Vinyl Vault — Paul Desmond Quartet, “East of the Sun”

Monday, November 25, 2024, marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of alto saxman Paul Desmond. Best known for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Desmond occasionally recorded under his own name with other musicians. The Vinyl Vault has one such album and we’ll hear some tracks from it this Tuesday.

The album is entitled, “Paul Desmond Quartet featuring Jim Hall, Percy Heath, and Connie Kay; East of the Sun.” The album was recorded over Labor Day weekend in 1959 when all four musicians happened to be in New York at the same time. Heath, on bass, and Kay, on drums, were, at the time, members of the Modern Jazz Quartet. However, this group of four had never played together before. But, being highly skilled professionals, the group vibe quickly came together and an undeniable cohesiveness set in.

The version of the album we’ll hear was released on Discovery Records in 1981.

Join Geoff Anderson on Tuesday, November 19 at 8:30 p.m. for the Vinyl Vault on KUVO JAZZ.

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