Complete Paul Desmond Quartet

Paul Desmond Quartet with Jim Hall - The Complete Recordings (1988) {4CD Set, Mosaic MD4-120 rec 1959-1965}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.50 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 693 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 1959-65, 1988 RCA Victor / Mosaic Records | MD4-120
Jazz / Cool / Saxophone / Guitar

Although the RCA recordings featuring the Paul Desmond Quartet with Jim Hall were eventually reissued by the original label (also in a boxed set) after the last copy of this limited edition Mosaic box was sold, it is the Mosaic collection which will be remembered as a classic. Only that set includes the initial studio collaboration of Desmond & Hall for Warner Bros.; also present are reprints of Doug Ramsey's warm memorial tribute to the alto saxophonist, as well as Marian McPartland's brilliant portrait (written for Downbeat in 1960) and Desmond's own side-splitting article written for Punch about a Brubeck gig that went slightly haywire, all helping to unfold a portion of the mystery behind this man.

Best known as a member of Dave Brubeck's legendary quartet and the man who wrote the biggest-selling jazz single ever, 'Take Five', Paul Desmond's importance as a jazz performer cannot be underestimated. A master of the alto saxophone as well as a consummate composer and musician, Desmond was a pivotal figure on the West Coast cool jazz scene. His time with Brubeck produced some of the most critically-acclaimed recordings in history, in particular the magnificent Time Out (Columbia, 1959). However, Desmond was also an accomplished bandleader in his own right, with the material released during the early part of his career remaining among his finest work. Paul Desmond remained active throughout the rest of his career, producing a multitude of albums and performing live with Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Hall, Ed Bickert and The Modern Jazz Quartet among others.

Paul Desmond - The Complete RCA Albums Collection (2011) {6CD Box Set, Sony Music 88697939412 rec 1961-1964}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.16 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 908 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 514 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1962-66, 2011 RCA / Legacy / Sony Music | 88697939412
Jazz / Cool / Standards / Bossa Nova / Saxophone

The most complete package to date of Paul Desmond's RCA works. 6-CD set with all six original albums he cut for the RCA inprint (five of the six albums feature melodic guitar giant Jim Hall, the ideal musical partner for Desmond). All come in nice mini-LP replica sleeves reproducing original cover art, including 24 bonus tracks, and a comprenhensive booklet with full discographical details, rare in-studio photos and liner notes by Grammy-winning box producer Richard Seidel.

This is the third and final guest appearance by clarinetist Bill Smith in the place of Paul Desmond with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Like the earlier record dates, this 1961 session focuses exclusively on Smith's compositions, resulting in a very different sound for the band than its normal mix of the leader's songs and standards. Smith was a member of Brubeck's adventurous octet of the late '40s and, like the pianist, also studied with French composer Darius Milhaud. So the clarinetist is willing to take chances, utilizing a mute on his instrument in "Pan's Pipes," and having drummer Joe Morello use his timpani sticks on the piano strings in the swinging "The Unihorn." Smith proves himself very much in Desmond's league with his witty solos and equally amusing, pun-filled liner notes…

Paul Desmond was an integral part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet for 17 years (1950-1967). His alto sax helped define the Brubeck sound, and just the fact that he wrote the most well known composition of Brubeck’s career (“Take Five”), would be enough to write his name in jazz history. However, it was his velvety tone and his lyrical improvisation that jazz fans remember most. His sensuous timbre, feather light, but still substantial, can be compared to both Johnny Hodges and Lester Young for its beauty.

Although an earlier CD added five previously unissued tracks to the original LP Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, this Verve Master Edition two-CD set adds just about everything else recorded during the two sessions that produced the original record, and also features 20-bit sound. Even though Gerry Mulligan was outspoken against issuing material omitted from his original recordings, it is a treat to hear how the songs evolved in the studio. Webster and Mulligan seem mutually inspired throughout the sessions, and strong performances by pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis are of considerable help. The music is presented in the order in which it was recorded, with each CD devoted to a separate session…