EVENTS
1. SPRINGSVILLE - CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE COOL AND BEYOND
The Los Angeles Jazz Institute : May 27-30, 2004 - The Four Points Sheraton at LAX - 9750 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Organized by the Los Angeles Jazz Institute, this was an incredible four days festival. Below you will find the programme for each day and then the Bruce Talbot’s review.
THURSDAY, MAY 27
- 10:30-11:30 San Diego Ballroom Film 1 : BOPLICITY
Features rare footage of Lester Young, Claude Thornhill, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, George Russell, Dave Lambert, John Lewis and more... - This Film 1 showing included “Open Country” from the Jazz Casual
- 4:30-5:30 San Diego Ballroom PANEL 2 : THE BIRTH OF THE COOL
Moderator: Ken Poston, Panelists: Lee Konitz, Al McKibbon, Pete Rugolo
- 8:00 California Ballroom - CONCERT 3 : AN ALL-STAR EVENING CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE COOL
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS LEE KONITZ AND AL MC KIBBON
THE MUSIC OF THE CLAUDE THORNHILL ORCHESTRA
Plus
THE MILES DAVIS BIRTH OF THE COOL NONET FEATURING BOBBY SHEW
FRIDAY, MAY 28
- 9:00-10:00 San Diego Ballroom, FILM 2 INTUITION
Rare footage of Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, George Shearing....
- 3:00-4:00 San Diego Room PANEL 4 CROSSCURRENTS: LENNIE TRISTANO
Moderator: Don Heckman, Panelists: Lee Konitz, Ted Brown, Billy Bauer, Dave MacKay
- 4:30-5:30 California Ballroom CONCERT 6 THE NEW LEE KONITZ NONET DIRECTED BY OHAD TALMOR
- 8:00 California Ballroom CONCERT 7
WOW: AN ALL-STAR CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC AND INFLUENCE OF LENNIE TRISTANO
Featuring Lee Konitz, Ted Brown, Billy Bauer and Dave McKay
SATURDAY, MAY 29
- 9:00-10:00 San Diego Ballroom FILM 3 : FOUR MOTHERS
Featuring rare footage of Woody Herman Four Brothers Band, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Jimmy Giuffre, Shorty Rogers, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Art Pepper, Shelly Manne, Dave Pell, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond.
This Film 3 included something from the 1960 CJB at Newport
- 10:30-11:30 San Diego Ballroom PANEL 5 THE FOUR BROTHERS SOUND
Moderator: Herb Wong, Panelists: Phil Urso, Dick Hafer, Bill Trujillo, Bob Hardaway
- 12:00-1:00 Pool Patio CONCERT 8 CAL ARTS JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Directed by Darek Oles
- 1:30-2:30 California Ballroom CONCERT 9 THE BROTHERS
Phil Urso, Dick Hafer, Bill Trujillo, Bob Hardaway
- 3:00-4:00 San Diego Ballroom PANEL 6 WEST COAST COOL
Moderator: Jim Harrod, Panelists: Jack Sheldon, Bob Enevoldsen, Dave Pell,
Chuck Flores, Bob Whitlock, Howard Rumsey
- 5:00-6:00 California Ballroom CONCERT 10 KEEN AND PEACHY-THE UNHEARD HERD THE MUSIC OF WOODY HERMAN'S FOUR BROTHERS BAND
THE LOS ANGELES JAZZ ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY RON STOUT - FEATURING PHIL WOODS
The music of Woody Herman’s Four Brothers Band, by the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra featuring Phil Woods.
The Unheard Herd concert featured Gerry's arrangement of “Yardbird Suite” written for Woody Herman
Clarinet/Alto: Phil Woods
Reeds: Jerry Pinter, Keith Bishop, Bill Trujillo, Bab Carr
Trombones: Scott Whitfield, Andy Martin, Bryant Byers
Trumpets: Frank Szabo, Ron Stout, Carl Saunders, Mike McGuffey, Bob Summers
Piano: Ross Tompkins, Bass: Joel Hamilton, Drums: Dave Tull
- 9:00 California Ballroom CONCERT 11 WEST COAST COOL
featuring the music of Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, Marty Paich, Russ Freeman, Henry Mancini
Reeds: Bob Efford, Don Shelton, Rusty Higgins
Trumpets: Jack Sheldon, Bobby Shew, Carl Saunders
Trombone: Bob Enevoldsen
French Horn: Stephanie O' Keefe, Tuba: Bill Roper
Piano: John Hammond, Bass: Putter Smith, Drums: Chuck Flores
Also the tentet arrangements of “Westwood Walk”, “Walkin' Shoes” and “A Ballad”.
