Review from London Jazz News (by Len Weinreich):
Sometime during the late 1940s, jazz hipperati first clocked Gerry Mulligan as a fledging composer and arranger slyly inserting bebop flavouring into charts for the Elliot Lawrence, Claude Thornhill and Gene Krupa big bands. In 1949, his reputation increased through his total immersion in the legendary Miles Davis's 'Birth of the Cool' Nonet for which he supplied original charts and arrangements and occupied the baritone chair.
Until then (notable exceptions: the revered Harry Carney in Ellington's orchestra, Serge Chaloff in Woody Herman's Herd and, to a lesser extent, Jack Washington with Basie), the sole function of baritone saxophonists had been to anchor big band reed sections and/or, occasionally, provide corny novelty effects. But Mulligan, displaying the benign influence of Lester Young, redefined the baritone's role by developing an individual timbre (significantly, his first wind instrument was the Bb clarinet) coupled with a fearsomely dextrous technique. Describing the unwieldy horn as 'a butterfly with hiccups', by giving it a lyrical voice he liberated the baritone forever.
But Mulligan's big time arrived in 1952 at Los Angeles' Haig club when he shocked aficionados by forming joining an iconoclastic quartet with trumpeter Chet Baker that elbowed the piano. Supported only by bass and drums, their two-part harmonies and counterpoint produced an airy, unencumbered sound unlike any other. Haig audiences were transported to a new level of cool.
Having applied his minimalist approach to upend the jazz universe, innate arranger Mulligan perplexed fans and critics by altering his approach. Instead of continuing with his stripped-down instrumentation, drawing on his arranging skills, he opted for sumptuous backdrops, draping his baritone with the dense textures and voluptuous harmonies of a full-blown jazz orchestra. Explaining why, eight years after his triumphant Haig debut, we hear him in 1960 surrounded by 14 star musicians at two concerts in Copenhagen and West Berlin.
In effect, it was a glorified arranger-fest. Mulligan shared chart duties with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer (the unofficial co-founder of the Concert Jazz Band, according to Neil Tesser's informative sleeve notes), and the highly experienced arranger, Bill Holman.
The Danish concert opens with Mulligan's spiky theme tune, Utter Chaos, before Buddy Clarke's walking bass and Mel Lewis's drums usher the band into Johnny Mandel's Black Nightgown from the soundtrack of the noir Hollywood movie, 'I Want To Live' (Mulligan played baritone on the soundtrack recording). The brilliance of the brass section, each member a virtuoso, stimulates excited Danish applause. Then the mood softens for Django Reinhardt's exquisite Manoir De Mes Reves, a serious contender for the dreamiest jazz song ever composed. Over luscious organ chords, Mulligan reveals his emotions with elegance without ever resorting to sentimentality.
Due homage is paid to one of Mulligan's greatest heroes, Johnny (Rabbit) Hodges, alto-saxophone superstar of the Ellington band, with the furiously fast 18 Carrots For Rabbit, arranged by Bill Holman and featuring exceptional (and elusive) altoist Gene Quill and the equally breath-taking reed section.
Johnny Mandel's Latin-inspired Barbara's Theme is the album's second visit to the 'I Want To Live' movie soundtrack, this time featuring the trumpet of Don Ferrara and consummate big band drumming skills of Mel Lewis (who would later co-lead his own ground-breaking orchestra with trumpeter Thad Jones).
The next couple of tracks present two facets of Zoot Sims, master tenor saxophonist. Bill Holman arranged Mulligan's composition Apple Core (a contrafact of Love Me Or Leave Me) at a fierce up-tempo, highly suited to Sims' tearaway mode, immediately followed by Mulligan's succulent chart of Arlen and Mercer's ballad, Come Rain Or Come Shine, offering a glimpse of Sims' more sensitive side.
