• Special Events
• Gerry Mulligan's recordings
• Other musicians play Gerry Mulligan
• Miscellaneous information

1. GUERNSEY'S AUCTION HOUSE

has worked directly with the families and or estates of many of the giants of the jazz world (John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Benny Goodman, Clark Terry, and Gerry Mulligan) to gather this incredible collection.

Visit the featured lots section of this website to see some of these extraordinary items.
Guernsey's conducted the definitive auction of Jazz Sunday, February 20, 2005 at the beautiful, new Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City (preview dates 17 & 20, 2005)

Franca Mulligan gave two of Gerry Mulligan's baritone saxophones, a trumpet, a clarinet, music scores, one of Gerry's drawings and other important items!!

Geoff Roach, composer and baritone saxophonist, won one of Gerry's baritone saxophones, a marvelous instrument in good hands

All income from the Gerry Mulligan auction, Franca donated to the "Gerry Franca Mulligan Foundation".

This charitable organization was established in 2001 to fulfil Gerry's wish of supporting young musicians to attend music school and to donate musical instruments to inner city schools. In addition to this, the Foundation is also interested in perpetuating the music of Gerry Mulligan for educational purposes.

  If you wish to send a donation, the address is: "Gerry and Franca Mulligan Foundation"
2 Peach Hill Road
Darien, CT 06820 USA.

From Hal Leonard, and Artists House Music.com you can get this gem CD/DVD pack which features a standard audio CD of the original AM recording of "The Age of Steam" as well as a DVD with over four hours ofcontent, including:

The documentary "Listen: Gerry Mulligan", a Master Class, a Dolby Digital stereo and surround sound mix of the original recordings, interviews with several of the musicians who played with Gerry; Bob Brookmeyer, Roger Kellaway, Tom Scott and Stephan Goldman.

The DVD also includes the sheet music for each composition on the recording, including the parts for each instrument, which can be printed out, free of charge, for study and research from a PC, courtesy of Franca R. Mulligan, president of Mulligan Publishing Co. Inc.

"MASTER CLASS" Hal Leonard previously issued this very interesting document on video.

"DOCUMENTARY: "LISTEN: GERRY MULLIGAN"

This is a marvelous movie, which includes many documents from 1994 1995:

• Gerry Mulligan and Dave Brubeck played as a duet "Things ain't What They Used To Be" and "These Foolish Things", at the end of each concert, while on tour in Europe, with their own quartets.
  
  
• One of the highlights of the movie is Gerry playing his own compositions for Symphony Orchestra. In the film he his playing with The Israel Philharmonic and The New York Philharmonic both conducted by the great Zubin Mehta and The Stockholm Philharmonic conducted by Dennis Russell Davies
  
  
• A note from Franca R. Mulligan: The Chamber Orchestra piece, "Octet for Sea Cliff", was set in Portofino, Italy. While staying at our friend's home there, Gerry was saying to our hosts: "What a perfect place to write music, if only there was a piano". Two days later, an upright piano was carried by hand through the narrow winding streets, up to the villa. Gerry couldn't believe it" and started playing immediately.
  
  
• Plus the recordings of Gerry's lyrics and music for the SONGBOOK demo, with Phil Ramone, the # 1 sound engineer in the world, on December 28 29, 1995. Just 3 weeks before Gerry passed away:
  
  
  • "Innocent" (Never Learned) was sung by Kevin Di Simone (1min10s)
  • "Just Want To Sing And Dance Like Fred Astaire" (2min13s) (including The Gerry Mulligan Quartet dancing backstage in Tel Aviv (1987)
  • "I can't Wait To Get Married" sung by Diva Gray (1mn46s)
  • "On This Morning We Wed" (1min17s)
    
    
• Notes from Franca R. Mulligan for:
  
  The Los AngelesRecording, May 25,1996.of "Now I know What I've Missed". and is sung by Patti Austin, a well known singer. Dave Grusin and Gerry were friends for decades. I asked Dave Grusin, the famous film composer, great piano player and many time Grammy Award Winner, if he would make an arrangement for "Now I Know What I Have Missed all My life", for the orchestra, as per Gerry's wish, and he did. Music by Gerry and lyrics by Gerry and Judy Holliday (1min30s)

• "Dragonfly"
  
  Studio sessions in June 1995, New York (1min48s) with Dave Grusin on piano, Grover Washington on soprano sax and others...
  
