Gerry Mulligan - Mulligan Plays Mulligan

Before Gerry Mulligan went to California to found his pianoless quartet and find gold, there were many lean days in New York. Whatever his financial hardships were, Gerry always managed to keep active musically by jamming around town and rehearsing various size groups for gigs that were never even in the offing. The latter is a very difficult thing to do. Even when there is a tentative engagement in view, it's hard to round up the boys for a rehearsal. Getting them together to read just for the love of music is really a problem. Gerry could always get them not because he was a great organizer but rather on the strength of his music. Everyone was interested in playing his compositions and arrangements. When there were no studios to be had, Gerry improvised. One afternoon he took a big band down by the lake in Central Park. It was an ideal location but the police thought otherwise. Out of these rehearsals grew his first tentette, heard here in six selections all written and arranged by Gerry.

The second side of this LP is an example of the sessions which Gerry participated in during this period. He combines swinging and thinking very effectively, and the composer in him is evident in that as he improvises, he constantly constructs lines which are food for new compositions. The general informality, and relaxed interplay between Gerry and Allen Eager reveal a climate of jazz not often caught on record. *Ira Gitler (liner notes)*

Gerry Mulligan's first session as a leader and one of the first to showcase his baritone was recorded in New York shortly before he relocated to Los Angeles and formed his famous pianoless quartet with Chet Baker. There is a piano on this set (George Wallington) but Mulligan's writing (all seven selections are his) for a two-baritone nonet that also features trumpeter Nick Travis and tenor saxophonist Allan Eager is already in his influential "cool style". *Scott Yanow*

Incredible work from Gerry Mulligan – material that predates his better-known west coast sides of the mid 50s! These 1951 recordings are a seminal document of the team of Gerry Mulligan and Allan Eager – offering some of Mulligan's first big impact on the east coast scene before moving to the west – and featuring some nicely crispy tenor from Eager! The group's a largeish one – with players that include Nick Travis on trumpet, George Wallington on piano, and Walt Bolden on drums – but the groove is clean and fluid, yet in a good way that's also bit more raspy than later Mulligan work. Titles include "Ide's Side", "Bweebida Bobbida", "Roundhouse", "Kaper", and "Funhouse" – plus the track "Mulligan's Too", which features a smaller group with George Wallington on piano.  *dustygroove.com*

Side 1

1 - Funhouse

2 - Ide's Side

3 - Roundhouse

4 - Kaper

5 - Bweebida Bobbida

6 - Mullenium

Side 2

07 - Mulligan's Too

(All compositions by Gerry Mulligan)

Gerry Mulligan, Max McElroy (baritone saxes); Allen Eager (tenor sax); Jerry Hurwitz, Nick Travis (trumpets); Ollie Wilson (trombone); George Wallington (piano); Phil Leshin (bass); Walter Bolden (drums); Gail Madden (maracas).

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, August 27, 1951.