Album Reviews

Alto saxophonist Paul Desmond (Paul Emil Breitenfeld) best known for his work with Dave Brubeck made solo albums of greater musical consequence than his string-accented confection, including his duet album Two of A Mind (RCA LSP-2624) with Gerry Mulligan, also on RCA-Victor. Nonetheless, this album pleases every play.

The guitar great Jim Hall accompanies Desmond, backed by a lush string section, harp, woodwinds and rhythm section with "heavenly" orchestrations by Bob Prince that will have you floating from first note to last through a selection of mostly familiar standards, among them "My Funny Valentine", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Like Someone In Love" and "I Should Care".

Though not credited on the album, the MJQ's Connie Kay plays drums on the opener "My Funny Valentine", with Gene Cherico on bass. The other tracks feature Bobby Thomas on drums and Milt Hinton on bass. The engineer is Ray Hall, the venue Webster Hall (no relation) and the producer is the reliable George Avakian.

The 49 minute album was recorded in three sessions, September 13th, 28th and October 2nd 1961 when Desmond was but 37 years old.

The recording quality is superbly transparent, spacious and three-dimensional in ways few recordings today manage. The images "float" in an airy expansive space that you'll enjoy visiting often.

You have a choice of four versions: the original RCA, the Classic Records reissue mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original tapes and pressed at RTI, or the more recent ones: one from Pure Pleasure mastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering and pressed by Pallas or the most recent from Analog Spark cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog master tapes, packaged in a Stoughton Press "tip on" jacket and also pressed at RTI.

First, please pass on the Pure Pleasure release cut from I don't know what, which costs the same as the Analog Spark version. Pure Pleasure has done some excellent reissuing but this one should never have been released. It's thick, dull and two-dimensional yet it costs the same as the Analog Spark version, which is open, transparent and everything described above.

When I played all versions "blind" at various store appearances, the PP lost every time but between the original, Classic and Analog Spark, opinions varied. The original, of course cut when the tape was new, and probably mastered with a tube system, is richer and warmer, but the vinyl can't compare to any of the reissues in terms of black backgrounds and quiet, though this latest RTI pressing wins by a considerable amount in that department.

If you already have an original or the Classic, I'd not buy this again but otherwise go for the Analog Spark reissue (have many more AS reissues to cover!). Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, lower your blood pressure and produce repeated bouts of pleasure.