Gerry Mulligan
Language available : englishThe most famous and probably greatest jazz baritonist of all time, Gerry Mulligan was a giant. A flexible soloist who was always ready to jam with anyone from Dixielanders to the most advanced boppers, Mulligan brought a somewhat revolutionary light sound to his potentially awkward and brutal horn and played with the speed and dexterity of an altoist. Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was "Disc Jockey Jump." The rare times he played with Krupa's band was on alto and the same situation existed when he was with Claude Thornhill in 1948. Gerry Mulligan's first notable recorded work on baritone was with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet (1948-50) but once again his arrangements ("Godchild," "Darn That Dream" and three of his originals "Jeru," "Rocker" and "Venus de Milo") were more significant than his short solos. Mulligan spent much of 1949 writing for Elliot Lawrence's orchestra and playing anonymously in the saxophone section. It was not until 1951 that he began to get a bit of attention for his work on baritone. Mulligan recorded with his own nonet for Prestige, displaying an already recognizable sound. After he traveled to Los Angeles, he wrote some arrangements for Stan Kenton (including "Youngblood," "Swing House" and "Walking Shoes"), worked at the Lighthouse and then gained a regular Monday night engagement at the Haig. Around this time Mulligan realized that he enjoyed the extra freedom of soloing without a pianist. He jammed with trumpeter Chet Baker and soon their magical rapport was featured in his piano-less quartet. The group caught on quickly in 1952 and made both Mulligan and Baker into stars. A drug bust put Mulligan out of action and ended that quartet but, when he was released from jail in 1954, Mulligan began a new musical partnership with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer that was just as successful. Trumpeter Jon Eardley and Zoot Sims on tenor occasionally made the group a sextet and in 1958 trumpeter Art Farmer was featured in Mulligan's Quartet. Being a very flexible player with respect for other stylists, Mulligan went out of his way to record with some of the great musicians he admired. At the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival he traded off with baritonist Harry Carney on "Prima Bara Dubla" while backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and during 1957-60 he recorded separate albums with Thelonious Monk, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges. Mulligan played on the classic Sound of Jazz television special in 1958 and appeared in the movies I Want to Live and The Subterraneans. During 1960-64 Mulligan led his Concert Jazz Band which gave him an opportunity to write, play baritone and occasionally double on piano. The orchestra at times included Brookmeyer, Sims, Clark Terry and Mel Lewis. Mulligan was a little less active after the big band broke up but he toured extensively with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1968-72), had a part-time big band in the 1970s (the Age of Steam), doubled on soprano for a period, led a mid-'70s sextet that included vibraphonist Dave Samuels, and in 1986 jammed on a record with Scott Hamilton. In the 1990s he toured the world with his excellent "no-name" quartet and led a "Rebirth of the Cool Band" that performed and recorded remakes of the Miles Davis Nonet classics. Up until the end, Gerry Mulligan was always eager to play. Among Mulligan's compositions were "Walkin' Shoes," "Line for Lyons," "Bark for Barksdale," "Nights at the Turntable," "Utter Chaos," "Soft Shoe," "Blueport," "Song for Strayhorn," "Song for an Unfinished Woman" and "I Never Was a Young Man" (which he often sang). He recorded extensively through the years for such labels as Prestige, Pacific Jazz, Capitol, Vogue, EmArcy, Columbia, Verve, Milestone, United Artists, Philips, Limelight, A&M, CTI, Chiaroscuro, Who's Who, DRG, Concord and GRP.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo Read more
The most famous and probably greatest jazz baritonist of all time, Gerry Mulligan was a giant. A flexible soloist who was always ready to jam with anyone from Dixielanders to the most advanced boppers, Mulligan brought a somewhat revolutionary light sound to his potentially awkward and brutal horn and played with the speed and dexterity of an altoist.
Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was "Disc Jockey Jump." The rare times he played with Krupa's band was on alto and the same situation existed when he was with Claude Thornhill in 1948.
Gerry Mulligan's first notable recorded work on baritone was with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet (1948-50) but once again his arrangements ("Godchild," "Darn That Dream" and three of his originals "Jeru," "Rocker" and "Venus de Milo") were more significant than his short solos. Mulligan spent much of 1949 writing for Elliot Lawrence's orchestra and playing anonymously in the saxophone section. It was not until 1951 that he began to get a bit of attention for his work on baritone. Mulligan recorded with his own nonet for Prestige, displaying an already recognizable sound. After he traveled to Los Angeles, he wrote some arrangements for Stan Kenton (including "Youngblood," "Swing House" and "Walking Shoes"), worked at the Lighthouse and then gained a regular Monday night engagement at the Haig. Around this time Mulligan realized that he enjoyed the extra freedom of soloing without a pianist. He jammed with trumpeter Chet Baker and soon their magical rapport was featured in his piano-less quartet. The group caught on quickly in 1952 and made both Mulligan and Baker into stars.