  
• "The Tibetan Monks" concert, Milan Italy at the Nazionale Theatre, Oct. 9, 1995 (3min59s)
  
  Gerry donated the proceeds of the concert, produced by us, to the Lamas. They were on tour to raise funds for the construction of the New Sangha Assembly Hall and Central Cathedral at the Sera Jeh Mahayana Monastic University in Mysore , in the South of India. Gerry, myself and many other benefactor names are engraved on a stone column. The Hall was inaugurated by His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama of Tibet, in December 1997.

• Milano concert of the Gerry Mulligan sextet in early1956
• Gerry Mulligan playing piano at home in 1979
• "Line for Lyons" (2min54s) played by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet during 1956-1957. The musicians were BobBrookmeyer, Bill Crow, and Dave Bailey !
• "One Note Samba" (3min52s) with Antonio Carlos Jobim, filmed at Gerry's apartment in New York.
• "Out Of This World" (0min45s) by the Concert Jazz Band in Newport 1960
• "Unknown Song" (0min14s) by the Dave Brubeck Trio with Gerry Mulligan in Norway 1968!
• "Festive Minor" (1min37s) with Art Farmer in Darien the Mulligans' home garden, in 1980
• "Entente" played in Stockholm (1988) in Tel Aviv (1987)
• Marciac in 1991 when Gerry Mulligan met in concert the famous Stephane Grappelli
• Gerry Mulligan Workshop recorded in 1994
• "K-4 Pacific" (3min35s) , "I never Was A Young Man" (3min33s) from Tokyo 1993
• The permanent exhibit of the Gerry Mulligan Collection at the Library of Congress.

I enjoy all the interviews. I love particularly, the one with: Dave & Iola Brubeck, Riccardo Muti and Bob Brookmeyer.

3. ELLIOT LAWRENCE

A Review of the Elliot Lawrence Career by DREW TECHNER

A very complete review by a man who is a great collector of the Elliot Lawrence works. A lot of rare information. I thank him very much for his agreement to include this work in the newsletter.

Joe Techner was my father. He had the jazz chair for trumpet in Elliot's band from November 1948 to July 1951. His solos are on Columbia singles "Elevation" and "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea."

Elliot Lawrence was born Elliot Lawrence Broza on February 14, 1925. He grew up in Devon, just outside Philadelphia. His first public performance was at age 4 conducting a kid band on the Children's Hour. He began taking piano lessons at the age of four from child specialist Christine Reebe, and by age six wrote his first composition, a tune called "Falling Down Stairs." Elliot was a veteran of several public appearances when, in 1931, he was stricken with polio and for six months fought the illness. At the age of twelve he formed his first band, a 15-piece unit called the Band Busters.

From 1937 to 1941 he led a children's band on Philadelphia CBS flag radio station WCAU on the Children's Hour, a Sunday show sponsored by the local restaurant chain Horn and Hardart. Since 1928, Elliot's father Stan Lee Broza was an executive at the station, over the years filling the spots of general manager, vice president and program manager.

Elliot finished high school at age 16 and entered the University of Pennsylvania on a four-year scholarship. He majored in piano under the tutelage of Erno Barlough. During his junior year, his band, now renamed the Elliot Broza Orchestra, played proms at Villanova and Temple. Also while at Penn, he studied piano and symphonic work under Leon Barzin, famous New York conductor and composer, who thought so highly of him that he offered Elliot an assistantship. In 1944, after only three years, Elliot graduated at age 19 with a Bachelor of Music and received the school's Art Achievement Award in Music. This was only the second time in the university's history the award was given in the field of music.

Elliot remembered that his orchestra was basically formed from the football band that started at the beginning of World War II. It had guys dressed in Penn, Army khaki and Naval Reserve uniforms; others wore Penn uniforms. The band performed during games at Penn's Franklin Field in front of audiences of 80,000. Elliot explained that in October 1944, this football band appeared on the front page of the Evening Bulletin, the owner of radio station WCAU read it and told Elliot that when he graduated, he wanted him to become music director of the station's house band. Elliot accepted and took over the band the following January. Elliot's predecessor was Johnny Warrington who went on tour. Besides Warrington, the forefathers of the WCAU band baton were Jan Savitt and Lynn Murray. The station's old studios were at 1622 Walnut St .

