GERRY MULLIGAN: The Arranger [RE-UP]

GERRY MULLIGAN
Alvíssaras! Depois de muito tempo buscando este álbum, eis que o nosso querido AMIGO (que faz questão de manter o anonimato), nos oferece a preciosidade. É mais um álbum essencial na discografia do grande Gerry Mulligan. Valeu, AMIGO!
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GERRY MULLIGAN: THE ARRANGER
Everybody knows that Gerry Mulligan is a saxophonist - most often to be heard on the baritone sax - but he's also a pianist, a composer, an arranger and a bandleader. This album focuses on two important stages in the course of his career as an arranger. The first aspect is exemplified by four items which are representative of his manner in the late 40's, when he was only twenty years and worked for Gene Krupa and Elliot Lawrence. The following four pieces, so far unissued except for Thruway, were recorded in the 50's by a big band put together by Gerry in New York.During the ten years between those two series, Gerry wrote and arranged for several bands, including the Miles Davis Nonet, Charlie Parker's strings and Claude Thornhill's Orchestra. He also went to California where, in 1952, he gained worldwide recognition with his piano-less Quartet. Later, in 1955, he put up his Sextet. Needless to say, the four pieces of the 50's reflect the evolution of those different stages. Gerry had also made sure to pick some of his favorite musicians for the occasion, among them such stylists as Lee Konitz, Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer. He also liked his trumpet line. "Their togetherness," he says, "reminded me of Ellington's trombone section in the 30's. Lawrence Brown, Juan Tizol and Joe Nanton each had a very different style, yet together they produced an amazing overall sound." The same remark applies to Don Joseph, Dan Ferrara, Phil Sunkel and Jerry Lloyd (formerly Jerry Hurwitz, a trumpet player very much in demand around New York in the 40's). Each of them possesses a strong musical personality, yet their ensemble work is unique. Surely the orchestration of All The Things You Are is one of Gerry's most engaging score. Although primarily meant to emphasize Don Joseph's delicate feeling as a melodist, this arrangement on Jerome Kern's famous evergreen seems to develop into an original composition unmistakably stamped by the personality of Mulligan the arranger. The chord progression of the song is ideally suited to Gerry's refined harmonic taste, as witness the ensamble of the last chorus, whose precision reminds us of the fact that Mulligan is also an expert and demanding bandleader. Here he really gets the very best of his band in all respects, particularly so far as timing, phrasing and respect of dynamics are concerned. The closeness of the different sections of the band, together with the blending of their respective colors, suggest a full organ with a subtle combination of stops. It makes it the more a pity that this superb band never had a chance to function regularly.
Motel, Mullenium and Thruway obviously confront us with one of the most original of jazz arrangers. All those characteristics of Mulligan's style that were already discernible in his contributions to Krupa's and Lawrence's books have here come to full maturity. We note a supreme lightness of touch in the ensemble work, a taste for linear and multilinear melodies as well as an elegant strictness in the written parts that stands in sharp contrast with the freedom allowed the soloists when they improvise. Gerry also likes to make room for a certain form of collective improvisation or "spontaneous polyphony" (in Thruway, for instance), a taste he happily owes to his respect for traditional jazz. Big bands are scarce nowadays and a lot of people the whole world over certainly wish there were more of them on the jazz scene. Not only those who are old enough to have enjoyed on the hoof, so to speak, the music of the 40's and the 50's, but also the younger set, the people in thier twenties and thirties who are now discovering it. Both age-groups should be happy with this album, which aptly illustrates one of the most authentic and specific aspects of a purely American musical world: the Big Band, with its seven brass, its five reeds and its rhythm section. One may well wonder how such a rigid formula can allow any latitude to original creativity. Because Gerry Mulligan is not only a brilliant soloist but also a superbly gifted composer and arranger, he has
long known the answer to that question. This album makes it obvious.
(By Henri Renaud)

*****
This LP includes some of Gerry Mulligan's charts for the orchestras of Gene Krupa ("How High the Moon" and "Disc Jockey Jump") and Elliot Lawrence ("Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "Elevation") in addition to featuring his own 1957 big band ("Thruway," "All the Things You Are," "Mullenium" and "Motel"). The Krupa performances are near-classic, the forgotten Lawrence band is in top form and Jeru's specially assembled orchestra features solos from baritonist Mulligan, trumpeters Jerry Lloyd and Don Joseph, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, tenor-saxophonist Zoot Sims and altoist Lee Konitz. Excellent music.
(Source: AMG)
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MINHA OPINIÃO - falar mais uma vez sobre o arranjador Gerry Mulligan seria repetir o óbvio, já escrito por mim em outras postagens desse gigante. Ademais, o Henry Renaud fez uma resenha perfeita e esgotou a matéria. Eu apenas destaco a pedra mais preciosa deste colar: ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE, uma das mais belas canções de todos os tempos, escrita pelo genial Jerome Kern. O arranjo de GM é uma obra prima de arquitetura...Ele mesmo faz a exposição do tema com um trio - seu sax-barítono, baixo e bateria - e vai juntando os demais instrumentos aos poucos, até construir o "edifício". Depois..."implode" e desmonta tudo de novo.

(*)Este modelo foi, sem dúvida, o inspirador de Cecil Bridgewater, ao elaborar seu extraordinário arranjo de "Love and harmony", no álbum NEW LIFE, de Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, postado no blog recentemente.
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GERRY MULLIGAN: The Arranger

PERSONNEL:
1 = Gene Krupa & His Orchestra: Tony Anelli, Warren Covington, Carl Ziggy Elmer, Charlie Kennedy, Gene Krupa, Bob noz, Teddy Napoleon, Red Rodney, Jack Schwartz, Ben Seaman, Dick Taylor Harry Terrill, Joe Triscari, Mike Triscari, Ray Triscari, Charlie Ventura, Buddy Wise

2 = Gene Krupa & His Orchestra: Ed Badgley,Don Fagerquist, Clay Hervey, Charlie Kennedy, Gene Krupa, Bob Lesher, Emil Mazanec, Mitch Melnick,Buddy Neal, Al Procino, Jack Schwartz, Bob Strahl, Dick Taylor, Harry Terrill, Ray Triscari, Buddy Wise, Jack Zimmerman

3 = Elliot Lawrence & His Orchestra: Sy Berger, Merle Bredwell, Bill Danzizen (Danziesen), John Dee, Frank Hunter, Gene Hessler, Elliot Lawrence, Howie Mann, Tom O'Neil, Jimmy Padget, Bruno Rondinello, Joe Soldo, Joe Techner, Phil Urso

4 = Elliot Lawrence & His Orchestra: Sy Berger, Merle Bredwell, Bill Danzizen (Danziesen), John Dee, Vince Forrest, Louis Giamo, Chuck Harris, Bob Karsh, Elliot Lawrence, Howie Mann, Tom O'Neil, Jimmy Padget, Bruno Rondinello, Joe Soldo, Joe Techner, Phil Urso

5 - 8 = Gene Allen, Dave Bailey, Joe Benjamin, Bobby Brookmeyer, Don Ferrera, Lee Konitz, Hal McKusick, Frank Rehak, Zoot Sims, Phil Sunkel

TRACKS/FAIXAS:
1. How High The Moon notes
2. Disc Jockey Jump - The Bebop Era
3. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
4. Elevation notes - The Bebop Era
5. *Thruway
6. All The Things You Are notes
7. Mullenium
8. *Motel