THE WEST COAST ALL STARS:
Jack Sheldon, Pete Jolly, Bob Enevoldsen, Chuck Flores, Chuck Berghofer, Bob Efford, Bobby Shew, Carl Saunders, plus special guest Phil Woods
The West Coast Cool Concert included a Quartet version of “Bernie's Tune” with Bobby Shew, Bob Efford, Putter Smith and Chuck Flores.
SUNDAY, MAY 30
- 1:30-2:30 California Ballroom CONCERT 13 GREAT JAZZ STANDARDS
THE LOS ANGELES JAZZ ORCHESTRA WITH SPECIAL GUEST PHIL WOODS
The arrangements of Gil Evans and Marty Paich
- 3:00-4:00 California Ballroom PANEL 7 THE CONCERT JAZZ BAND
Panelists: Bob Brookmeyer, Phil Woods
- 4:30-5:45 California Ballroom CONCERT 14 DREAM OF YOU HELEN MERRILL WITH ORCHESTRA
Helen Merrill performing the classic arrangements from her landmark collaboration with Gil Evans
- 8:00 California Ballroom CONCERT 15 GERRY MULLIGAN'S CONCERT JAZZ BAND
Directed by Bob Brookmeyer with special guest Scott Robinson
Reeds: Lanny Morgan, Kim Richmond, Doug Webb, Bob Efford
Trombones: Charlie Loper, Andy Martin, Phil Teele
Trumpets: Bobby Shew, Carl Saunders, Steve Huffsteter
Bass: Putter Smith, Drums: Kevin Kanner
About this festival, the “Jazz West Coaster” friend Bruce Talbot wrote :
“The weekend finished with two concerts, the like of which we'll probably never experience in our lives again - The Gerry Mulligan Concert Band arrangements played by a superb group and featuring Scott Robinson and Bob Brookmeyer. 'I Know Don't Know How', 'Weep' 'Broadway', 'Django's Castle' and on and on. There were some sublime moments when Scott and Bob created improvisation the equal of anything Bob had done with Mulligan himself. Good soloing also from Steve Huffsteter and Kim Richmond among others.
Before that, possibly the bravest act I've ever witnessed. Helen Merrill performing live with orchestra, the arrangements that Gil Evans wrote for her album 'Dream of You'. They are fiendishly difficult with unusual woodwind combinations and a string quartet to boot. That it was almost totally successful says a lot for everyone concerned, particularly the sound mixer! Helen sang the very challenging songs with great intensity and passion and her performances of 'I've Never Seen ! ', 'I'm a Fool to Want You', 'Troubled Waters' and 'By Myself' were incredibly, almost unbearably moving. I had a lump in my throat the size of a tennis ball. Some more lovely stuff from Huffsteter too.
The other concert that had everyone hanging from the rafters was 'The Unheard Herd' - a recreation of the Four Brothers Band also featuring Phil Woods. Jerry Pinter, Bill Trujillo and Keith Bishop on tenors, the best trumpet players in town and trombonists Scott Whitfield and Andy Martin! I hope Woody heard it, wherever he is. I think that was the concert that turned the event around and had people saying THAT was worth travelling all this way for.
The previous day, devoted to the music and legacy of Lennie Tristano was, for some of us, the least engaging. It was enlivened by the presence of Billy Bauer who provided an unexpectedly iconoclastic and very funny spice to the mood of the panels. I confess that after the late afternoon concert by the New Lee Konitz Nonet some of us decided to trade the evening's Celebration of the Music of Lennie Tristano featuring Lee Konitz, Ted Brown etc etc for an investigation of the restaurants of Manhattan Beach. (I heard we didn't miss much.)P>
The first day had some good music somewhat marred by the effects of what must have been lack of rehearsal. The 'Claude Thornhill' concert had some wobbly moments - balanced by some great playing, it must be said - then Bobby Shew led a band through some elegant renditions of the Miles Davis 'Birth of the Cool' pieces. Earlier in the day there was a concert by Dave Pell's 'Prez Conference' featuring good soloing from Dave, Bob Hardaway, Bill Trujillo and Bob Efford and some near trainwrecks in the ensembles, including one amazing moment when the beat got turned around. Chuck Berghofer's face was a sight to see.
But hey - it was live, and real, and it was jazz and people were taking chances, as they should....once again Ken Poston and Eric Fankhauser deserve a huge round of applause for putting on such a feast of music. - and so do the musicians for giving their all, playing some of the most difficult music in the jazz repertoire.
Everyone on the list who can, should go to at least one of these events. it's the best jazz experience you can have.
The JERU SAX MACHINE ALL STARS
Musicamdo Jazz & Blues Festival 2004
Camerico (MC) (Italy), 2004 06 19
I find this information on the page Jazz Italia
A night of this festival will be dedicated to the Gianni Basso’s JERU Sax Machine All Stars. They will play The Gerry Mulligan music at 9.30 pm in Piazza San Dominico, Chiostro Covento Di San Dominico.
The musicians : Gianni Basso (ts), Rosario Giulani (as), Carlo Atti, Nico Gori, Fulvio Albano, Francesco Bearzatti and as rhythm section Andrea Pozza, Luciano Milanese, Stefano Bagnoli. I will survey the information about this festival.
The same day, the Verdicchio Jazz lunch will present at 1.30 the Riccardo Arrighini Trio and then the Renato Sellani “Magic Touch” piano Montlouis sur Loire, France 1994 09 16
GERRY MULLIGAN’S RECORDINGS
- 1945 Elliot Lawrence Orchestra with Gerry Mulligan “The Philadelphia recordings”
CRABAPLLE SOUND RECORDINGS RBB 1061
This label presents live radio recordings during the 30s, 40s and early 50s from a lot of big bands. Among them two Elliot Lawrence recordings from Philadelphia (PA) originally broadcasted as “One Night Stand” radio show can be found on ELLIOT LAWRENCE Orchestra, Crabapple Sound Recordings RBB-1061 including :
1945, june 23 : Philadelphia, ONS 733
1945, july 26 : Philadelphia, ONS 779
“Crabapple Sound” web-site (www.crabapplesound.com) indicates that the June recorded was previously incorrectly announced as Saint Louis.
The July recording is a new one for my collection !!
- The following recordings (without Gerry Mulligan) are nevertheless very interesting
- 1947-1950 Claude Thornhill Orchestra
CRABAPPLE SOUND RECORDINGS RBB 0333
with two Claude Thornhill recordings :
1947 June, Glen Island Casino, New Rochelle, NY, ONS 1397
1950, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago (IL)
- 1949 Gene Krupa Orchestra
CRABAPPLE SOUND RECORDINGS RBB 1032
with two Gene Krupa recordings :
1949, April 12, Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, (Ca), ONS 1998
1949, April 24, Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, (Ca), ONS 1951
- 1945 Tommy Tucker Orchestra
CRABAPPLE SOUND RECORDINGS RBX 0042
with:
1945, January 11, Chicago, (IL), CCSPB 724 : Tummy Tucker Orchestra
1945, January 13, Atlantic City, (NJ), CCSPB 726 : Jan Savitt Orchestra
- 1945 Elliot Lawrence Orchestra, LIVE, 1950
JOYCE RECORDS 1017
Collective Personnel : Joe Techner, John Dee, Jimmy Padgett, Bill Danzien, Rolf Ericson (Tp) - Cy Berger, Vince Forrest, Chuck Harris, Ollie Wilson, Gene Hess (Tb) - Joe Soldo, Louis Giamo (As) - Joe Dee, Bruno Rondelli, Stan Weiss (Ts) - Merle Bredwell, Gerry Mulligan, Vince Ferraro (Bar) - Bud Pecha (F-Horn) - Elliot Lawrence, Bob Karch (P) - Tommy O’ Neill, Mert Oliver (B) - Howie Mann (Dr) - Rosalind Patton, Danny Riccardo (Voc).
