I listened to the early Brubeck albums "real time" - my father used to tie me to the chair at age 6. So it's tough for me to be clinical about Desmond. And, i can't think about him without Brubeck - it's a package deal. Sixty years ago Desmond sounded so fresh, he swung a little and when he was playing, I didn't have to listen to the piano player doing all the frantic locked-hands chording that goes nowhere.