Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan - The Original Quartet With Chet Baker [2-CD SET]
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Free Music Notes for The Original Quartet With Chet Baker [2-CD SET]
Free Music Review: The Essential West-Coast Jazz Recording
Hit: 5 Stars
The Gerry Mulligan Quartet, though only together for eleven months or so, produced some of the best postwar jazz of the day, despite the occasional insults from jazz journalists and bebop loyalists. This set contains pretty much everything. It's a streamlined econo-buy of the excellent Complete Recordings 4-CD set that came out two or three years ago (and when they said "Limited Edition", they meant it; it was out of print in a matter of months). Although the packaging of this product leaves much to be desired, especially when compared to the gorgeous 4-CD set, it contains all of the same tracks sans the outtakes, Mulligan and Baker's REUNION album, and the sessions they cut playing back-up for Annie Ross (now finally available as a Japanese import entitled ANNIE ROSS SINGS A SONG WITH MULLIGAN). Much has been written on the genesis behind Mulligan's founding of his "pianoless" quartet and their early gigs at the Haig, but these recordings speak for themselves. After some mediocre demos, which show Mulligan still struggling with the absence of the piano's harmony, the quartet hits perfection with "Bernie's Tune", soon followed by "Nights at the Turntable", "Swinghouse", "Freeway" and "Walkin' Shoes". This is Chet Baker at his early creative peak, before the drugs and vocal sessions kicked-in, and, until his later days, he rarely hit such heights again. The lyrical counterpoints he and Mulligan engage in are as hypnotizing as they are subtle. Likewise, Chico Hamilton's drumming is truly amazing, and why his subsequent Pacific Jazz recordings are not available domestically is beyond me. The entire band fits together like a tight machine, often rushing ahead full-force in a tone barely audible. Of course, if one is a purist and anal about maintaining the design and song structure of the original recording, as I am, then you ought to buy the Pacific Jazz Japanese import entitled simply THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET. This features not only 20-bit mapping, but also the original cover art, an overhead photograph of the band taken by William Claxton. I can't imagine what Pacific was thinking when they opted for this new goofy collage over such a fantastic black-and-white photograph. But I digress--if you want quantity and don't want to shuck out the bucks for an import, this is the disc for you.Free Music Review: Mulligan and Baker at the top of their game.
Hit: 5 Stars
These compositions are so good that they are scary.
I have some uninspiring Mulligan CDs but this is not one of them. Here both he and Chet Baker stretch out to the very height of their creative powers, and arguably "Pacific Coast Jazz" (as it was derisively called in those days) is better than, or at least rivals in quality and emotional depth that of East coast (Miles Davis led) versions of Jazz during the same time period.
Aesthetically and emotionally, my mind resonates more with (and towards) the deep, dark, brooding, sonorous, lean, emotional themes of Mulligan compositions, especially those penned here without a piano. I am not against the piano, but here one can see how it can "clutter up" the background, which is where all of the real feelings and most of the music lies. Every one of Mulligan's notes are exacting in both their emotional and musical placement and impact. "Clutter," detracts from this exactness and cleanness. Call it [...] retentive if you like ... but [...] retentiveness has its own emotional and aesthetic demands.
Thus, rather inexplicably, this set sort of answers the question of who "fathered" the "cool" Jazz genre: Mulligan and Baker, or Miles? And while Mulligan and Miles played together in the famous but short-lived Nonet, giving them both claims to the title, Mulligan (or Evans) "penned" most of the compositions during that period. Sure, Miles went on to bigger and better things while Mulligan and Baker stayed with the sub-genre until he (Baker fell off the dope wagon) had worked it all out." In effect, until he had milked it of all its sinews, as say in the John Coltrane "wood-shedding" tradition of doing things. This set is just some of the fruits of that intensive period of hidden labor.
Thus this CD is "living sound evidence" that both Mulligan's composing and playing abilities have always been underrated. Five stars
Free Music Review: A Cornerstone of Modern Jazz
Hit: 5 Stars
The quartet that baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan formed with trumpeter Chet Baker in Los Angeles in 1952 enjoyed considerable popular success during its single year of existence; but as this complete collection of the band's Pacific Jazz sides proves, flash in this case had a solid grounding in substance. The simple - if decidedly unorthodox - decision not to employ a piano, thereby eliminating his harmonic center, pushed Mulligan to the very forefront of jazz's postwar development, and resulted in some of the most sparkling and tuneful performances in the history of the genre.
Starting with the leader's very first (pre-Baker) California recordings, GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET traces the rapid evolution of this gifted group's sound, sensibility and personnel (An early version of the unit included a pianist but no drummer!), allowing listeners to share in the excitement these young men must have felt as they recorded three-minute masterpieces like "Lullaby of the Leaves" and "Soft Shoe" - pivotal works which sound as fresh, and dare I say it as important, today as they ever could have in their own era. Oft-covered warhorses "Makin' Whoopee," "My Old Flame" and "Darn that Dream" get spectacular makeovers here - the last in two different versions from which I defy anyone to pick a favorite. The live sets which made Mulligan's and Baker's reputations are well represented too, with bouncers like "Poinciana" balanced by such moody classics as "My Funny Valentine" and Mulligan's own "Funhouse." It's all here.
...Well, almost all. Those duly enchanted by this generous collection should seek out OJC's GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET/CHUBBY JACKSON BIG BAND disc, REUNION and KONITZ MEETS MULLIGAN for more of these major musicians' efforts; all are well worth it.
Free Music Review: Great Jazz
Hit: 5 Stars
This set is the best I have ever heard from Gerry Mulligan or Chet Baker. They started as musicians just trying to make names for themselves, and they definitely succeeded. If you are looking for a lot of well-known tunes, I have to warn you, these CD's don't have a whole lot. It makes up with style and great harmonies and melodies. Whether it's Mulligan blowing out his great sound into genius solos or Baker playing a melody with Mulligan on a harmony or countermelody, these CD's don't have any bad songs. The rhythym sections change throughout the album, as do the years they're from, but the purity of the cool jazz stays the same. I would highly recommend this to any fans of Mulligan, Baker, cool jazz, or to any jazz listeners who want to hear a wonderful collaboration between two great musicians.Free Music Review: Stunningly good
Hit: 5 Stars
I wasn't very familiar with either Gerry Mulligan or Chet Baker when I bought this CD. Jazz is a relatively new interest for me, and I'm still feeling my way around. The overwhelmingly positive reviews sold me, though, and I decided to pick this one up. I'm *so* glad I did.
It's always a pleasure to hear such talented instrumentalists working together, but this CD takes it to another level entirely. You can almost feel the energy crackling between Mulligan and Baker when they play off each other's riffs. It's just amazing stuff. Whenever I play these CDs, I end up playing them a second time, and a third, and a fourth.
Get this set. You will not be disappointed.
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