A drug bust put Mulligan out of action and ended that quartet but, when he was released from jail in 1954, Mulligan began a new musical partnership with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer that was just as successful. Trumpeter Jon Eardley and Zoot Sims on tenor occasionally made the group a sextet and in 1958 trumpeter Art Farmer was featured in Mulligan's Quartet. Being a very flexible player with respect for other stylists, Mulligan went out of his way to record with some of the great musicians he admired. At the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival he traded off with baritonist Harry Carney on "Prima Bara Dubla" while backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and during 1957-60 he recorded separate albums with Thelonious Monk, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges. Mulligan played on the classic Sound of Jazz television special in 1958 and appeared in the movies I Want to Live and The Subterraneans.
During 1960-64 Mulligan led his Concert Jazz Band which gave him an opportunity to write, play baritone and occasionally double on piano. The orchestra at times included Brookmeyer, Sims, Clark Terry and Mel Lewis. Mulligan was a little less active after the big band broke up but he toured extensively with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1968-72), had a part-time big band in the 1970s (the Age of Steam), doubled on soprano for a period, led a mid-'70s sextet that included vibraphonist Dave Samuels, and in 1986 jammed on a record with Scott Hamilton. In the 1990s he toured the world with his excellent "no-name" quartet and led a "Rebirth of the Cool Band" that performed and recorded remakes of the Miles Davis Nonet classics. Up until the end, Gerry Mulligan was always eager to play.
Among Mulligan's compositions were "Walkin' Shoes," "Line for Lyons," "Bark for Barksdale," "Nights at the Turntable," "Utter Chaos," "Soft Shoe," "Blueport," "Song for Strayhorn," "Song for an Unfinished Woman" and "I Never Was a Young Man" (which he often sang). He recorded extensively through the years for such labels as Prestige, Pacific Jazz, Capitol, Vogue, EmArcy, Columbia, Verve, Milestone, United Artists, Philips, Limelight, A&M, CTI, Chiaroscuro, Who's Who, DRG, Concord and GRP.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Night Lights (Expanded Edition)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1963
This is a rather relaxed recording featuring baritonist Gerry Mulligan and some of his top alumni (trumpeter Art Farmer, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, gu ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve on 1 jan. 1959
Make no mistake about it, the swing and bop start right here on this legendary 1959 session between baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and tenor man ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saga Jazz: With Chet Baker & Friends
Gerry Mulligan
Bebop - Released by Saga on 27 jan. 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve on 10 dec. 2018
Qobuz RéférenceGerry Mulligan's 1959 studio date with Johnny Hodges is one of the most satisfying sessions of his various meetings with different saxophonists for Ve ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Recordings: 1959 - 1962
Gerry Mulligan
Moderne jazz - Released by Chrome Dreams on 11 mrt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
What Is There To Say?
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Legacy - Columbia on 1 jan. 1959
Qobuz RéférenceThe last of the pianoless quartet albums that Gerry Mulligan recorded in the 1950s is one of the best, featuring the complementary trumpet of Art Farm ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concert Jazz Band Live At The Village Vanguard (Live At The Village Vanguard / 1960)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve on 1 jan. 1960
Of all the recordings made by Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band in the 1960s, this is the definitive one. There are many high points, including "Body ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting The Gerry Mulligan Sextet
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1955
Qobuz RéférenceThe short-lived Gerry Mulligan sextet of 1955-56 recorded three albums before disbanding. This particular out-of-print LP features baritonist Mulligan ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
BD Music Presents Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Bebop - Released by BDMUSIC on 7 aug. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jeru
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 4 apr. 2019
Qobuz RéférenceWhile Gerry Mulligan was famous in the 1950s for leading pianoless quartets, he never had anything against pianists; in fact he often played piano him ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Age Of Steam (Album Version)
Gerry Mulligan
Pop - Released by A&M Jazz on 1 jan. 1971
During the 1952-65 period baritonist Gerry Mulligan was one of the most famous musicians in jazz but he spent the following five years at a lower prof ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blues In Time
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1957
Qobuz RéférenceThree years after Gerry Mulligan initially sat in with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the baritone saxophonist arrived at a point where he could perform al ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mulligan Meets Monk
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 31 jul. 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Concert Jazz Band '63 (Live At Webster Hall)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 sep. 1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1997
Although an earlier CD added five previously unissued tracks to the original LP Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, this Verve Master Edition two-CD set ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lonesome Boulevard (Album Version)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by A&M Jazz on 1 jan. 1989
Qobuz RéférenceGerry Mulligan's quartet recorded this studio date about seven years before his death, and it's a beautiful statement of where the refined, seasoned v ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (Remastered)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by AVID Entertainment on 14 jul. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Recordings: 1956 - 1959
Gerry Mulligan
Bebop - Released by Chrome Dreams on 11 mrt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Little Big Horn
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1983
On one of the first relatively straightahead sessions for GRP, baritonist Gerry Mulligan (accompanied by a rhythm section led by Dave Grusin's keyboar ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Midnight Session (Mono Version)
Gerry Mulligan
Jazz - Released by BnF Collection on 1 jan. 1963
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
California Concerts (Live)
Gerry Mulligan
Moderne jazz - Released by Music Manager on 9 aug. 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo