Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond - QuartetMP3 ~ 320Kbps ~ 71m:21s ~ RS.com ~ 90mb + 58mb
This CD is a classic example of what the West Coast Cool sound is all about-- beautifully lyrical and deeply cerebral at the same time. Gerry Mulligan does his best work since his sessions with Chet Baker; Paul Desmond proves that he had as much to do with the success of the Dave Brubeck Quartet as did Brubeck himself. Mulligan and Desmond play off one another brilliantly-- Mulligan's adventures in the lower register and his sense of timing seem to be a tailor made counterpart to lyrical players like Desmond (and the aforementioned Baker), giving them free reign to soar in the upper reaches of the melody. With solid work from the rhythm section of bassist Joe Benjamin and long-time Mulligan collaborator, drummer Dave Bailey, this CD really swings in places. (Not that unusual for Mulligan, but Desmond really seems to be letting go here.)
Jazz musicians talk about the "language" and "vocabulary" of their music. This album proves that conversations can exist in jazz. Listening to Desmond and Mulligan "converse" is like overhearing a discussion between two very good friends. Their conversation covers the spectrum of emotion...at times lively, humourous, pensive, thoughtful. Sometimes they anticipate each others "remarks" playing identical sentences in perfect harmony.
Paul Desmond, surely one of the most lyrical of sax men, is superb. Gerry, too, is at his best. But in this album the total is more than the sum of its parts. The presence of Mullligan brought out some pretty ballsy playing by Paul, something that was lacking in his playing with Brubeck (and others). Listen to Body and Soul -- played at a really slow tempo, but due to the two geniuses playing it, never for a minute boring. Whether soloing or backing each other up, these two are sublime. Every track is great. Download and enjoy!
Amazon reviewer:This recording - originally issued as BLUES IN TIME - is one for the ages. It's amazing to think, while listening to this album, that it was recorded almost 50 years ago, in August 1957. It just illustrates that great music is timeless - it's as fresh and relevant today as when it was new. I would have been 7 or 8 years old when the LP was originally released - sadly, I hadn't yet discovered the wonders of jazz...if I had heard this at the time, my head would probably have exploded.
The 50s were a particularly exciting time for jazz - the mid-to-late 40s had produced some of the greatest players of all time, experimentation was embraced, and styles were shooting off in all directions, much to the benefit of both the musicians and listeners. Gerry Mulligan, who would prove his staying power over the years, remaining vital to the end of his days, had been largely responsible for the mind-blowing arrangements and overall sound on Miles Davis' landmark BIRTH OF THE COOL sessions (recorded in the late 40s, released on LP in 1957) - Paul Desmond had established his reputation as well, and was a highly respected member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The Brubeck group's recording of Desmond's composition `Take five' did as much as any other event to spread the popularity / acceptance of jazz beyond the smoky nightclubs where it was featured.
Gerry Mulligan was known all his life as an irrepressible sit-in player - he would show up at gigs by other musicians, planned or impromptu, and play along. In standard arrangements or when improvising, his work was stellar. One such sit-in, at a 1954 Carnegie Hall appearance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, was the first instance of Mulligan and Desmond sharing a stage - the two reedmen found an instant rapport, but had difficulty bringing any recording plans to fruition due to label contract conflicts. Through a series of trade-offs, GERRY MULLIGAN / PAUL DESMOND was recorded later that year and released by Fantasy Records. BLUES IN TIME in 1957 was followed by TWO OF A MIND (on Verve) in 1962, and WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME (on Atlantic) in 1972, which also included Dave Brubeck.
Coming out of the age of Charlie Parker - and undoubtedly feeling Bird's great shadow, as did any sax player of that time - Desmond carved out his own niche with his alto, combining the energy of bebop with one of the keenest senses of melody and harmony in the field. He was where the freedom and energy of New York met the `cool' of the California jazz scene - he combined these two (and other elements) effortlessly and seamlessly, with a quiet humility, always showing the greatest admiration and respect for fellow players. There's a great story about someone musing aloud to Desmond whether Brubeck would have `made it' without him - Desmond quickly and gently replied, `I never would have made it without Dave. He's amazing harmonically, and he can be a fantastic accompanist. You can play the wrongest [sic] note possible in any chord, and he can make it sound like the only right one.'
BLUES IN TIME is a dream of a session. There are originals by both Mulligan and Desmond, along with some standards of the day - `Body and soul'; a great quasi-bebop rendition of `Tea for two' that you might not recognize without reading the title; and the Rodgers / Hart classic `Lover'. It's hard to pick standouts here - but I would have to give a nod to Desmond's `Blues in time' and `Wintersong', as well as Mulligan's great `Line for Lyons' (did he ever record a bad version of this tune...?) and `Stand still'. Mulligan's rich baritone and Desmond's lyrical alto dart and weave in and out of each other's lines, finding harmonies, laying down supporting riffs, and sometimes just laying out - I can just picture one or the other simply stepping back to dig what the other is playing. There's not a single line where one gets in the way of the other - the whole album is a joy, from beginning to end, with the two leaders being supported very ably by Joe Benjamin on bass and Dave Bailey on drums.
This is one of those classics that no jazz enthusiast should be without - and, truthfully, something that should be in the collection of anyone who enjoys jazz...or any great music...at all. The currently available version seems to have been re-mastered with reasonable care
Tracks:1. Blues In Time
2. Body And Soul
3. Stand Still
4. Line For Lyons
5. Wintersong (Take 1)
6. Battle Hymn Of The Republican
7. Fall Out
8. Tea For Two
9. Wintersong (Take 2)
10. Lover
11. Untitled
Part1Part2
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