Gerry Mulligan

Gerry Mulligan's quartet recorded this studio date about seven years before his death, and it's a beautiful statement of where the refined, seasoned veteran of cool jazz was at in the later years of his life. A young Bill Charlap on the piano (rare unto itself in that Mulligan often excluded a keyboardist) was essentially introduced to the jazz world with this album, and proved to be a perfect foil for the baritone saxophonist's leaner notions. Charlap is also quite substantive, never grabbing the spotlight for himself, but tastefully adding chord progressions and comping to Mulligan's world-class musings. Only David Amram's patient California-styled "Splendor in the Grass" is not penned by Mulligan, with the rest of the set spilt between Brazilian songs, a little bop, and mostly the laid-back easygoing jazz that the leader specialized in…

In the summer of 1991 Gerry Mulligan decided to revisit Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool recordings. He discussed it with Miles Davis himself who said he might be interested in participating but sadly Davis died a few months later. With Wallace Roney (the perfect sound-alike) in the trumpeter's place, baritonist Mulligan got the band's original pianist and tuba player (John Lewis and Bill Barber), used his own bassist (Dean Johnson) and drummer (Ron Vincent), and found able substitutes in altoist Phil Woods (unfortunately Lee Konitz was unavailable to play his old parts), trombonist Dave Bargeron and John Clark on French horn.

Gerry Mulligan - Mulligan Plays Mulligan (1951) {Prestige OJCCD-003-2 rel 1982}
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© 1951, 1982 Prestige/ Fantacy / OJC | OJCCD-003-2
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Baritone Saxophone

Gerry Mulligan's first session as a leader and one of the first to showcase his baritone was recorded in New York shortly before he relocated to Los Angeles and formed his famous pianoless quartet with Chet Baker. There is a piano on this set (George Wallington) but Mulligan's writing (all seven selections are his) for a two-baritone nonet that also features trumpeter Nick Travis and tenor-saxophonist Allan Eager is already in his influential "cool style"; best-known among the originals is "Bweebida Bwobbida." Two numbers on the CD reissue feature a smaller unit out of the group with "Mulligan's Too" being an extended workout for the leader and Eager.

The 1989 Gerry Mulligan Quartet (with pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Dean Johnson and drummer Richie De Rosa) is well featured on this enjoyable set, performing "Splendor in the Grass" and nine recent Gerry Mulligan compositions including "Lonesome Boulevard," "The Flying Scotsman" and "Good Neighbor Thelonious.

Mulligan Meets Monk is a studio album by American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, originally released on Riverside Records in 1957. Includes alternate takes and one new bonus track - Now's The Time recorded at Newport Jazz Festival, Freebody Park, Newport July 17, 1955.

Mulligan Meets Monk documents the 1957 meeting of two sharp musical minds. Though the pairing may seem unlikely, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan - whose cool, West Coast style blends dexterity with laid-back grace - and Thelonious Monk - whose radical, angular piano playing and thoroughly modern compositions are blueprints for the possibilities of bop - sound remarkable together. In fact, it is the contrast between the players' styles that lends this set its balance and appeal. The program, which includes four compositions by Monk and one by Mulligan, is unassailable. Mulligan acquits himself admirably on the Monk classics "'Round Midnight," "Rhythm-a-ning," and "Straight, No Chaser," unfurling his smooth tone over their zigzagging melodies and ambitious scalar architecture…