GERRY MULLIGAN: Gerry Mulligan & The Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard (1960)

GERRY MULLIGAN
Mais um grande álbum do nosso velho conhecido Gerry Mulligan, um dos pais do "cool jazz".
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ALBUM REVIEW
Gerry Mulligan is usually associated with small group "chamber jazz", frequently with no drummer, or with "cool jazz", such as The Birth of the Cool with Miles. However, Mulligan got his start with big bands and wrote arrangements for Claude Thornhill, Stan Kenton and others. This is a different kind of big band, however. First of all, Mulligan is a type of minimalist. He liked to arrange with "space" to allow the musicians to improvise. That is certainly true here, and he makes great use of his many outstanding soloists, such as Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer and of course Mulligan himself. Second, when it is time for ensemble writing, he writes with a lot of punch, demanding very tight playing, as is very evident here. The playing and writing are both excellent. There are several highlights, but the best moments on the album are the back and forth "trading" improvising by Mulligan and Terry in "Blueport" (absolutely infectious), and the ensemble playing in "Lady Chatterly's Mother". This recording is an absolutely essential part of any Mulligan-lover's collection as it shows a different side of his talent. It should also be in any big band lover's collection. I hope that Verve keeps producing the album for a while.
(By Rick Collins - amazon.com)
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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 and Soul" (which has fine solos from the baritone/leader and valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer), "Come Rain or Come Shine," and the swinging "Let My People Be," but "Blueport" takes honors. On the latter, after hot solos by Mulligan, trombonist Willie Dennis, and Jim Reider on tenor, Mulligan and trumpeter Clark Terry have a lengthy trade-off that is quite hilarious with a countless number of quotes from different songs; at one point they trade off cities. This music is essential.
(AllMusicGuide)
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MINHA OPINIÃO: o sabor dos arranjos é o mesmo do "Birth of The Cool" e do "West Coast Jazz" - e não podia ser diferente, porque o "chef" responsável por esse lauto cardápio é o grande Gerry Mulligan - um dos "monstros sagrados" da história do jazz. E mesmo nos arranjos de Al Cohn e Johnny Mandel, o paladar não muda quase nada: afinal esses "cozinheiros" são "farinha do mesmo saco".
Desnecessário acrescentar que os músicos são o "creme-do-creme" do "West Coast Jazz". É um álbum raro e essencial.

(*) Eu tenho um LP do Mulligan, intitulado "THE ARRANGER". A faixa "All the things you are" é uma obra-prima, uma aula de bom gosto, técnica e elegância. O problema é que por não ter mais toca-discos, não tenho como "ripar". Então, se algum dos amigos do blog possuir este álbum em CD ou já convertido para MP3, ficarei muito grato se me oferecer uma cópia. É um álbum essencial na discografia de Mulligan.
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GERRY MULLIGAN: Gerry Mulligan & The Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard (1960)

PERSONNEL:
Gerry Mulligan (Baritone Saxophone, Piano and Arranger)
Don Ferrara (Trumpet)
Clark Terry (Trumpet)
Nick Travis (Trumpet)
Bob Brookmeyer (Trombone)
Willie Dennis (Trombone)
Alan Ralph (Trombone)
Gene Quill (Clarinet and Alto Saxophone)
Bob Donovan (Alto Saxophone)
Jim Reider (Tenor Saxophone)
Gene Allen (Baritone Saxophone and Bass Clarinet)
Bill Crow (Double Bass)
Mel Lewis (Drums)

Al Cohn (Arranger) - track 1
Johnny Mandel (Arranger) - track 3

TRACKS/FAIXAS:
1. Blueport (Art Farmer) 4:10
2. Body And Soul (Frank Eyton/Johnny Green/Edward Heyman/Robert Sour) 11:06
3. Black Nightgown (Johnny Mandel) 5:44
4. Come Rain or Come Shine (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) 5:35
5. Lady Chatterlay's Mother (Al Cohn) 6:14
6. Let My People Be (Gerry Mulligan) 7:59