Desmond, Paul 11/25/1924 - 05/30/1977

Paul Desmond (born November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California; † May 30, 1977 in New York City; (birthname Paul Emil Breitenfeld) was an American cool jazz saxophonist.
He became known for the Dave Brubeck Quartet (he wrote its biggest hit, ''Take Five''), in which he played from its formation in 1951 until 1967. He had a clear, light, flowing sound that many tried in vain to imitate. He loved soft ballads and at times slipped into dreamy solos, but always had a clear line. The interaction of his light, airy style with Brubeck's heavy, polytonal piano playing contributed much to the success of the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet.