Paul Desmond • Easy Living

Review by Richard S. Ginell

As the Paul Desmond/Jim Hall quartet's recording activities gradually came to a halt by 1965, RCA Victor assembled the remains of a number of their later sessions into one last album. These are anything but leftovers, however -- indeed, they constitute the best Desmond/Hall album since Take Ten, more varied in texture and mood, and by and large more inspired in solo content, than Bossa Antigua and Glad to Be Unhappy. As a near-ideal example of this collaboration at its intuitive peak, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" opens with Hall paraphrasing the tune, and Desmond comes in on the bridge with a perfectly timed rejoinder that sounds as if he's asking a question. "Here's That Rainy Day" is another apt match of a standard to Desmond's sophisticated personality; he is at his dry, jaunty best on the uptempo "That Old Feeling"; and both have a ball jamming on the blues in Desmond's wry, quick "Blues for Fun." [Some reissues add a pair of outtakes, plus "Rude Old Man."]

///////

Revisión por Richard S. GinellCuando las actividades de grabación del cuarteto Paul Desmond / Jim Hall se detuvieron gradualmente en 1965, RCA Victor reunió los restos de varias de sus últimas sesiones en un último álbum. Sin embargo, estos son todo menos sobras; de hecho, constituyen el mejor álbum de Desmond / Hall desde Take Ten, con una textura y un estado de ánimo más variados y, en general, más inspirados en el contenido para solistas, que Bossa Antigua y Glad to Be Unfappy. Como ejemplo casi ideal de esta colaboración en su punto máximo intuitivo, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" se abre con Hall parafraseando la melodía, y Desmond entra al puente con una respuesta perfectamente sincronizada que suena como si estuviera haciendo una pregunta. "Here That That Rainy Day" es otra combinación adecuada de un estándar para la personalidad sofisticada de Desmond; está en su mejor momento seco y alegre en el uptempo "That Old Feeling"; y ambos tienen una bola atascada en el blues en el irónico "Blues for Fun" de Desmond. [Algunas reediciones agregan un par de tomas, más "Rude Old Man"].

Tracklist:
01 - When Joanna Loves Me 5:48
02 - That Old Feeling 5:49   
03 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams 5:51
04 - Here's That Rainy Day 5:43
05 - Easy Living 7:08
06 - I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face 4:19
07 - Bewitched 6:25
08 - Blues For Fun 6:28
09 - Rude Old Man 5:42
10 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams (alternate take) 6:13
11 - Bewitched (alternate take) 7:47

Personnel:
Connie Kay - Drums
Percy Heath - Bass
Eugene Wright - Bass
Gene Cherico - Bass
Paul Desmond - Alto saxophone
Jim Hall – Guitar

1966

 

 

 

 

MORE Paul Desmond ...

 

This file is intended only for preview!
I ask you to delete the file from your hard drive or device after reading it.
thank for the original uploader