Paul Desmond Professions : Composer Born : November 25, 1924 Died : May 30, 1977 Browse All Authors Top 18 quotes by Paul Desmond I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast. Paul Desmond week jazz music Writing is like jazz. It can be learned, but it can't be taught. Paul Desmond taught writing talking The qualities in music which I considered most important - and still do - were beauty, simplicity, originality, discrimination, and sincerity. Paul Desmond simplicity music important Milton, of all people, gave the most perfect definition of the state of mind required to play jazz: ' with wanton heed and giddy cunning.' That's how you play jazz. Paul Desmond perfect play people I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini. Paul Desmond music mind thinking Complexity can be a trap. You can have a ball developing a phrase, inverting it, playing it in different keys and times and all. But it's really more introspective than communicative. Like a crossword puzzle compared to a poem. Paul Desmond balls different keys It was never supposed to be a hit. It was supposed to be a Joe Morello drum solo. Paul Desmond supposed-to-be solo I would like to thank my father who discouraged me from playing the violin at an early age. Paul Desmond music age father Not for me. If I want to tune everybody out, I just take off my glasses and enjoy the haze. Paul Desmond glasses tunes want We used to get on planes, and they'd ask who we were, and we'd say, 'The Dave Brubeck Quartet', and they'd say, 'Who?' In later years they'd say, 'Oh', which amounts to the same thing. Paul Desmond dave used years I discovered early in life that if you take gym first period, you can go into the wrestling room and sit in the corner and sleep. Paul Desmond sleep wrestling rooms I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was. Paul Desmond jazz musical music Sometimes I get the feeling that there are orgies going on all over new York City, and somebody says, `Let's call Desmond,' and somebody else says, 'Why bother? He's probably home reading the Encyclopedia Britannica.' Paul Desmond reading new-york home Our basic audience begins with creaking elderly types of twenty-three and above. Paul Desmond elderly music twenties We're working as if it were going out of style-which of course it is. Paul Desmond jazz style going-out I'm glad [Ornette Coleman] is such an individualist. I like the firmness of thought and purpose that goes into what he's doing, even though I don't always like to listen to it. It's like living in a house where everything's painted red. Paul Desmond purpose house memorable I was overlooked long before anyone knew who I was. Paul Desmond knew before who long I would also like to thank my father who discouraged me from playing the violin at an early age. Paul Desmond me violin age father Similar Authors Igor Stravinsky composer Irving Berlin composer Brian Ferneyhough composer Bryce Dessner composer Bradley Joseph composer Boudleaux Bryant composer All Authors
