Jazz saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger Gerry Mulligan was perhaps the best-known and most celebrated exponent of the baritone sax in the history of genre. Although a native New Yorker, he became associated with the West Coast “cool school” of modern jazz in the 1950s and participated in numerous landmark recordings during his career. He became especially well-known for his collaborations during the early ‘50s with trumpeter Chet Baker (see “The Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker Collection 1952-53” Acrobat ADDCD 3339), but later in the decade he also made albums with several other jazz luminaries of the era, and this collection comprises the complete contents of five of those.
This 33-track 3-CD collections features the titles from from the Verve albums “Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi”, “Gerry Mulligan - Paul Desmond Quartet”, “Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster”, “Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges”, and the Riverside album “Mulligan Meets Monk”. Quite apart from the headline collaborators , it also includes performances by notable musicians of the day who were in the bands – Joe Benjamin, Lou Levy, Ray Brown, Jimmy Rowles, Mel Lewis, Claude Williamson, Buddy Clark and more.
Capturing the great saxophonist creating albums with his illustrious peers, it naturally offers an enlightening and enjoyable showcase for his unique talents.
