1998), Say Anything (1989) and Constantine (2005). Other of his compositions such as Audrey, Desmond Blue, and Wendy are often visited by jazz musicians. All rights reserved. | It was really easy to play." Paul Desmond was born on 25 November 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. "@context": "https://schema.org", Then it was a logical move to alto saxophone. Biographies [8], After drummer Joe Dodge decided to leave the group, Joe Morello joined in late 1956 with Desmond's recommendation. The success of the quartet led to a Time magazine piece on them in 1954, with the famous cover featuring Brubeck's face. He donated many of his possessions to libraries and to charity. 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. It is an oversized book, clothbound at 10 x 11. Desmond was a guest artist on five tracks by Chet Baker recorded between 1975 and 1977. His time was amazing. The quintessential cool jazz saxophonist, an alto with a shimmering sound and light, airy playing exemplified by his self-written "Take Five." "[1] Desmond developed a talent for writing during high school as well, becoming co-editor of his high school newspaper. This is a jazz music websitespammers will be deleted. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 53 years old group. A new biography of Paul Desmond is a jazz fan's delight. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA as Paul Emil Breitenfeld. When the Quartet split in 1967, Desmond began an intermittent yet satisfying recording career. Reset your passwordClick the eye to show your password. Desmond officially started work with the Dave Brubeck Trio (now Quartet with the inclusion of Desmond) in 1951. "name" : "Paul Desmond", When pushed musically he rose to the occasion, turning out chorus after brilliant chorus. 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. After some time spent inactive, Desmond was asked to play the Half Note in New York City in 1971 by Hall. Desmond specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross following his death. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Bookstore In 1954, the quartet was featured on Time Magazine. JazzStandards.com - All Rights Reserved His fans were unaware of his rapidly declining health. Paul Emil Breitenfeld was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. 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. They toured the world, playing 300 concerts a year, and had a Columbia recording contract that called for four albums a year. We have estimated --publisher. 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. A short, witty piece entitled How Jazz Came to Orange County Fair was published in. Doug Ramsey knew Paul Desmond personally for years and is a musician as well as a journalist so he has both the insight as well as the ability to tell the story well. At the New Orleans Jazz Festival he played a soaring set with Gerry Mulligan. Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you. 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) Supplement 1, pp. Wild, subtle, delicate. They're curious, but sometimes too motivated by money. : same personnel. The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, Rezensionen werden nicht berprft, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese, Foreword by Dave Brubeck and Iola Brubeck, Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. Also during this time, Brubeck became one of the first jazz musicians to regularly tour and conduct seminars at This page is updated often with new details about Paul Desmond. Ill be dead., Copyright 2005-2020 - Pauls education details are not available at this time. Pristine, perfect. 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. [10], Desmond had a celebrated studio partnership with guitarist Jim Hall. 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". His last concert was with Brubeck in February 1977, in New York City. | People of this zodiac sign like freedom, travel, philosophy, being outdoors and dislike clingy people, constrained, off-the-wall theories. Paul Desmond - Wikipedia Paul Desmond died on May 30, 1977 due to lung cancer. Soundtrack: Rushmore. Also learn how He earned most of Paul Desmond networth? He had a reputation as a lady's man, and was often seen accompanied by gorgeous models. His last concert was with Dave Brubeck in February, 1977 at New York's Avery Fisher Hall. Paul Desmond was born on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California, USA. Of course, the author goes into detail about Desmonds long association with Dave Brubeck and family. We will continue to update information on Paul Desmonds parents. Desmond worked several times during his career with baritone saxophonist and band leader Gerry Mulligan. Desmond made the move from the San Francisco area to New York where he spent his remaining years. " attractive combination of affection and candor A serious, thoughtful book, as lucidly written as a first-class literary biography" - Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal"A major piece of jazz scholarship, the book cuts no corners." According to our Database, He has no children. Though various critics credited the success of the Dave Brubeck Quartet to Desmond's horn, others over-looked his playing as "too pretty". Interested? - Paul deBarros, Seattle Times"Rarely in the annals of jazz biography has a subject's career been documented so thoroughly a monumental work." Large format (10x11"), hard bound with dust jacket, 372 pages, 190 photos, matte paper; complete with discography of all Desmond recordings. 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. He was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and composed that group's biggest hit, "Take Five". Desmonds encounter with the legendary Dave Brubeck has become a trademark story in the jazz world. He spent three years in the military, but his unit was not called to combat. 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. 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. Paul Desmond Brown - Biography Jazz at the College of the Pacific, Volume 2, Anything Goes! Desmonds childhood was problematic as his parents had a somewhat unhealthy relationship. So he just played the second half. Their uncanny rapport and ability to interact kept the music exciting and fresh. Died : May 30, 1977 in New York City, New York. Desmond also played with guitarist Jim Hall in New York City in 1971, and with Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert in Toronto. Influenced by Lester Young and Pete Brown he originally played clarinet in the big bands of Jack Fina and Alvino Rey. Playing with him, you really couldn't go wrong. [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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. When pianist Marian McPartland asked him about his dates he punned, "Sometimes they go around with guys who are scuffling for a while. He was 43 years old, and he didn't play his horn again for three years. 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. After meeting and playing together in the late 40s, they formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and never looked back. 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). All rights reserved. Whereas, Brubeck was a dedicated family man, Desmond was a very private person. The economic boom and the Jazz Age were over, and America began the period called the Great Depression.