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Swiss Radio Days Vol. 9 - Zurich 1962

Gerry Mulligan Quartet

Swiss Radio Days Vol. 9 - Zurich 1962

Format: CD
Label: TCB The Montreux Jazz Label
UPC: 0723723286420
Catnr: TCB 02092
Release date: 05 April 1998
1 CD
 
Label
TCB The Montreux Jazz Label
UPC
0723723286420
Catalogue number
TCB 02092
Release date
05 April 1998
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
EN

About the album

The early '60s were a very productive time for Gerry Mulligan, not only because of his impressive Concert Jazz Band, but also, because of various small groups that he led. One of those small groups can be heard on Zurich 1962, which finds the baritone saxophonist leading a cohesive quartet that includes Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Bill Crow on acoustic bass, and Gus Johnson on drums. The quartet doesn't have a full-time pianist; instead, Mulligan and Brookmeyer share the piano duties and play it as a second instrument. Live performances of Mulligan's "Spring Is Sprung" and the standard "Darn That Dream" give listeners a rare chance to hear Mulligan on piano, while Brookmeyer plays the piano on some of the other selections. Remember: Mulligan and Brookmeyer were both horn players first and foremost, and it wasn't every day that they played the piano on stage. The concert heard on this CD was recorded in Zurich, Switzerland on October 18, 1962 and was broadcast on Swiss radio-in fact, Zurich 1962is part of the Swiss Radio Days series, which Switzerland's TCB label launched in the 1990s. The series is devoted entirely to recordings of Swiss radio broadcasts of jazz concerts. AlthoughZurich 1962 falls short of essential, it's a generally engaging CD that has a lot going for it.

Artist(s)

Bob Brookmeyer (piano)

Bob Brookmeyer has an unusually varied and extensive background in all forms of improvised and composed music. He was born December 19, 1929, attended Kansas City Conservatory of Music where he won the Carl Busch Prize for Choral Composition. He arrived in New York playing piano with Mel Lewis and Tex Benecke, staying there to perform the music of Eddie Sauter with Ray McKinley, free lancing with musicians such as Coleman Hawkins, PeeWee Russell, Ben Webster, Charles Mingus and Teddy Charles. After a brief stay with Claude Thornhill, he joined Stan Getz and maintained that association for 15 years. Leaving Stan Getz in 1954 he joined Gerry Mulligan, replacing Chet Baker, producing the 'Paris Concerts' and beginning a partnership that...
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Bob Brookmeyer has an unusually varied and extensive background in all forms of improvised and composed music. He was born December 19, 1929, attended Kansas City Conservatory of Music where he won the Carl Busch Prize for Choral Composition. He arrived in New York playing piano with Mel Lewis and Tex Benecke, staying there to perform the music of Eddie Sauter with Ray McKinley, free lancing with musicians such as Coleman Hawkins, PeeWee Russell, Ben Webster, Charles Mingus and Teddy Charles. After a brief stay with Claude Thornhill, he joined Stan Getz and maintained that association for 15 years. Leaving Stan Getz in 1954 he joined Gerry Mulligan, replacing Chet Baker, producing the "Paris Concerts" and beginning a partnership that lasted until Mulligan" death. Among his prime achievements was the creation of the Concert Jazz Band. In 1958, he spent a year with Jimmy Guiffre Three, including Jim Hall, which turned out to be the first group to employ regular free improvisation as a staple of the concert fare. Along the way, he made a 2 piano album with Bill Evans, played on George Russell" "New York, New York," and became a regular in the studio musicians group. The Quintet with Clark Terry began in 1961 to great success and continues to this day. The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis band once again found him as a key member and contributing composer/arranger. Also in 1979 he and Jim Hall played as a duo exclusively for 1 year, garnering critical acclaim. In 1981 he began to work extensively in Europe as a composer and conductor, creating many works for Cologne and Stockholm. He also was appointed Musical Director of the Mel Lewis Orchestra, while beginning a career in University teaching at the Manhattan School of Music. In 1988 he was appointed Director of the BMI Composers Workshop and in 1991 he moved to Holland to start a radical new school for improvised and composed music. Upon the demise of this venture he returned to the United States and settled in New Hampshire, assuming a position as Chair of the Jazz Composition Department at the New England Conservatory. While in Europe he was invited to initiate a jazz project at the Famed Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, which in turn became the beginnings of his New Art Orchestra, an 18 piece group that remains his composition voice. They have recorded 3 CDs for the Challenge labelâ "New Works," which was CD of the Year in England, "Waltzing With Zoe" and "Get Well Soon," which was nominated for a Grammy in 2005. Bob still continues write for and perform with his New Art Orchestra and mentors young writers and performers at the New England Conservatory, always expanding his horizons and continually seeking new challenges both in education and music.
Bob Brookmeyer past away just three days shy of his 82nd birthday, december 16th 2011.

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Gerry Mulligan (piano)

The most famous and probably greatest jazz baritonist of all time, Gerry Mulligan was a giant. A flexible soloist who was always ready to jam with anyone from Dixielanders to the most advanced boppers,Mulligan brought a somewhat revolutionary light sound to his potentially awkward and brutal horn and played with the speed and dexterity of an altoist. Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was 'Disc Jockey Jump.' The rare times he played...
more
The most famous and probably greatest jazz baritonist of all time, Gerry Mulligan was a giant. A flexible soloist who was always ready to jam with anyone from Dixielanders to the most advanced boppers,Mulligan brought a somewhat revolutionary light sound to his potentially awkward and brutal horn and played with the speed and dexterity of an altoist. Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was "Disc Jockey Jump." The rare times he played with Krupa's band was on alto and the same situation existed when he was with Claude Thornhill in 1948. Gerry Mulligan's first notable recorded work on baritone was with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet (1948-50) but once again his arrangements ("Godchild," "Darn That Dream" and three of his originals "Jeru," "Rocker" and "Venus de Milo") were more significant than his short solos. Mulligan spent much of 1949 writing for Elliot Lawrence's orchestra and playing anonymously in the saxophone section. It was not until 1951 that he began to get a bit of attention for his work on baritone. Mulligan recorded with his own nonet for Prestige, displaying an already recognizable sound. After he traveled to Los Angeles, he wrote some arrangements forStan Kenton (including "Youngblood," "Swing House" and "Walking Shoes"), worked at the Lighthouse and then gained a regular Monday night engagement at the Haig. Around this time Mulligan realized that he enjoyed the extra freedom of soloing without a pianist. He jammed with trumpeter Chet Bakerand soon their magical rapport was featured in his piano-less quartet. The group caught on quickly in 1952 and made both Mulligan and Baker into stars.

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Bill Crow (bass)

Gus Johnson (drums)

Composer(s)

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