Thèmes : Introduction - But Not For Me - Laura - Out Of This World - Elegy To A Man - I Wanna Be Loved - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea - Ritual Fire Dance - I’ve Got You Where I Want You - Lady Be Good - Deep Purple - It Might As Well Be Spring - Texas Hop (Apple Core) - Elevation - I’ve Got You Under My Skin - East Of The Sun - Swinging Door - Five O’clock Shadow - How Deep Is The Ocean - Excerpts From « Porgy And Bess » - Once In A While - Closing.
(Previously Unissued Before).
Drew Techner is the son of the Elliot Lawrence’s trumpet player Joe Techner. Drew researches the Lawrence recordings featuring his father who worked in the orchestra between November 1948 and July 1951. So his father played with Gerry Mulligan in late 1949 and early 1950 !!
JOYCE Records issued this new CD with never released materials from the year 1950 !!! If the sound quality is good, the information about these radio transcriptions is unhappily poor ! A collective personnel including 5 trumpet players, 5 trombonists, 2 alto, 3 tenor and 3 baritone saxophonists; 2 bassists, 2 pianists and 2 singers Rosalind Patton and Danny Ricardo. The material came from various radio shows !
I’ve compared the musician list with the various Elliot Lawrence orchestras during the 1945-1951 period (Bruyninckx discography).
Some musicians played only in 1950 like Ollie Wilson, Stan Weiss, Vince Ferraro, Mert Oliver
A lot of them played played in 1949 and not in 1950 : Jimmy Padget, Joe Soldo, Louis Giamo, Bruno Rondelli, Bob Karch, Tom O’Neil
Bill Danzien, Cy Berger, Gene Hessler, Merle Bredwell, Gerry Mulligan, played during 1949 – 1950
John Dee and Bud Pecha played with Elliot Lawrence Orchestra only in late 1947 !!
I didn’t find Rolf Erichson as member of this orchestra !!!
Following these observations, two different periods were selected to realize this CD : 1949 and 1950.
I have a October 1949 radio broadcast , called “US Navy World’s best band”.
Without the introducing, closing themes (Anchors aweigh – Heart to Heart), this recording contains 8 songs which are also present on this CD with exactly the same timing. These songs are :
- I got you where I want you (1mn57s)
- Deep purple (3mn03s)
- It might as well be spring (2mn38s)
- Elevation (2mn26s)
- Five O'clock shadow (2mn41s)
- Once in a while (3mn07s)
- How deep is the ocean ? (2mn12s)
- Strike up the band (2mn02s)
In this selection, Gerry Mulligan’s arrangements are found twice, firstly with his “Elevation” and secondly with “Strike up the Band”.
We can hear a baritone saxophone solo on one song : “Lady Be Good”. Is this Gerry Mulligan ? At the first listening, I said: “Yes !”. I already had this song on an other Ellliot Lawrence recording, recorded at the Bop City club in New York, the January 12, 1950. This take is the same, but the sound quality is very better. Elliot Lawrence presented this combo as the Gerry Mulligan quintet. Nevertheless there are some short orchestral intervention. Gerry played and exchanged with a fine tenor saxophonist, Phil Urso.
The musicians of this quintet are Bob Karsh (p), Tom O’ Neil (b), Howie Mann (d).
This take is one of the highlights of this CD !!!
For all the other songs of this CD, they are new for me and we feature some Mulligan works for Elliot Lawrence Orchestra.
In order of appearance on this CD :
- But Not For Me (2min44). This is a Mulligan arrangement with solos of : piano, alto and tenor saxophones. The theme is presented by the sax section.
- Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (2min28) : A studio take (3min04)of this Mulligan’s arrangement was presented on the CBS album : “The Arranger”, recently issued under the title “Mullenium”. The soloists were Cy Berger (p), Elliot Lawrence (p), Joe Techner (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bs), and Phil Urso (ts). This take has a different sequence of saxophone solos. (ts, bs, as).
