Paul Desmond

thumb|right|I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was. Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; 25 November 1924 – 30 May 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, best known as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for writing "Take Five". Unsourced I could only write at the beach, and I kept getting sand in my typewriter. His reason for not pursuing a literary career I hate the way he writes. I kind of love the way he lives, though. On writer Jack Kerouac I have won several prizes as the world’s slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness. I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini. About his distinctive light sound I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast. About the value of practice I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was. About his playing style It's like living in a house where everything's painted red. On Ornette Coleman's playing Not for me. If I want to tune everybody out, I just take off my glasses and enjoy the haze. On contact lenses Sometimes I get the feeling that there are orgies going on all over New York City, and somebody says, `Let's call Desmond,' and somebody else says,'Why bother? He's probably home reading the Encyclopedia Britannica.' Well, that I'm not playing better. When asked by Gene Lees what accounted for the melancholy in his playing Writing is like jazz. It can be learned, but it can’t be taught. You're beginning to sound like a cross between David Frost and David Susskind, and that is a cross I cannot bear. His response to the annoying banality of an interviewer External links Category:1924 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Jazz musicians Category:Composers from the United States Category:Saxophonists Category:People from San Francisco