On November 1, 1944 Elliot began rehearsing his first studio band composed mostly of the old Band Busters. On Thursday night, January 18, 1945 the band premiered for the first time as the Elliot Lawrence Orchestra in a weekly half-hour midnight "Listen to Lawrence" broadcast. The orchestra was composed of three trumpets, three trombones, a French horn, five saxes, and a four-piece rhythm section; including solo piano, orchestra piano, bass and drums.

In an interview by Laura Lee of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Elliot said he "dropped the name Broza, retaining only his first and second names, when he and his band played for WCAU because he didn't want to trade on his pop's name."

Elliot got another break when his midnight broadcasts were heard by reviewer George T. Simon in New York City. There was a war-time "black out" in New York at the time and local bands stopped playing at midnight. Consequently, Simon flipped the dials at that hour and picked up Elliot. Simon gave Elliot a "rave" review in the March 1945 issue of Metronome magazine. That year, CBS signed Elliot based on the Simon review and due to the tie that Columbia's Recording Director, Mannie Sachs, had with Leon Levy. The CBS network picked up the "Listen to Lawrence" show and began nightly broadcasts that paid sidemen $45.00 per week and $60.00 for pianist/leader Elliot.

The theme song was "Heart to Heart," an Elliot original. The band's address in Devon, Pa. was "Box 155" - the name of another original Elliot arrangement. Elliot's phone number was Wayne 1577.

As drummer Howie Mann recalled, "Elliot was a top-flight arranger. He gave the band style. You knew when you heard it, that it was Elliot's." Besides Elliot, the primary arranger for many of the ballads was former bandleader Frank Hunter. His name was originally Hundertmark and he officially shortened it before joining Elliot when he had his own small band.

Gerry Mulligan would later join Hunter as an arranger for Elliot. Sax player Merle Bredwell later noted, "Elliot and all the musicians he hired were all high class talented musicians, but even they were not going to be the answer to it. It was the orchestrations that really made the greatest impression and, as we know, Gerry Mulligan contributed an awful lot to all of his orchestrations and compositions." Bredwell also added that it was Nelson Riddle that did most of the band's full orchestrations for concerts and theaters. Nelson Riddle was a composer for only a brief time with Elliot in 1946 and arranged the band's versions of Rhapsody in Blue, Fire Dance.

Laura Lee of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin reported, "the lyrics of most of his [Elliot's] pieces are written by Bix Reichner, Bulletin reporter with whom he is writing a full-length comedy score."

Elliot's initial studio recording work was in February 1946 making Associated transcriptions in New York. On May 1, 1946 the band recorded their first Columbia sides, including "In Apple Blossom Time." Former bandleader Mitchell Ayres led Columbia's recording supervisors. Personnel included: Alec Fila, Johnny Dee, Bob Berger (tp) Frank Rodowicz, Joe Verrechico, Tony Lala (tb) Ernie Angelucci (f-hn) Ernie Contonucci, Mike Giamo (as) Gerry Mulligan (ts/arr) Frank Lewis, Andy Pino (ts) Mike Donio (bar) Elliot Lawrence (p/arr) Andy Riccardi or Artie Singer (b) Max Spector (d) Jack Hunter, Rosalind Patton (vo).

Elliot recalled how happy he was to record for Columbia. George T. Simon noted the following about Elliot in his book, The Big Bands, "Elliot's faith in people, his desire to please and an apparent lack of self-assurance raised some problems. He could be overly polite, overly receptive. On his record dates, instead of calling Columbia's recording director "Mitch," the way other artists did, Elliot would address him as "Mr. Ayres." So anxious was Elliot to please and to succeed that he would listen patiently to all kinds of advice, much of it conflicting."

Among the recordings Elliot made on Columbia that Spring were two Elliot arrangements; "Five O'clock Shadow," and "Once Upon A Moon" featuring Mitch Miller on oboe and Jack Hunter, vocal. By the end of the month the Elliot Lawrence Orchestra was playing the Cafe Rouge at the Hotel Pennsylvania. Elliot promoted the band as the "Band of 1952." Despite the lack of any previous "big name" booking, Elliot appeared on twenty radio shows and his band was on the NBC Chesterfield Supper Club while performing at the Cafe Rouge over the summer of '46.