As well as appearing in the movie 'Anatomy Of A Murder' as a roadhouse piano player, Duke Ellington also wrote the unorthodox 6/8 time theme of I'm Gonna Go Fishin' as part of the soundtrack (sometime later, singer Peggy Lee added lyrics). Trumpeter Conte Candoli, Zoot Sims and Mulligan take turns at weaving intricate solos around the tricky time signature and Brookmeyer's lilting arrangement.
At track 9, the recording switches location to West Berlin which, in 1960, is a beleaguered island surrounded by a hostile Soviet sea. But neither harsh geopolitics nor the auditorium's excess reverb faze this enthusiastic band. Both Brookmeyer and Mulligan solo on Brookmeyer's fine arrangement of Rogers and Hart's You Took Advantage Of Me demonstrating relaxed swing and relaxed dynamics prior to an abrupt and surprising halt. The first chorus of Mulligan's Bweedia Bobbida provides a nostalgic reminder of the original Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker. Johnny Green's Body And Soul, arranged by Brookmeyer, allows both Brookmeyer and Mulligan ample room to contemplate the venerable ballad against an opulent, yet sympathetic, backing from the band.
The extra versions of I'm Gonna Go Fishin' and 18 Carrots For Rabbit recorded in Berlin provide unusual opportunities for listeners to contrast, compare and marvel at the soloists' musical creativity. Furthermore, listeners can delight in an extra helping of the gifted Gene Quill, a much-overlooked alto player, once the recording partner of alto player, Phil Woods ('Phil and Quill').
So, if you crave unlimited virtuosity and brilliant arranging, all bristling with the high voltage of live performance, here's your album. And many thanks to Nils Winther who restored the tapes with so much love and care.
https://londonjazznews.com/2022/11/21/gerry-mulligan-concert-jazz-band-in-concert-rec-1960/
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Resena de London Jazz News (por Len Weinreich):
A finales de los anos 40, los entendidos del jazz comenzaron a fijarse en Gerry Mulligan como un compositor y arreglista incipiente que insertaba sutilmente sabores bebop en los arreglos para las big bands de Elliot Lawrence, Claude Thornhill y Gene Krupa. En 1949, su reputacion crecio gracias a su total inmersion en el legendario Noneto de Miles Davis 'Birth of the Cool', para el que aporto arreglos y composiciones originales y ocupo el asiento del baritono.
Hasta entonces (excepciones notables: el venerado Harry Carney en la orquesta de Ellington, Serge Chaloff con Woody Herman y, en menor medida, Jack Washington con Basie), la unica funcion de los saxofonistas baritono habia sido anclar las secciones de vientos de las big bands y, ocasionalmente, aportar efectos de novedad. Pero Mulligan, mostrando la benigna influencia de Lester Young, redefinio el papel del baritono desarrollando un timbre individual acoplado a una tecnica de asombrosa destreza. Describiendo el aparatoso instrumento como 'una mariposa con hipo', al darle una voz lirica libero al baritono para siempre.
Pero el gran momento de Mulligan llego en 1952 en el club Haig de Los Angeles, cuando sorprendio a los aficionados formando un iconoclasta cuarteto con el trompetista Chet Baker que prescindia del piano. Apoyados solo por bajo y bateria, sus armonias a dos voces y su contrapunto produjeron un sonido aireado y desencadenado como ningun otro. Las audiencias del Haig fueron transportadas a un nuevo nivel de cool.
Habiendo aplicado su enfoque minimalista para trastocar el universo del jazz, Mulligan desconcierta a fans y criticos al alterar nuevamente su propuesta. En lugar de continuar con su instrumentacion reducida, optando por sus habilidades de arreglo, eligio fondos suntuosos, envolviendo su baritono con las densas texturas y las opulentas armonias de una orquesta de jazz en toda regla. Esto explica por que, ocho anos despues de su triunfal debut en el Haig, lo escuchamos en 1960 rodeado de 14 musicos estelares en dos conciertos en Copenhague y Berlin Occidental.
En la practica, fue una fiesta de arreglistas. Mulligan compartio la tarea de los arreglos con el trombonista de valvula Bob Brookmeyer (el cofundador no oficial del Concert Jazz Band, segun las informativas notas del libreto de Neil Tesser) y el experimentado arreglista Bill Holman.
