Several Rifftides readers have sent messages reminding me that Paul Desmond died 40 years ago today. Thanks to all of them. I hadn’t forgotten.
One of Desmond’s most dedicated admirers, Svetlana Ilicheva, wrote from Moscow suggesting that Desmond’s solo on “Out of Nowhere†from a 1966 London radio broadcast would constitute a suitable memorial. Ms. Ilicheva explained that James Dobernig, whom she identified as “one of us,†sent her links to this and  several other Desmond/Brubeck videos. The solo is one of his most adventurous. He doesn’t perfectly execute everything he tries for, and part of the fun is hearing him blow back on course. The counterpoint at the end of the performance revives a practice that helped to make Brubeck and Desmond famous early in the life of the Brubeck Quartet.
- Here are the names of the the full cast: Dave Brubeck , piano; Paul Desmond, alto saxophone, Eugene Wright, bass; Joe Morello, Drums.
The publisher of Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond would take to drink if I failed to remind you that the book is available as an ebook. Used, and occasionally new, hardcover copies, often at mind-blowing prices, may be found on the internet by googling the title. Their sales do neither the publisher nor the author a bit of financial good, but we hope that everyone will read and enjoy the book—and listen often to Paul.
Paul Desmond, 1924-1977
with pounding us into the shapes of Marines, that Corky Ram would have no problem. He was a standout in the grueling weeks of officer candidate competition and then in the months of physical and mental rigor designed to make us worthy of those little gold bars on the collars of our fatigues. After high school in Jersey City, New Jersey, he had served a hitch as a Navy enlisted man, and then got a college degree before he chose the Corps. He was two or three years older than most of us, and a natural leader. He could tell when the pressure was about to cave a green lieutenant exhausted from a 20-mile forced march with full field pack or demoralized after a classroom test he was sure he had flunked. Corky knew how to use encouragement or cajolery to restore flagging determination. He helped a lot of us make it through. The picture above is how I remember him from that period.
devoted himself to helping young musicians develop their skills. After he and his vocalist wife Sandi moved from Los Angeles to the Central California coast in 1990, his playing and teaching and playing activities continued, with young musicians making the 440-mile round trip to Cambria to absorb Shoemake’s lessons in improvisation, composition and harmonic development. Among them were musicians now well known, including trombonist Andy Martin, saxophonist Ted Nash, pianist Cecilia Coleman and trumpeter Kye Palmer.
students. He includes three of them, and Sandi, in his new album named for their home territory. Here is video featuring a piece from the CD, with a theme that will be familiar to many Rifftides readers. If you don’t recognize it, never fear; the band “announces†the title more than once. The players in his new quartet are are Shoemake, vibes; Josh Collins, guitar; Keegan Harshman, bass; and Darrell Voss, drums.
As pointed out in a Rifftides review earlier this year, drummer John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet…
Saxophonist and bandleader Dave Pell, a prominent figure in the west coast jazz of the 1950s and ’60s, died on May 8. He was 92. Pell recorded extensively with his octet and the tribute group Prez Conference. Over the years the collective members of those bands included Art Pepper, Red Mitchell, Harry Edison, Mel Lewis, Benny Carter, John Williams and other leading musicians of the day. Pell’s devotion to his hero Lester Young extended to the rescue of Young’s instrument. Here’s that story from the Rifftides archive. 
Responses to the 2017 survey of what our readers around the world are listening to are piling into Rifftides world headquarters at a breathtaking rate. The staff complain that trying to put internet links to all the submissions, is all but taking their breath. The mangement says, “Tough, think of all the overtime hours.†They say, “Overtime pay would be better.†Well, the original idea was to provide the readers with links to all of the recordings mentioned. We may have to lighten up on that plan in order to fend off a rebellion of the sleepless peons. “Links?†they say in their terrible attempt at an Alfonso Bedoya accent, “We don’t need no stinking links.†Management is taking their complaints under advisement. In the meantime, with links galore, here are four more reports from Rifftides readers who do a lot of listening.