- Ritual Fire Dance (2min12). This is a Mulligan arrangement (like “Sabre Dance “ theme) that I listen to for the first time
- Apple Core (aka Texas Hop) (3min20). After an orchestral introduction the theme is presented by the sax section with answers of the trumpet section. The tempo is slower than the Gerry Mulligan interpretations. The solos are : tenor sax, alto sax, muted trumpet, piano.
- The Red Door (aka Swinging Door) (2min58). As “Apple Core” this song is played on a medium tempo. The solos are : tenor sax, trombone, alto sax, trombone.
In summary : a nice album !
- 1959 06 19 GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET, ROMA, Teatro Adriano
LONEHILL LHJ 10103 “Complete Live in Roma”
This concert was previously issued on two bootleg LPs or CDs during the early 90s. Then each CD timing was only 35 minutes.
The new LONEHILL edition is also a bootleg issue. LONEHILL Records is a part of DISCONFORME Society which is based in Andorra (a very little country between Spain and France and in the Pyrenean mountains).
Gerry Mulligan (bs, p), Art Farmer ((tp), Bill Crow (b), Dave Bailey (d)
- As Catch Can (5min18)
- Walking Shoes (6min25)
- Baubles, Bangles and Beads (5min21)
- Just in Time (5min31)
- I Can’t Get Started (7min05) (incomplete)
- News from Blueport (7min29)
- Moonlight in Vermont (7min54)
- Spring is Sprung (9min51)
- Blueport (10min37) (incomplete). (The timing is the music one, not the CD track one).
Jazz Hour Records issued also this concert ; without “I Can’t Get Started” , but with “Utter Chaos”. This one has the same timing (2min21).
To complete this CD, Lone Hill Jazz added “Utter Chaos” (2min21) from the Stockholm concert in May 19, 1959. This song was already issued on a TAX CD : “American in Sweden, The New Gerry Mulligan Quartet”
- 1949 – 1954 COOL JAZZ
RTL JAZZ La Collection / Blue Note 7243 576802 2 6
This new low price collection presents the “Cool Jazz” from the Blue Note society (Capitol, Pacific Jazz…). Among the 13 titles, three features Gerry Mulligan (Moondreams / Birth of the Cool, Makin’ Whopee / California Concert and Loverman / Meets Lee Konitz), “Loverman” is wrongly dated of February 23, 1953.
The cover of the CD is a nice photo of Gerry Mulligan taken by Bob Willoughby during a recording session of the Gerry Mulligan orchestra in Los Angeles in 1953.
A similar photography is shown( in the Willoughby collection web-site
OTHER MUSICIANS PLAY GERRY MULLIGAN
- Jim Raney Quintet “Two Jims & Zoot”
MAINSTREAM CD 6013
This album presents an interpretation of an unknown Mulligan original (until to day) : HOLD ME (2min 48s).
Jim Hall, Jim Raney (g), Zoot Sims (ts), Steve Swallow (b), Osie Johnson (d).BR> This studio session was recorded in 1964 and originally issued on the Mainstream LP M56013.
Mulligan Publishing Co informed me that the song “HOLD ME” was a part of the Judy Holiday-Gerry Mulligan early 60s work :”Happy Birthday”.
I got this album
- Zoot Sims – Al Cohn “Live at the Half Note”
Naked City CD 011
This Mexican CD issued a 1965 recording from the Half Note Club. As a bootleg CD, it has a minimum of information and [a] poor sound quality.
Zoot Sims, Al Cohn (ts), with Roger Kellaway (p), Bill Crow (b), and Mel Lewis (d) played the Zoot Sims
Gerry Mulligan composition “The Red Door” (6min46s)
- Stan Kenton Orchestra “Live in Munich - 1953”
Sounds of Yesteryear DSOY 608
From the European 1953 tour, this CD is a reissue of the FIRST-HEARD LP album “Europe – 1953” which gave two interpretations of Mulligan arrangements : “Walking Shoes” (2mn21s), “Youngblood” (4mn39s), recorded at the Kongress-Saal Deutches Museum of Munich , the Sept[r]ember 19, 1953.
