IMO the quartets with Jim Hall are also really great Desmond, maybe my favorite stuff outside of "Pure Desmond". There's also a cool Mosaic box of Desmond in Toronto.
Desmond has long been one of my favorite players. The Mosaic set of Desmond's "Canadian Quartet" Bickert is lots of listening pleasure. Polymath bassist Don Thompson is responsible for the recordings, which to my ears as a long retired recording engineer for live jazz, sound quite good, and my non-musician ears find Desmond taking different routes through multiple takes of favorite tunes.
As an amateur musician, I love being able to follow along with the score, though it makes for a very different listening experience -- divides my attention in a way that I'm not used to in a purely listening experience (as opposed to when I'm trying to play something from a score). And I love that auto-scroll function so I don't lose my place! I think my usual experience is to listen first and then wonder, "Wow, how the hell did they score this?" That question is usually compelled by odd and mixed meters that I find impossible to count. Here I was really interested in how the saxophonist played the different note values, the phrasing, from paired 16ths, say, to eighth notes. So I was reading/listening as a player. If that makes any sense. .... OH, and I should mention, I really enjoyed the music! I'll have to listen to it sometime when my eyes aren't glued to dots on a page!
Thanks for the inspiring article (it inspired me to dig into my Desmond Mosaic box set and to stream and order a copy of Pure Desmond). However I think it was unfair to Desmond to bring up his not granting a loan to Konitz. There can be a lot of reasons not to lend someone money. While offering a loan is generous, turning down a request for a loan is not always the opposite.
Love the sonata, Ethan!
IMO the quartets with Jim Hall are also really great Desmond, maybe my favorite stuff outside of "Pure Desmond". There's also a cool Mosaic box of Desmond in Toronto.
Thanks Paul!
Taimur on alto was a revelation on your Sonata. I've only ever heard him play Bari. Double thumbs up on your Sonatas recording. One for the ages.
Aw, right on, Tony! I agree that Taimur sounds just awesome on alto!
Desmond has long been one of my favorite players. The Mosaic set of Desmond's "Canadian Quartet" Bickert is lots of listening pleasure. Polymath bassist Don Thompson is responsible for the recordings, which to my ears as a long retired recording engineer for live jazz, sound quite good, and my non-musician ears find Desmond taking different routes through multiple takes of favorite tunes.
As an amateur musician, I love being able to follow along with the score, though it makes for a very different listening experience -- divides my attention in a way that I'm not used to in a purely listening experience (as opposed to when I'm trying to play something from a score). And I love that auto-scroll function so I don't lose my place! I think my usual experience is to listen first and then wonder, "Wow, how the hell did they score this?" That question is usually compelled by odd and mixed meters that I find impossible to count. Here I was really interested in how the saxophonist played the different note values, the phrasing, from paired 16ths, say, to eighth notes. So I was reading/listening as a player. If that makes any sense. .... OH, and I should mention, I really enjoyed the music! I'll have to listen to it sometime when my eyes aren't glued to dots on a page!
thanks so much, Jon!
Thanks for the inspiring article (it inspired me to dig into my Desmond Mosaic box set and to stream and order a copy of Pure Desmond). However I think it was unfair to Desmond to bring up his not granting a loan to Konitz. There can be a lot of reasons not to lend someone money. While offering a loan is generous, turning down a request for a loan is not always the opposite.
I understand your perspective, but some stories are too good not to share.