Ed Bickert at His Most Lyrical — “Emily” with Paul Desmond (1975)

A beautiful 1975 performance of "Emily" by Johnny Mandel, featuring Paul Desmond's "Canadian Quartet": Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, and Jerry Fuller. The thing that immediately struck me here was Ed’s intro — understated, lyrical, and harmonically rich without ever sounding crowded. From there, the entire group settles into an incredibly gentle but confident pocket. Desmond’s melodic patience, Don Thompson’s touch and motion underneath, Jerry Fuller’s restraint, and Ed’s orchestral sense of harmony all make this a really special recording. Four master musicians at work here. Recorded in 1975, Live at Bourbon Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The photo (Credit Ron Hudson) is from the group's appearance at the 1976 Monterey Jazz Festival #EdBickert #PaulDesmond #jazzstandards #JazzGuitar #JazzBallad #DonThompson #jazzquartet #livejazz #CoolJazz #BeyondTheFrets