Two overlooked facts about alto saxist Paul Desmond: First, he, and not Dave Brubeck, actually composed the classic tune “Take Five” and second, his best work was actually on his own. Due to a handshake agreement, Desmond never hired a pianist for his own recordings in order not to compare his band with his stint with Dave Brubeck; instead he usually used a cool toned guitarist. In the sixties it was usually Jim Hall, and together they made a series of timeless dry martinis of RCA albums such as Take Ten and Easy Living. Mosaic released the Desmond/Hall sessions years ago, and are, how do you say in English, gone with the wind. By the 1970s, he switched to CTI with some sublime albums, and employing Toronto guitarist Ed Bickert for his satisfying 1975 Pure Desmond session.This current limited edition 7cd set (destined to quickly sell out) shows Desmond’s working team in Bickert’s home turf at Bourbon Street for a set of March ’75 gigs. Drummer Jerry Fuller and bassist Don Thompson fill out the team, and Boss Brasser Rob McConnell sitting in for Bickert for a couple of night, making this a glorious collection of subtle and dry iced swing.
Some of the material has been released before on various labels, but the complete set includes a handful of never before heard tunes as well as various versions of the previously released material, with the McConnell sessions seeing the light of day for the first time. The band emphasizes material form the recent album, but also includes a handful of Brubeck tunes and material from the original hall sessions. None of the material here is written down; Desmond just called the tune, the tempo and the key. The result is a collection of musical conversations by Shakespearian actors improvising on their intuition based on what they’ve perfected over the years.
The mix of Desmond’s alto with Bickert’s sublime guitar is a green sweet curry of flavor, cozy and oozy on pieces like “Just Squeeze Me” and floating like a cirrus cloud on “Nuages” and “Emily”. The rhythm team percolates like Jamaican rice on themes like “Wave” and “Manha De Carnaval” and gives suave support on a sneaky blues of “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be”. Bickert is an undiscovered and underrated joy, delivering #2 pencil thin lines on “ Here’s That Rainy Day” or going into a Mid-Eastern dervish on “Take Five”. This is essentially Bickert’s only opportunity in his career to stretch out, and since nothing was written down, you get to delve into his creative process of soloing and harmonies, and he is a guitarist worth discovering.Thompson also supplies a number of nimble solos, usually in the genteel upper register. McConnell buttery brass on valve trombone serves as a fantastic alter ego, creating with Desmond a spacious sound that is reminiscent of the alto saxist’s teaming with Gerry Mulligan. The the pastel’d horns play like bubblegum-flavored cotton candy; light, fluffy and sweet on they coo on “Let’s Get Away From It All”, and they are West Coast Cool on the sublime “Line For Lyons” and Debussyesque during “My Funny Valentine”.
If your only association of Paul Desmond is with Brubeck, you are in short time of Paul Desmond’s death, as he succumbed to lung cancer in May of 1977, as he was just hitting his stride on his own. This is an excellent (and unbeknownst) last will and testament from the feathery altoist. The booklet includes a reminiscence from Thompson as well as some vintage recollections from a 1996 Dave Brubeck as well as a ’75 Desmond. Lastly, the sound quality is “alive” and amazingly clear; you can feel like a fly on the ride cymbal. Reissue/discovery of the year?