The beginning of October 1946 brought some changes. Elliot introduced a "woodwindette" section composed of bassoon, French horn, English horn, oboe, clarinet, guitar, bass and the Lawrence piano. Levy was preparing to sell WCAU to J. David Stern. Elliot's father resigned his program manager post at WCAU to become promotion manager for his son's band (Pianist Dave Stevens took over the WCAU house band for Elliot's departure on the road. Elliot Lawrence Orchestra personnel highlights: Walt Stuart (Lyszkowski) on trumpet and Vince Forchetti on trombone (both joining June 1946), Marty Masters took over drums, Ex-Band Buster Bruno Rondinelli (tenor) rejoined Elliot after the military, Jerry Field moved to the jazz tenor chair replacing Andy Pino. Thin-necked Merle Bredwell (of Beatrice, Nebraska) left Bobby Sherwood to join Elliot playing baritone and alto sax, flute, bassoon, French horn, bass clarinet and B-flat clarinet. The Elliot Lawrence Orchestra was now a road band performing one-nighters at ballrooms, hotel rooms, proms, and college campuses. That fall, the band went on their first true road tour across New England and the Midwest. Bruno Rondinelli remembers the starting point for this tour - a one-nighter at Mahanoy City, Pa. just after the Pennsylvania Hotel. The management at Cafe Rouge didn't forget how much they enjoyed Elliot over the summer. Upon their request, he returned in late November and played there until Christmas. During his first week, Elliot topped the Hotel Pennsylvania's record gross for the year.

Elliot's vocal duo was Rosalind Patton and Jack Hunter. Rosalind was born Roselyn Mae Piccurelli in Philadelphia on June 5, 1922. She was an original Band Buster, joining Elliot in 1935. She was 5'2" and served as a WAVE in the Marine Corps during the war. Male vocalist Jack Hunter's real name was John Averona. He was born July 15, 1919 in South Philly. Probably the oldest band-member, he spent five years as a Marine having joined before Pearl Harbor. He was married to wife Marie. Elliot recalled that Hunter eventually left the band because he was married at the time and wasn't making enough money.

Despite the changes, the band about this time still had six of the original Bandbusters and half his band members were Philadelphians.

The December 1946 issue of The Saturday Evening Post featured trumpeter Alec Fila. in a lengthy article entitled "Sideman with a Horn." Fila had worked Jack Teagarden, Bob Chester, Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. He had studied under Del Staigers and Max Schlossberg and was awarded a Julliard scholarship. Fila solos on "Five O'clock Shadow."

Details into the routine of Elliot's sidemen are gleaned from the Elliot Lawrence Band Manual. Elliot prescribed that five bandsmen would travel in each car. Instruments and luggage were transported on a 1-1/2 ton truck sporting a clothing rack for uniforms. Bulk clothing belonged on the truck. "We allow three hours driving for 100 miles" and musicians were obligated to arrive three hours before a job. Rooms were reserved in advance. "Of course there will be no night driving. This is a union law."

The Manual noted that Elliot held orchestra rehearsals before broadcasts and prior to each recording. A section rehearsal and one full band rehearsal was held each week. The Post article noted that, as preferred by the musicians, these rehearsals were often held during the week in the wee morning hours after a performance. A daily daytime rehearsal was held when the band had a couple days off in a row during a run of one-nighters. However, as Howie Mann remembered, the band often had only about three days off a month and there weren't that many rehearsals because the band was traveling a lot; just a lot of warm-ups. Musicians were prohibited from "jamming" less than one hour before a performance and were to warm-up back stage or next to the bandstand. Tuning on the bandstand was allowed fifteen minutes prior to playing. While in New York, Elliot often conducted his daytime rehearsals at Nola Studios, 113 W. 57th St.

When the band was free, it was usually on Monday nights because it was the one night that colleges didn't normally hold dances. The guys looked forward to the few opportunities they had to stay in one place for a few weeks. This is why they forgot playing the many one-nighter ballrooms and proms but still remember the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Hotel Roosevelt, Galveston's Pleasure Pier, Bop City, the Blue Note and the Paramount Theater at Times Square. The reason why they played so many one-nighters was because the colleges paid the most money.