Pianist and composer Alan Broadbent has found his lyricist. Further good news: in their Songbook, Georgia Mancio sings her words to Broadbent’s songs with taste, feeling and faultless intonation. Their collaboration began after the Anglo-Italian singer wrote a lyric to “The Long Goodbye,†a Broadbent composition for Charlie Haden’s 1991 Quartet West album 
Responses to our 2017 “Catching Up With You†reader survey are rolling in. This is what we asked of you four days ago:
From time to time, Rifftides asks readers to send information about the music they turn on, and vice versa. It has been more than five years since we canvassed you about what you’re hearing. It’s time. Here is a variation on the introduction to the original 2006 survey:
With exceptions, the Dutch singer departs from her incomparable interpretations of standard songs to explore contemporary pieces. They include the title tune written by guitarist Leni Stern, originally an instrumental called “Sandbox.†Sentimental and lyrical, it is dedicated to Claasen’s daughter. Claasen gives “One Trick Pony†a lilt in a version slightly slower and more thoughtful than Paul Simon’s 1980 original. Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone’s “Song Of Life†includes Claasen’s joyous vocalizing. Accompanied by pianist Olaf Polziehn, guitarist Peter Thehuis and bassist Ingmar Heller, she caresses Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood.†Three overdubbed Claasens bring a rich density to Kenny Wheeler’s “Fay,†dedicated to her. A flaw: she rhythmically punches up “God Bless The Child,†a song that by its very nature demands sober reflection. Claasen’s wordless intonation of Ennio Morricone’s theme from Cinema Paradiso is a consummate conclusion to an intriguing collection.
Once in a while, all of my New Orleans years come rushing back and fill me with music I haven’t thought about in ages. Tonight, it was the muscular alto saxophone of Captain John Handy. The son of a bandleader, he was born in Mississippi in 1900. Handy taught himself clarinet and in his middle teens was in New Orleans playing with trumpeter Punch Miller. After he switched to alto sax in the late 1920s, he developed a big sound with enough vibrato to be interesting but not annoying. Through the 1930s he worked with his bassist brother Sylvester in the Louisiana Shakers and before his death in 1971 had played with Kid Howard, Jim Robinson, Lee Collins, the Young Tuxedo Brass Band, the Preservation Hall Band, Kid Clayton, Kid Sheik Colar and dozens of other New Orleans stalwarts. In their book New Orleans Jazz: A Family Album, Doc Souchon and Al Rose described Handy as, “A rock and roll-type musician limited to the blues,†a mystifyingly wrong-headed evaluation. Here’s Handy with the New Orleans classic “While We Danced At The Mardi Gras,†with nary a hint of rock and roll.
captured a splendid image of drummer Billy Hart in action. There was no opportunity to use the picture in our Rifftides coverage of the PDX Festival, but Mr. Sheldon has granted us the right to show it to you now.
Not really. It could, but the title refers to the fact that it was the first song I wrote for my wife, Ruth. That was first recorded on [Quartet West’s] 
Interviews transcribed from tape recordings and transformed into print are often boring substitutes for writing. With judicious editing, however, the technique can be illuminating. Journalist Josef Woodard’s many chats with bassist Charlie Haden (1937-2014) provide valuable insights into what fueled Haden’s musical tastes and goals and the social conscience that was inseparable from his music. Woodard draws out Haden on child stardom in his family’s western band, his key role with Ornette Coleman and the emergence of free jazz, and events beyond. “…I heard Ornette play,†he tells Woodard, “and I said, man, that’s what I’ve been hearing.†Among other areas of his packed musical life, Haden discusses his Liberation Music Orchestra, pianist Keith Jarrett, the importance of Carla Bley, the creation of Quartet West and his collaborations with Pat Metheny. The book’s laudatory forewords are by Bill Frisell and Alan Broadbent.