🎷 AotW: Horizon The Paul Desmond Quartet - LIVE (SP-850)

Horizon label releases.

How Would You Rate This Album?

  • ***** (Best)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • ****

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • ***

    Votes: 3 50.0%
  • **

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • * (Worst)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Never Heard This Album

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • Total voters
    6

Captain Bacardi

Well-Known Member
The Paul Desmond Quartet
LIVE

A&M/Horizon SP-850

sp850.jpg

Released 1976
Peaked at #21 on the Jazz Album charts (1976)

Format: Vinyl (2 LPs)/Cassette/CD (Verve Reissue)

Produced by John Snyder

Songs:
  • 1. Wendy (Paul Desmond) - 7:28
    2. Wave (Antonio Carlos Jobim) - 11:26
    3. Things Ain't The Way They Used To Be (Duke Ellington/Ted Persons) - 9:00
    4. Nancy (Phil Silver/Jimmy Van Huesen) - 7:21
    5. Manha De Carnival (Luis Bonfa) - 9:31
    6. Here's That Rainy Day (Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Huesen) - 7:21
    7. My Funny Valentine (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) - 10:35
    8. Take Five (Paul Desmond) - 7:15
    9. Line For Lyons (Gerry Mulligan) - 7:29*

    * - On CD reissue only

Musicians:
Paul Desmond - Alto Sax
Ed Bickert - Electric Guitar
Jerry Fuller - Drums
Don Thompson - Acoustic Bass

Recorded October 25, 27, 30, 31 and November 1, 1975 at Bourbon Street, Toronto, Canada by Don Thompson.
Mixed November 29, 30 and December 1, 1975 at Manta Sound, Toronto.
Gary Gray, Engineer

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Vigon Nahas Vigon and Phil Shima
Front Cover Photo: Ian Patrick
Photographed at The Cafe of Hopper's, N.Y.C.
Back Cover Photo: Tony Ynocencio
Illustrations: Drew Struzan
Liner notes by Paul Desmond and Doug Ramsey



Capt. Bacardi
 
Pretty spotty and run-of-the-mill Double-Disc, Recorded Live, cash-in on the almost-forgotten A&M/CTi Summertime/Hot Afternoon and even Bridge Over Troubled Water Desmond...

Sorry, but those three studio releases (even given the tranquliity of Bridge...) were really the best places to hear him, even though I'm curious about the "newly-discovered, long-lost bonus track"...



Dave
 
"Line for Lyons" is, IIRC, more or less along the same musical lines as the rest of the album, which as a whole is a pretty quiet but well-executed and enjoyable event. I won't put a yawn here but, if I had to choose among all his A&M output, I'd go for the two A&M/CTi albums. "Wendy" fits in well. 3.5 stars.
 
"Wendy" and "Wave" and even "Manha De Carnival" redeem this set pretty well...

Standards like "My Funny Valentine", "Here's That Rainy Day" and Paul's Signature Song, "Take Five", though make this outing seem "just OK"...



Dave
 
seashorepiano said:
Agreed, Dave!


Seashore, you don't always have to agree with me...! If you think this LP is better than how I say it is then say so...!

--Just kidding again...!!! :bigevil:

--:yawn: :wink:



Dave
 
I bought this album at the beginning of the summer for the first time. I should of known what to expect. I wasn't "jazzed" when I first heard it, (no pun intended) although Don Thompson takes some beautiful bass solos.
 
seashorepiano said:
This album is silver birds in the home, uncaged, inducing yawns.


-- :jester: :laugh:


Seriously, though, there are a few bright spots here... Desmond was overdue for a "Live Setting" and much like the "Cocktail Lounge" environment of our Regular AOTW, Paul really blows and thrives pretty good in the "Small Club Feel", here--and I'm sure he and probably the band even offered autographs, afterwards! :agree:



Dave
 
--Tonight on LARRY KING LIVE!...: Paul Desmond in an Exclusive Interview on his recent concert on Bourbon Street, in Toronto, Ontario... :neutral:inkshield: :jester:



Dave
 
I don't know how anyone can think that the CTi releases are better than this album! This is what Paul Desmond was all about - not those sappy, string-infested Muzak recordings (although I did like Summertime). This is clearly the best setting for Desmond - in a quiet jazz club playing thoughtful, inspired passages. Great interaction between the musicians who play mainly standards. I loved how the guitar starts off "Take Five", which features a nice bass solo from Don Thompson. Desmond's own "Wendy" is gorgeous as well. The bonus track of "Line For Lyons" is terrific - I can't believe this wasn't included on the original release. About the only negative thing on this album is the tape hiss on some tunes, but given the quality of the music here that's something I can overlook. A solid album 4 stars.



Capt. Bacardi
 
Desmond's final A&M recordings were his session work with Chet Baker (A&M/Horizon). The liner notes for the 'YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN' reissue mention this.

JB
 
More material from these sessions were released on an Artists House album titled Paul Demond (which is where I believe the bonus track of Line for Lyons was originally released-I wish they'd release the rest of them on CD) and a Telarc CD with more material. There is also a live Jazz concert CD of this group.
 
I haven't listened to my CD copy of this in a few years (because I set it aside, then lost it), but I have mostly good memories about it. I particularly enjoyed Ed Bickert's electric guitar work. Mellow and sometimes melancholic. I might buy this again...
 
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