1959 · Album
Paul Desmond
Recorded 1956 · Fantasy Records · Produced by Unverified — omitted
Cool Tone, Warm Playing, No Fuss
Desmond at his most relaxed — proof that restraint can be its own kind of excitement.
If you know Paul Desmond mainly from 'Take Five' — the best-selling jazz single ever, which he wrote for the Dave Brubeck Quartet — then this album is a good place to hear what he sounded like when he had the spotlight entirely to himself. His alto saxophone tone was famously airy and light, almost papery, and that quality is front and center here. He doesn't push hard or show off. He floats. Some listeners find that too passive; others think it's exactly right. If you're in the second camp, this record will suit you well.
The playing throughout is unhurried and conversational. Desmond was never interested in speed or aggression, and this album makes no apologies for that. The rhythm section keeps things moving without crowding him, and he takes his time finding melodies inside the changes. It's the kind of jazz that rewards attention rather than demanding it — you can have it on in the background and enjoy it, but sit down and actually listen and you'll catch things you missed. The interplay is subtle rather than showy, which is either a virtue or a limitation depending on what you want from a jazz record.
What makes this worth seeking out, separate from his Brubeck work, is hearing Desmond as a leader with full control over the mood and direction. The Brubeck group had a particular sound built around time experiments and Dave's blocky piano chords. Here the feel is looser and more straightforwardly swinging. It's not a revelation, but it's a genuinely enjoyable album from a player with a sound unlike anyone else's — that light, cool, slightly melancholy alto that you'd recognize in two notes. Worth your time if cool jazz is your thing.
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