Lars Gullin Quartet

One of the top baritone saxophonists of all time and a giant of European jazz, Lars Gullin would be better known today if he had visited the U.S. often and if excessive drug use had not cut short his career. Early on he learned to play bugle, clarinet, and piano, and was actually a professional altoist until switching to baritone when he was 21. Sounding somewhere between Gerry Mulligan and Serge Chaloff, Gullin played in local big bands in the late '40s and was in Arne Domnerus' sextet (1951-1953), but is best known for his own small-group recordings. He played with such touring Americans as Lee Konitz (a major influence), James Moody, Clifford Brown, Zoot Sims, and Chet Baker, and recorded frequently during 1951-1960, with "Danny's Dream" being his most famous composition.  *Scott Yanow*

Lars Gullin was one of the most famous baritone saxophonists from Sweden - actually he was elected the new star of the year (1954) by a board of critics, on baritone saxophone in the Down Beat Critics' Poll. Also, before the Critics' Poll, many US Jazz players who toured to North Europe noticed Lars Gullin's artistry - such musicians as Chet Baker, James Moody and Stan Getz played with Lars Gullin.

Like Gerry Mulligan, he doubles on baritone sax and piano. But of course his primary instrument is baritone sax. His tone is heart-warming as well as swingy - as Chet Baker recalled Lars in his late days: "... Lars played with a lot more fire and a lot more authority in some ways than Gerry did". *microgroove.jp*

Lars Gullin is one of the very few European jazz musicians who consistently appear on American all star polls. One of the reasons for this is that many European musicians imitate American styles and sounds rather than creating for themselves. 

Gullin is certainly an exception to this general rule. Now in his middle twenties, he has been playing baritone for a number of years, still keeping his hand in on the tenor which was his first instrument. Speaking as a musician, as well as a composer and arranger, Lars has long felt that the efforts during recent years to produce "new sounds" in jazz have resulted in many rather strained and unmusical recordings. 

He feels that this is so because arrangers and musicians have tried too hard to be original in their manner of writing and playing, instead of concentrating on what they are creating. As he says, what really has had any importance in "new sounds" has evolved from minds less concerned about the originality as such than about musical sincerity in exploring new tone colors in the jazz idiom. 

This is not to say, of course, that there is anything wrong with experimenting with different combinations of instruments. These sides, for example, feature an instrumentation which has probably never before been used on records — that is, the combination of guitar, baritone, bass nd drums. 

But what is most striking about this album is more than just the smooth and delicate sound that this unusual blend produces. It is most particularly the feeling of cohesion and continuity which is present in the inventive. writing, the closely integrated team work and the warm and intelligent solo work. This is jazz chamber music at its best.

It is with considerable pride, then, that EmArcy presents these examples of modern jazz, jazz without a foreign accent, but still freshly and beautifully Made in Sweden. *(Liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Danny's Dream

2 - Be Careful

Side 2

3 - Igloo

4 - Circus

(All compositions by Lars Gullin)

Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Rolf Berg (guitar), George Riedel (bass), Robert Edman (drums).

Recorded at Europa-Film Studio, Stockholm, Sweden, May 25, 1954.