When Desmond Met the Orchestra
A saxophonist known for intimate quartet work stepping into lush orchestral arrangements and making it sound effortless.
By 1962, Paul Desmond had spent years as the voice of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, playing it cool and melodic in a small group setting. Desmond Blue marks the moment he decided to work at a larger scale, surrounding his alto saxophone with full orchestration. Producer George Avakian shepherded the project, having already established a working relationship with Desmond at Columbia Records. When Avakian moved to RCA Victor in 1960, he brought Desmond along, and this orchestral album became the first of six records he would produce for the label as Desmond's leader.
The orchestra setting could have buried Desmond's lean, careful tone, but instead it gives the album room to breathe. His playing stays precise and unhurried against the strings and arrangements, which is exactly where his strength lies. AllMusic gave it four stars, praising the recording's ability to be lush and reflective without losing sight of Desmond's core identity as a player. The tone stays soul-stirring precisely because nothing here tries too hard.
This is neither a radical departure nor a gimmick. Desmond was always melodic first, always concerned with beauty of line over flash. The orchestral setting simply gives those instincts more space to develop. He would return to this format later in the decade with CTI Records, but Desmond Blue remains his first serious venture into it, and it works because both Desmond and Avakian understood that adding orchestration doesn't require changing what made Desmond's playing matter in the first place.
Who's playing
Milt Hintondouble bass
Jim Hallguitar
Paul Desmondsaxophone
Connie Kaydrums
Gene Biancoharp
Al RichmondFrench horn
Gloria Agostiniharp
Where next?
More by Paul Desmond
All 28 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