The basic uniform for Elliot's sidemen was a maroon cardigan, gray pants, white shirts and a multi-colored bow tie. The Band Manual added that musicians would carry a white handkerchief in the suit coat breast pocket, dark socks, and shined browned shoes. Howie Mann recalled additional uniforms including a tan suit with straight tie; a navy blue suit with straight tie or bow tie for formal jobs; and a brown corduroy jacket tailor made by Fox tailors in Chicago.

Elliot wore purple plaid jackets, yellow monogrammed shirts and flowered ties.

Elliot started musicians at $110 and paid them an average of $150 in cash once a week. Merle Bredwell, for example, made a few dollars more to cover the cost of driving his own car (including nine cents a mile reimbursement) and being the "road manager." From their wages, personnel had to pay for their own meals and lodging.

"He travels about 100,000 miles by car every year, is in a different town almost every night of the week, works six nights a week and sometimes seven, has been in hillbilly towns where it is impossible to get a decent square meal, gone without enough sleep most of his adult life and never had time for girls, yet Elliot Lawrence says he loves his work," Philadelphia Bulletin writer Laura Lee reported in 1949. He may have loved the work, but Elliot suffered from asthma and allergies while traveling on the road. This would ultimately force him to leave the road.

The musicians carried mostly Local 77 (Philadelphia) or Local 802 (New York) union cards for Jimmy C. Petrillo's American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Elliot's aggregation was predominantly from Philadelphia.

Reviewers typed Elliot as a Claude Thornhill clone. While Elliot was at the Cafe Rouge in 1946 reviewer Michael Levin wrote, "As for the charge that the band imitates Claude Thornhill, Lawrence's piano playing sounds more like CT than anything else in the band. His use of French horn tends toward a single moving voice with reeds where as Thornhill is more interested in brass section tonalities and "room tone." Both bands are concentrating on harmonic color overlaid with woodwind delicacy. It's parallelism of effort rather than copying."

Elliot responded to Levin, "My piano does not sound like Thornhill's. Claude concentrates on effects played in the higher register against the band, whereas I play melody on the middle keys." However, in October 1944 Elliot prepared an Arrangers Guide that stated, "Piano is the featured instrument of band, and should be featured in almost every arrangement. The piano will be in the style of Teddy Wilson-Claude Thornhill - light - usually single note right hand - never heavy chorded playing."

A year later, Elliot's December 1947 opening at the Hollywood Palladium was reviewed, "Many thought it was great and sat nodding approvingly as Elliot put the band through its paces, yet others felt that although it sounded good, it resembled too closely an illegitimate child born out of Stan Kenton by Claude Thornhill" A few dyspeptic listeners drew the Kenton-Thornhill comparison, but for the most part it was considered a good and welcomed opening."

Elliot told me, "The band was two kinds; one on the ballad side, somewhat like Claude Thornhill's band, somewhat moody; and yet on the jazz side had Gerry Mulligan writing for us." Many of Thornhill's personnel were in Elliot's band, including Red Rodney, Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans and Lee Konitz.

"I had every intention of going into symphonic work. However, I started having fun and earning money in the dance field and just stayed there," Elliot recalled in a 1952 interview. Elliot's own piano style was suited more for symphonic performances rather than jazz solos. By 1948, Elliot completed a full-length musical score and Robbins Music contracted for a series of his works to be used for piano studies. Elliot reported Art Tatum as favorite piano soloist and his ambition was to compose "classical music ." In 1946, reviewer Michael Levin remarked, "Lawrence himself confines his piano playing to short intervals of melodic snatches. If he is to establish claim to musicianship as well as arranging and leading, there should be more straight piano and a little less cuteness." Levin again reviewed Elliot at Bop City in January 1950 and stated, "His piano playing was never easy nor flowing, always carried with it a sense of working stiffness that hampered the ideas." For an illustration of Levin's points, listen to the original Columbia release of "Elevation." Then, compare it to the alternate take of "Elevation" recorded at the same session and released on Gerry Mulligan's posthumous Mullenium album. Bob Karch performs the piano solo on the original release. Elliot does the keyboard work on the alternate take.

