Rare Interview with Paul Desmond - 1976

 


From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack.

From the CBC Archives, Interview with Paul Desmond. Paul Desmond was an American alto saxophonist best known as a key member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He was born in 1924 and died in 1977. Desmond wrote “Take Five,” one of the most famous jazz compositions of all time, which became a top 40 hit and helped bring modern jazz to a mass audience. His playing style was cool, lyrical, and understated—he described his own tone as “like a dry martini.” Desmond’s importance lies in three areas: 1. Sound and Style: He was a central figure in the West Coast “cool jazz” movement. His light tone contrasted with the more aggressive bebop style of the 1940s and 1950s. 2. Composition: “Take Five,” written in 5/4 time, broke rhythmic conventions and became jazz’s best-selling single. 3. Influence: His phrasing, melodic restraint, and harmonic intelligence shaped generations of saxophonists who valued lyricism over speed. After leaving Brubeck, he performed with Gerry Mulligan and recorded several acclaimed albums as a leader. His legacy is that of a subtle innovator whose music combined technical mastery with emotional clarity.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rascals & Daryl Hall at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, 8-28-25

It was a joyful and rollicking good time at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, Thursday night, with the double bill concert featuring 1960s pop and rhythm & blues icons, The Rascals, and soul singer/rock and roll icon Daryl Hall, co-headlining a concert.  The Rascals began the show with a song called "A Ray of Hope" dedicated to the children who lost their lives in the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting that happened the day before, in Minneapolis.  From there, The Rascals weaved in and out of their classic popular hit songs, and they included snippets and quotes of popular songs of their contemporaries from the 1960s, and in this hour of need of positivity and healing after a tragedy, the music served as balm and comfort, upbeat and joyous the whole way through the opening set. Songs like "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "Mustang Sally" (Sir Mack Rice's song famously recorded by Wilson Pickett), and "People Got to Be Free" all had t...
Read more

Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters – Watermelon Man and Chameleon (Live on The Midnight Special, 1975)

Image
  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. On February 21, 1975, Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters brought pure funk energy to The Midnight Special with a blistering performance of their hit “Chameleon," and Herbie's "Watermelon Man." Herbie commands the keyboards, Paul Jackson lays down the deep, elastic bass lines, Mike Clark drives the groove on drums, Blackbyrd McKnight brings the funk on guitar, Bill Summers adds his percussive magic, and Bennie Maupin delivers soulful, razor-sharp reeds. A timeless fusion of jazz, funk, and soul—this is The Headhunters at the height of their powers. 🎹 Herbie Hancock – Keyboards 🎸 Paul Jackson – Bass 🥁 Mike Clark – Drums 🎸 Blackbyrd McKnight – Guitar 🪘 Bill Summers – Percussion 🎷 Bennie Maupin – Reeds 📀 From the landmark album Head Hunters (1973), “Chameleon” remains a defining track of jazz-funk history.
Read more