El concierto danes abre con el spiky tema emblematico de Mulligan, Utter Chaos, antes de que el walking bass de Buddy Clarke y la bateria de Mel Lewis conduzcan a la banda hacia el Black Nightgown de Johnny Mandel, de la banda sonora de la pelicula noir de Hollywood 'I Want To Live' (Mulligan toco el baritono en la grabacion de la banda sonora). La brillantez de la seccion de bronces, cada miembro un virtuoso, desata los aplausos daneses. Luego el clima se suaviza para el exquisito Manoir De Mes Reves de Django Reinhardt, serio candidato al sueno del jazz mas onico jamas compuesto. Sobre lujosos acordes de organo, Mulligan revela sus emociones con elegancia sin recurrir jamas a la sentimentalidad.
Se rinde homenaje a uno de los grandes heroes de Mulligan, Johnny (Rabbit) Hodges, superestrella del alto en la banda de Ellington, con el furiosa y veloz 18 Carrots For Rabbit, arreglado por Bill Holman y con la actuacion excepcional del altista Gene Quill y la igualmente impresionante seccion de vientos.
El Latino Barbara's Theme de Johnny Mandel es la segunda visita del album a la banda sonora de 'I Want To Live', esta vez con la trompeta de Don Ferrara y las consumadas habilidades de bateria de big band de Mel Lewis (quien mas tarde co-lideraria su propia innovadora orquesta con el trompetista Thad Jones).
Los siguientes temas presentan dos facetas de Zoot Sims, maestro del tenor. Bill Holman arrreglo la composicion de Mulligan Apple Core (un contrafact de Love Me Or Leave Me) a un feroz tempo rapido, muy adecuado para el modo desbocado de Sims, seguido inmediatamente por el suculento arreglo de Mulligan de la balada de Arlen y Mercer Come Rain Or Come Shine, que ofrece un atisbo del lado mas sensible de Sims.
Ademas de aparecer en la pelicula 'Anatomy Of A Murder' como pianista de bar de carretera, Duke Ellington tambien escribio el heterodoxo tema en compas de 6/8 I'm Gonna Go Fishin' como parte de la banda sonora (tiempo despues, la cantante Peggy Lee le agrego letra). El trompetista Conte Candoli, Zoot Sims y Mulligan se turnan tejiendo intrincados solos alrededor del complicado compas y el suave arreglo de Brookmeyer.
En el track 9, la grabacion cambia de ubicacion a Berlin Occidental que, en 1960, es una isla sitiada rodeada de un mar sovietico hostil. Pero ni la dura geopolitica ni el exceso de reverberacion del auditorio amilanan a esta entusiasta banda. Tanto Brookmeyer como Mulligan improvisan en el fino arreglo de Brookmeyer de You Took Advantage Of Me de Rogers y Hart. El primer coro del Bweedia Bobbida de Mulligan evoca nostalgicamente el cuarteto original de Mulligan con Chet Baker. Body And Soul de Johnny Green, arreglado por Brookmeyer, da a ambos amplio espacio para contemplar la venerable balada ante un lujoso y simpatico acompanamiento de la banda.
Las versiones extra de I'm Gonna Go Fishin' y 18 Carrots For Rabbit grabadas en Berlin ofrecen inusuales oportunidades para contrastar, comparar y maravillarse con la creatividad musical de los solistas. Ademas, los oyentes pueden deleitarse con una porcion extra del talentoso Gene Quill, un altista muy pasado por alto, otrora compañero de grabacion del altista Phil Woods ('Phil and Quill').
Asi que si anhelas virtuosismo ilimitado y arreglos brillantes, todo rebosante del alto voltaje de la actuacion en vivo, aqui esta tu album. Y muchas gracias a Nils Winther que restauro las cintas con tanto amor y cuidado.
https://londonjazznews.com/2022/11/21/gerry-mulligan-concert-jazz-band-in-concert-rec-1960/