The sweet sound was Elliot's primary commercial output. Initially, he favored it and saw it as a medium to ease in his symphonic leanings; "We're trying to get more classical sounds. That way we get a sort of purple mood. Overseas, the kids loved wild razz-ma-tazz. But now they're back, they want to put their arm around their girlfriend and romance slowly."

At the end of 1948, Elliot attempted to shrug the sweet profile when talking to trade pub Metronome, "We're not strictly a sweet band, not by any means. Maybe when you hear us in hotel rooms and spots like that you think so, but listen to us on one-nighters and on college dates, and you'll hear us jump, too. I'd die if we didn't and so would the guys. Trouble is, though, we've been typed, because when we first started at station WCAU in Philly, we had to play a lot of sweet stuff. That's radio. You know."

However, the "sweet" sound was Elliot's popularity. In January 1947, Look Magazine selected Elliot's ork as Band of the Year. That year, the band grossed a quarter million dollars. Then, for three years in a row (1947 - 1949), the sweet sound made Elliot the campus choice as most promising newer orchestra on Billboard's Annual College Poll. The band also enjoyed high ratings in polls taken by Orchestra World and Billboard, both trade papers. In addition, Down Beat and Metronome put Elliot among the ten best bands in the country. The June 1949, Billboard ranked Elliot as the #7 All-Around Favorite, behind Vaughn Monroe, Tommy Dorsey, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, Stan Kenton and Guy Lombardo; respectively.

So, on March 16, 1949, three weeks before recording the famous Mulligan arrangement of "Elevation" Elliot had this to say about bop, "Jump and bop tunes cause dancers to stop and crowd around the bandstand and watch an orchestra perform. They'll applaud, sometimes" But it's when they're able to move around - hold each other close - in a slow, sweet number, that we get our best response." Elliot explained that he had just finished another nationwide tour of colleges and the colleges preferred sweet and low rhythms.

At the time that Elliot made the above bop-disparaging remark, the band was performing a three-week stint at the Paramount Theater at Times Square with the Nat King Cole Trio. Author Jerome Klinkowitz in his book Listen: Gerry Mulligan, recalled that Elliot's show at the Paramount opened with a novelty Mulligan arrangement of John Philip Sousa's "Strike Up The Band." Drummer Howie Mann fondly remembered those three weeks and recalled at the end of every show, Cole would sit in on piano with the band. The climatic number was always "Elevation." Howie noted that, since there were five shows a day, the band drilled this tune about 100 times while at the Paramount. This was a big departure from all the ballad work the band played at proms and recorded commercially. After three weeks at the Paramount, the boys in the band decided they had to record it.

Elliot was playing "Elevation" as early as the Hollywood Palladium days in late 1947. It was purportedly the first tune Mulligan that ever wrote as a teenager in Philadelphia. On January 29, 1947, Red Rodney originally recorded it on his Bebop album (Keynote Records). Mulligan later expanded it for Elliot. Although the Elliot Lawrence Orchestra could be picked up playing it at the end of every broadcast and one-nighter, Elliot had not yet recorded it commercially.

Howie Mann recalled "Elevation" as the only memorable recording for the band and remembered the boys had a difficult time convincing Elliot Lawrence to record it. The band pressured Elliot and, once he agreed, Elliot had difficulty convincing Columbia's A & R man.

Howie explained that Elliot came back from Columbia with a deal; the band could record it but the members of the band had to personally promote it by visiting radio stations town-to-town and handing out copies. At first the band thought this was tacky but they agreed.

During a week in April that the band was originally scheduled off, Elliot secured a recording date. He wrote band members a letter with details for the "Elevation" recording session. On April 12, 1949 the band met at the AFM rehearsal hall at 18th & Arch Streets in Philadelphia. The rhythm section met at 1:45 p.m. A full band rehearsal from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The next day at 1:30 p.m. they began the recording session at Columbia's 30th Street studio.

Columbia purchased the 207 E. 30th Street Midtown Manhattan studio in 1949. In 1998, Columbia engineer Howard Scott remembered the studio; "It was one big room with 45 foot ceilings, about 120 feet long and 55 feet wide." A 1953 article in Time magazine described the scene, "The stained-glass windows are bricked up, the pews are gone, and in place of the organ there is a glass-fronted control room which bristles with switches, plugs and dials." The Time article identified the church as the Adams Memorial Presbyterian Church.

