Paul Desmond With Strings Desmond Blue

As intended, this album presents the alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, as he has never been heard before - with a string orchestra as a background. This record full of beautiful jazz standards such as "My Funny Valentine", "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Body And Soul" is very diverse in its structure and yet delicate and cheerful in its overall mood. Its undisguised purpose: to calm the souls of its listeners. Desmond's style and timbre shimmer in a tantalizing way, and the record is full of melodies that don't fail to excite the discerning jazz listener. Desmond's melodies are eloquently detailed and enchantingly interwoven into the string orchestra, arranged by Bob Prince, who also conducts. The legendary Jim Hall is a guest guitarist, he plays another sparkling role here and uses his classic backing style.
Hall is perhaps considered the most respected jazz guitarist because of his good taste and imaginative inventiveness. Desmond has always been particularly well-known to jazz audiences for his passages of long runs and his seemingly effortless spontaneity during his improvisation phases, although he is often presented here with a more lyrical ballad style with such romantic songs as "My Funny Valentine", "Late Lament" and "Then I'll Be Tired of You". This album is a highly innovative and meticulously crafted work that reflects the continued success of both Desmond and Hall during the 1960s and the Cool Jazz period. Both musicians worked with Dave Brubeck for a while and later participated in several of Antonio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova projects. The arrangements are exceptional for all the pieces in this collection, including the enchanting "Valentine", which begins with a fantastic Elizabethan appeal. This introduction creates a mood that leads Desmond to the first chorus, which then slides into a 20th century style. The song "I Should Care" is "a shining tribute to Ibert and one of the most imaginative arrangements of strings, winds, French horn and harp you will ever hear" as can be read on the cover back.
The mood of this album: lush, thoughtful, thought-provoking, soul-moving. This work is to the benefit of every listener, but especially those who consider themselves avid fans of Paul Desmond.

Features:

• 180g Vinyl
• Pressed at Pallas in Germany

Musicians:

• Paul Desmond, sax
• Jim Hall, guitar
• Bob Prince, arr, cond & strings

Selections:

Side A
1. My Funny Valentine
2. Desmond Blue
3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
4. I've Got You Under My Skin
5. Late Lament
Side B
1. I Should Care
2. Like Someone In Love
3. Ill Wind
4. Body And Soul