Gerry Mulligan

[Cliff Englewood]

FWIW, "K-4 Pacific" was one of the highlights of the earlier Age Of Steam, "Song For Strayhorn" came back on several recordings from the 80s & 90s, and both it and "For An Unfinished Woman" got a big band reading on 1992's Walk On The Water.

Nice one, I'll have to check out "Walk On The Water" then, sounds like it could be a good one.

[Peter Friedman]

FWIW, "K-4 Pacific" was one of the highlights of the earlier Age Of Steam, "Song For Strayhorn" came back on several recordings from the 80s & 90s, and both it and "For An Unfinished Woman" got a big band reading on 1992's Walk On The Water.

Nice one, I'll have to check out "Walk On The Water" then, sounds like it could be a good one.

I consider it better than just good.

[Dave James]

Although this isn't a "hardware" item in the Mulligan canon, Wolfgang's Vault has recently released the tapes from the Concert Jazz Band's July 1960 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. I just finished listening to a couple of the cuts and the sound is very nice. Downloads available in either mp3 or flac format. $9.98 for the former and 12.98 for the latter.

I'll second any appreciations of Night Lights. One of my favorites. Same for What Is There To Say with Tommy Flanagan.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Dave James

[Cliff Englewood]

Although this isn't a "hardware" item in the Mulligan canon, Wolfgang's Vault has recently released the tapes from the Concert Jazz Band's July 1960 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. I just finished listening to a couple of the cuts and the sound is very nice. Downloads available in either mp3 or flac format. $9.98 for the former and 12.98 for the latter.

I'll second any appreciations of Night Lights. One of my favorites. Same for What Is There To Say with Tommy Flanagan.

I think you've got "What Is There To Say" confused with "Jeru", both of them are on Columbia IIRC. I feel that "What Is There To Say" could be used as one of those albums that you give to people who don't like Jazz as a way of breaking them in gently, it's a very underated recording in my opinion. If you're a big fan of it you should check out these two;

This one done shortly before;

And this one done shortly after;

[Bluesnik]

The CBS session

i have the mosaic box of the concert jazz band. it's very good. although i particularly like his pianoless quartet and that philips record (i don't remember its name right now. it's the one with the blueish painting cover).

[brownie]

Although this isn't a "hardware" item in the Mulligan canon, Wolfgang's Vault has recently released the tapes from the Concert Jazz Band's July 1960 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. I just finished listening to a couple of the cuts and the sound is very nice. Downloads available in either mp3 or flac format. $9.98 for the former and 12.98 for the latter.

That Newport 1960 concert had been released previously (in 1996) by the British label Jazz Band as 'Concert in the Rain'

The CD added 'The Anthill' by the Mulligan Sextet (Farmer, Brookmeyer, Mulligan, Hall, Crow, Bailey) from the 1963 Newport festival.

[J.A.W.]

I don't think this one has been mentioned yet:

While it might not be "essential" Mulligan, it's probably one of the best-recorded albums Mulligan made. The playing, especially Art Farmer's contributions, is near flawless — and very much in a "night lights" mood. Look for the Japanese import (which can still be had inexpensively), as it contains an essential bonus track with Mulligan on clarinet.

And another note on the "Mainstream of Jazz" alternates — they're worth their weight. I usually am not too excited when it comes to alternates, but in this case (especially with the alternate of "La Plus Que Lente") I'd call them must-haves. It's one of the few times where I find myself almost always preferring the alternates, which is strange.

There were 3 Mulligan albums with his 1950s Mercury/EmArcy dates. I don't know if there's enough material to fill 3 CDs, but I've suggested a Select with those recordings to Mosaic.

[JSngry]

50s Emarcy + 60s Limelights maybe? Same company.

[Bluesnik]

What would you recommend as marvellous other discs?

i particularly like the pacific jazz album with chet baker from the beginnings of the 50s (52?). the famous pianoless quartet stuff. it should have been wonderful seeing them at the haig! marylin monroe and robert mitchum and other pals apparently did. it was issued on the west coast classics series in that wonderful year of 98. i also like the concert jazz band. but that's very personal. others might like his verve material.

[save0904]

Amazon tracklist

Does anybody know the discographic information of this sessions ? I bought this very cheap (2€) at a book shop. Unfortunately there is no liner information. The cover indicates the Mulligan Quartet with Art Farmer, but I'm not sure.

[BillF]

On a quick listen to your samples, it sounds like:

Tracks 1-16 Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker

Tracks 17-26 Lee Konitz & the Mulligan Quartet (with Baker)

Tracks 27-32 Mulligan Meets Monk

Tracks 33-38 Mulligan Meets Ben Webster

A real treasure house for 2 euros!

Allmusic and CD Universe's websites will help with the discographical details. If you get stuck, ask me again.

[save0904]

On a quick listen to your samples, it sounds like:

Tracks 1-16 Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker

Tracks 17-26 Lee Konitz & the Mulligan Quartet (with Baker)

Tracks 27-32 Mulligan Meets Monk

Tracks 33-38 Mulligan Meets Ben Webster

A real treasure house for 2 euros!

Allmusic and CD Universe's websites will help with the discographical details. If you get stuck, ask me again.

Thank you very much Bill!

[Bluesnik]

night lights and the quartet album on pac jazz with chet baker are very good, but so is also all his concert jazz band material, from which i see you have the village vanguard album. there is a whole mosaic about cjb stuff...

[mjzee]

I'm right now listening to and greatly enjoying "Gerry Mulligan Meets Scott Hamilton: Soft Lights & Sweet Music" on Concord.  I found a used vinyl copy from Dusty Groove.  The two of them have a very nice interplay, and the rest of the band (Mike Renzi, Jay Leonhard and Grady Tate) is very simpatico.  

[JohnS]

9 hours ago, mjzee said:

I'm right now listening to and greatly enjoying "Gerry Mulligan Meets Scott Hamilton: Soft Lights & Sweet Music" on Concord.  I found a used vinyl copy from Dusty Groove.  The two of them have a very nice interplay, and the rest of the band (Mike Renzi, Jay Leonhard and Grady Tate) is very simpatico.  

As a Mulligan fan I'm sorry to say that I've never been able to enthuse about this one.