Five-Star Collection... The Concert Jazz Band (III)

The Concert Jazz Band

Gerry Mulligan '63

The most exciting news and, later, reality in the jazz world in 1960 was the formation in March of that year of The Concert Jazz Band. It seemed such a right thing for perennial poll-winner Gerry Mulligan to do. And the response from critics and audiences the world over has borne out Gerry's efforts.

In scoring the band's first album a full five stars, Down Beat reviewer Don DeMicheal noted, "It is an extension and expansion of Mulligan's concept as we've come to know it through his quartet and sextet: the combination of extremes - simplicity with complexity, cool intellectualism with hot-blooded emotion, sophistication with guts.

"Because of these many facets and of the variety of emotional experience the band offers, I feel this is the most important big band in jazz today."

In person and on records the band bore out DeMicheal's belief. The Concert Jazz Band played jazz superbly. It played arrangements by Gerry, Bob Brookmeyer, Johnny Carisi, John Mandel, Bill Holman, George Russell, and, best of all, it uncovered and encouraged new writing talents. (...)

This collection of material by The Concert Jazz Band has a decidedly Ellington-ish flavor to it. This is due, perhaps, to the wealth of soloing and the interesting colors the band creates behind the solos. Such sounds have come to be identified as Dukish, regardless of their source. The similarity ends there, however, because the band is unmistakeably Mulligan. His personality and his sound permeate the entire album. (...)

The originals were written by Bob Brookmeyer ("Big City Blues" and "Big City Life"), Gary McFarland ("Bridgehampton Strut", "Bridgehampton South", and "Pretty Little Gypsy"), and Gerry ("Ballad"). Gerry, of course, is the baritone sax soloist, and is heard in one of his rare recorded appearances on clarinet in "Big City Blues" and "Pretty Little Gypsy". Bob Brookmeyer is heard on piano in "Big City Life" and "Big City Blues". Clark Terry's trumpet is spotted throughout the album. And another instrument debuts on this Concert Jazz Band album : the guitar of Jim Hall.

Although the selections were recorded in 1962, they were at a year-end session and certainly indicated what the sound of Gerry Mulligan '63 would be... and is.

*Dom Cerulli (from the liner notes)*

It's another of the unfortunate conditions in jazz that a band of this caliber cannot exist on a full-time basis. In 1963 it hasn’t even been together on a part-time basis, but in December 1962, this album was taped in four consecutive dates.

Its great appeal comes from the variety of original material, the way it is programmed and, most importantly, played. The band breathes as one in a convincing demonstration of rapport and esprit de corps. Mulligan's clarinet debut is a welcome bonus.

The bulk of the arrangements are by Brookmeyer (Life, Blues) and Gary McFarland (Gypsy, South, Strut). No arranger credits are given for Love, a lazy-like rendition that contains a warm Mulligan-Brookmeyer duet; Joe Sullivan's Getaway; or Mulligan's Ballad. It is safe to assume that the leader did the arrangement for the last named, a touching piece with a Claude Thornhillish sound in places. When originally done in Mulligan's tentet album on Capitol, it was called A Ballad.

On his own arrangements, Brookmeyer is effectively featured at the piano. (Mulligan is listed as pianist in the liner notes but does not appear in this role.) On Life he states the moody theme with the help of Caine's flute and gets into a short, bluesy section in his solo; on Blues he and Hall set a mood for Mulligan's Presstyled clarinet before the theme enters. There are some Jimmie Lunceford touches before Hall's typically earthy solo. After a lusty ensemble passage, Terry really heats things up a la Roy Eldridge.

Mulligan's other clarinet appearance is on Gypsy, on which he gets a drier, classical sound, evoking a pastoral feeling. McFarland has written a short, effective brassy climax that prefaces Mulligan's final exposition of the beautiful melody.

South is Dukish in places, with solos by a sweet-toned Terry and a solid, direct Mulligan.

There are also some Ellingtonlike brass figures before Terry's solo on Getaway, which also includes a Reider solo that sounds very much like one by Zoot Sims. This is both good and bad.

Strut is an intriguing theme, featuring rough-and-ready Dennis and brilliant, driving Quill clarinet, much like his alto in style but with a sound all its own.

Credit Crow and Johnson with excellent support. It's not hard to hear why Count Basie hasn't sounded quite the same since Gus left. *Ira Gitler (Down Beat, June 20, 1963 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Little Rock Getaway

(Carl Sigman, Joe Sullivan)

2 - Ballad

(Gerry Mulligan)

3 - Big City Life

(Bob Brookmeyer)

4 - Big City Blues

(Bob Brookmeyer)

Side 2

5 - My Kind Of Love

(Jo Trent, Louis Alter)

6 - Pretty Little Gypsy

(Gary McFarland)

7 - Bridgehampton South

(Gary McFarland)

8 - Bridgehampton Strut

(Gary McFarland)

Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax, clarinet [#4, #6];

Clark Terry, Nick Travis, Don Ferrara, Doc Severinsen (trumpets);

Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone, piano [#3,#4]); Willie Dennis (trombone);

Tony Studd (bass trombone); Gene Quill (alto sax, clarinet);

Eddie Caine (alto sax, flute); Jim Reider (tenor sax); Gene Allen (baritone sax);

Jim Hall (guitar); Bill Crow (bass); Gus Johnson (drums).

Recorded at Webster Hall, New York City, December 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1962

✤✤✤✤

And now... a brief pause to step back, catch my breath, and reset.

Outlet will be back in August...