Customer Reviews

Two of a Mind

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Two of a Mind" is a studio-only project from the summer of 1962. Desmond had done a record led by Gerry several years prior, and it was Mulligan's turn to play with Paul on a project he would control. Because of heavy workloads, the two principals collaborated in three separate sessions during June, July and August in New York. Also due to scheduling difficulties, the rhythm section changed at each session. On the six tunes which made the original LP, there are three different bassists and two different drummers. Also on the six LP selections, Desmond did a little studio trickery: some of the improvised solos were put together from different sessions, and on one tune he overdubbed a third saxophone for one verse. If you didn't know this, however, you'd never guess it. The counterpoint improvs of Gerry on baritone and Paul on alto are consistently interesting. Overall the disc is more uptempo than Desmond's other work as a leader. The product lacks that special magic which can often be found on a good recording by a quartet which plays live together and often, but it is a subtle loss. This reissue adds five bonus tracks, including two with guitarist Jim Hall which did not make Desmond's final list for LP inclusion, but which are quite nice. The two leads are highly skilled, and they seemed to like each other a lot and to bring out good things for one another. Not Desmond's best work by a long shot, nor Mulligan's, but worth owning if you are partial to either man. I'm glad BMG is doing these Bluebird First Edition releases from the RCA vaults. The booklets are usually quite good. They come in cardboard cases instead of jewel cases, and I'm not sure if I like that or not yet. Maybe they could knock a dollar or two off the price and be an even better value, but if, like me, you enjoy the classic jazz of the 1946-'66 generation, you should buy some of these reissues to encourage the company to keep them coming.

A nice, informal session with cool jazz alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and his likeminded West Coast pal, baritone Gerry Mulligan. This disc features several songs that were skillfully edited together from multiple studio takes -- pretty seamlessly, when you listen to them -- and they show the deft, good-natured interplay and genuine warmth these two shared. The CD reissue adds five new tracks, only two of which are alternate (or unedited) versions of songs that appeared on the original 1962 album. Included are two loose-limbed jam sessions that also featured guitarist Jim Hall, one of Desmond's most sympathetic creative partners. Perhaps a bit forceful overall, and not as fluid and soft-touched as Desmond's best work, but still a fine jazz album.

If I was told that some parts of this were taken from Bach fugues for Harpsichord and Basso Continuo, and were transcribed for an alto and baritone sax, I would believe it.
By leaving out the piano they create a magnificent contrapuntal effect, and worth the price of the disc just to hear it. Unfortunately, my disc only has 6 tracks, this version seems to have more.

I enjoy both of these two separately and I had high expectations for this album. It almost met them - but very good overall. The best part of the album for me was the absolutely flawless way they played together; Two Of A Mind is a perfect title.

Especially for the young aspiring Jazz misician this album is the quintessential album for those who want to hear the artistry of two of the masters of the saxophone on two seperate levels ~

So I'm a 20 year old Music History major and a jazz fan, and this is one of my favorite albums, aside from albums like Kind of Blue and the like. So, you can take this or leave it.

Okay, so you take two West Coast jazz legends, Gerry Mulligan (who played with legends such as Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and many others) and Paul Desmond (who also played with an illustrious group of musicians, but was best known for his work with Dave Brubeck), throw in some jazz/pop standards (All the Things You Are, Stardust, Way You Look Tonight, Out of Nowhere, Easy Living), add some of this and that (Two of a Mind, Blight of the Fumble Bee) and out comes this album, full of flavor and drive that one wouldn't think 2 white men with an alto and a bari could produce. It's upbeat, fresh, and simply wonderful if you're starting a collection of modern jazz.

I agree with the other reviewers here. This is a very good album, but not a must-have. Paul Desmond fits nicely into the mode of West Coast "cool jazz", with Gerry Mulligan, but if I want to hear this kind of music, give me Art Pepper any day instead, that will always get five stars instead of four.