The soloists are Bob Burgess (tb), Bill Holman(ts), Lee Konitz (as), Conte Candoli (tp) for “Walking Shoes” ; and Conte Candoli (tp), Zoot Sims (ts), Lee Konitz (as), Buddy Childers (tp) for “Youngblood”
- Stan Kenton Orchestra “At the Ernst Merck Hall, Hamburg, Germany”
Sounds of Yesteryear DSOD 622
From the European 1956 tour, this album gives two new interpretations of Mulligan arrangements : “Swinghouse” (5mn06s), “Youngblood” (4mn20s), recorded at the Ernst Merck Hall of Hamburg , the April 26, 1956.
The soloists are Kent Larsen (tb), Lennie Niehaus (as), Bill Perkins (ts), Sam Noto (tp) for “Swinghouse” ; and Sam Noto (tp), Don Rendell (ts), Lennie Niehaus (as), Vinnie Tanno (tp) for “Youngblood”
- Stan Kenton Orchestra “Stompin’ at Newport”
Pablo PACD 5312-2
Newport, the most famous jazz festival in its fourth edition presented the Stan Kenton Orchestra the 5th of July 1957. This Pablo CD gives us a new interpretation of “Youngblood” (4mn27s). The solos are from Sam Noto (tp), Bill Perkins (ts), Ken Larsen (tb).
- Lorraine Foster Quartet “Compositions by musicians”
Jazzlink 1239-1
Toronto born Lorraine Foster is one of the finest Canadia singers. She first worked with the Art Hallman Orchestra in Toronto, after several years in Montreal she moved in 1991 to Vancouver and joined another great Canadian jazzman Dal Richards and his orchestra. Her web-site is www.lorrainefosterjazzsinger.com
Her third leader album “Compositions by Musicians” includes a rare Mulligan song : “Ballad of Pearly Sue”. I knew only one interpretation by Susannah McCorkIe with Gerry Mulligan during a TV show in 1988.
This album was recorded at Blue Wave Production, Vancouver BC in September 2003. The quartet is composed of Miles Balck (p), Rene Worst (b), Oliver Gannon (g). This issue is recent, February 15, 2004.
- Edi Grötzinger Quartet “Walking Shoes / Coast to Coast – The Music of Gerry Mulligan and More”
For many years the German baritone saxophonist Edi Grötzinger has led his combo called “Walking Shoes” all over Germany.
He recently issued a Tribute CD called “Walking Shoes / Coast to Coast – The music of Gerry Mulligan and More”.
he quartet, composed by Edi Grötzinger (bs), Bernd Kloubert (p), Ralph Kleine-Tebbe (b) and Peter A Schnlidt (d), plays 5 Mulligan originals (Walking Shoes, Lonesome Boulevard, Line for Lyons, Song for Strayhorn and rarely played Blue Boy). 3 others songs completed the CD (Bossa Nouveau, Jive at Five, Bernie’s Tune)
Some dates found on the net :
Jazz –Schmiede, November 30, 2001
Dellbrucker Jazz Miele, KOLN-Dellbruck, October 26, 2002
Jazzklub Krefeld, Saturday January 17, 2004
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
- THE HISTORY OF GERRY MULLIGAN
2002 07 12, KAARST, ATRIUM
The History of Gerry Mulligan, a programme realized by the baritone saxophonist Edi Grötzinger
- Quartet WALKING SHOES with Edi Grötzinger (bs), Bernd Kloubert (p), Ralph Kleine -Tebbe (b) and Peter A. Schmidt (d).
- A Gerry Mulligan history presented by Karl von der Heiden.
The various Stepps of the Gerry Mulligan music are played by 14 musicians : Anna Mantus (vcl), Cab Baur (tp), Andreas Heseler (tb), Horst Winstermann (g), Patrick Andersson (Marimba), Pavel Schickmann (Accordeon), Inna Kudriachov (Violon), Arseni Koublanov (Violon), Marta Kletinitch (alto).Organisation and Produktion: Mark Koll. Fotos vor dem Konzert / Fotos vom Konzert
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