What was a practice session with the Quartet like? We are not told. Nor is there any mention of how the songs on these albums came to be written or recorded. 'Jazz Impressions of Japan,' is not mentioned at all.

Ramsey just got tired of the research and writing and wanted to get the book out but the end result is that we have almost no story of Desmond's many concert tours or studio sessions.įor example the DBQ's trip through Eastern Europe (musically recorded as 'Jazz Impressions of Eurasia' is not covered in any depth, and DBQ's trip to Japan, from which came the wonderful album.

I don't know whether the information was not available, or whether Mr. Sadly, though, his mature working life (mostly with the Dave Brubeck Quartet)is given very short shrift. Ramsey has really done his homework here. Most importantly, his early life in music is extraordinarily well documented. The photos, too, are terrific, with many pictures of Desmond as a youth, and throughout his career. What is there is wonderful-especially a treasure trove of letters to and from Desmond and his father, from which Ramsey pulls long passages. The only thing really wrong with it is.it just isn't enough. If you have, like me, have been wondering for years why no one has written a biography of Paul Desmond before now (Desmond died over a quarter of a century ago), and if you are, like me, a long term fan of his music, then-again, like me-you will probably be both thrilled and disappointed by this book.

Take five paul desmond