1960 · Album
First Place Again
Recorded September 1959 · Warner Bros. · Produced by Not specified in source material
Breathy and Unhurried: Desmond in September
Desmond's dry tone floats over a quartet that leaves plenty of air in the room.
First Place Again finds Paul Desmond leading a pickup quartet of serious players, all of whom had just finished teaching together at the Lenox School of Jazz. The chemistry shows. Jim Hall on guitar and Connie Kay on drums keep things spacious and conversational — this is not a blowing session, but a set where everyone listens to everyone else. Percy Heath on bass grounds the whole thing with that steady, thinking approach he brought to the Modern Jazz Quartet.
What strikes you first is the air. Desmond's alto sax has that whimsical, breathy quality for which he was known, and on these September 1959 recordings, he floats melodic lines that sometimes quote other tunes, sometimes just spin out ideas at a leisurely pace. There's no aggression here. His tone is dry, sharp when it needs to be, but never loud. The rhythm section never rushes him; Hall's guitar comping is subtle and responsive. You can hear the space between the notes.
This is a solid session without being essential. Desmond recorded this shortly after finishing Time Out with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, so there's no sense of breakthrough or reinvention — just a working musician doing what he does well in a different setting. The quartet would work together again, but First Place Again is relaxed and approachable enough that it doesn't require deep familiarity with Desmond's work. It's also the kind of album that doesn't stick in your head after you've heard it, which is fine. Some records are meant to be enjoyed in the moment, and this one asks nothing more.
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