I received corroboration of this by an engineer that worked there. Everyone agrees, however, that this was one of the recording industry's most renowned studios. Howie explained this was because it had a natural echo. My father noted that Columbia selected it because of the extraordinary acoustics that only a large empty church could offer. It was knocked down in 1982 and an apartment building is there now.

Columbia's deal also required Elliot to record two songs that he didn't want to do; "Gigolette" and "Every Night Is Saturday Night." The session's first cut was "Gigolette" a ballad using an electronic musical instrument called a "Theremin," named after a Russian scientist Leon Theremin. "This instrument is played by passing a wand through two beams of light, breaking the circuit of the two electric eyes. His is the only dance band in the country that has employed this instrument for the weird effects it creates." Dr. Samuel Hoffman, a chiropractor and former Meyer Davis violinist, played it during a Spellbound Hollywood score and won an Academy Award. However, this session had Lucie Bigelow Rosen operating the clumsy instrument and the results were less than satisfactory. It whimpered around the oboe and bassoon in the ballad background. Numerous takes were made but the final product was still out of tune.

The second cut was "Every Night Is Saturday Night" which gave the trumpet section a chance to warm up. Elliot used a vocal chorus on the record.

Then came time to record "Elevation." Down Beat would point out in its review of "Elevation" that it was not recorded right, "With Elevation, you can hear what happens when the boys go hog wild with resonance, and don't control it properly. I would guess that this record was made in Columbia's East 30th Street church studios in New York city, with the new Altec Lansing microphone, which has a wide range pickup. Because the session was done without proper attention to control, the entire side is mush, with no definition between sections."

The recording of "Elevation" that made it on the Columbia sides - and was later part of the Smithsonian Institute's Big Band Jazz Collection as one of the top 50 jazz recordings of the 20th century - was actually a warm-up take meant for setting recording levels. Elliot Lawrence is NOT on the piano as commonly believed. It was the first take and Elliot was in the control room with Columbia's engineers checking the sound. Bob Karch is the piano soloist. After performing alternate takes, the band picked the initial recording with Karch on piano as the best. Elliot didn't object since the record was really meant for the boys in the band. Years later, Elliot recalled, "I believe we got such an excellent performance of 'Elevation' because the guys in the band were so happy to have a chance to record it. The company was a little leery about letting us do it. Columbia executives wanted to develop interest in our ballad things rather than our jazz arrangements and soloists."

Burt Korall's liner notes for Jazz In Revolution eloquently reviewed the recording, "On 'Elevation,' Gerry Mulligan's treatment of the blues, the band gives every indication of having matured and fully come to terms with the sounds and rhythms, the language of modern jazz. The score is lean, harmonically interesting (using ninths, elevenths, and augmented elevenths), and compactly made. Based on a long sweeping twelve-bar line over blues changes, it allows sufficient room for soloists Phil Urso, Vince Forrest, Joe Techner, Lawrence [Bob Karch], and Howie Mann to have their say. Excellent ensemble writing tightly links thematic material and solos, giving the work flow and a strong pulse."

Merle Bredwell also remembered the recording, "I think we made a pretty good recording. I'm sure, you know, when you play the same arrangement every night and each soloist has maybe a little addition he wants to put into it, its going to change from night to night. So, I would say probably there were a lot of other times we played the arrangement - maybe at a dance or a concert - that might have been better than the recording, but still I think the recording was a blessing for the musicians that were involved in it." The following is the personnel for the "Elevation" recording; Joe Techner, Johnny Dee (John DeFrancesco), and Jimmy Padget, trumpets; Sy (Seymour) Berger, Vince Forchetti, and Chuck Harris, trombones; Bill Danzien, trumpet and French horn; Joe Soldo, Louis Giamo, Phil Urso, Bruno Rondinelli, and Merle Bredwell, saxophones; Bob ("Otto") Karch, pianos; Tommy O'Neill, (string) bass; Howie Mann, drums. Gerry Mulligan was also present for the recording. Originally issued on Columbia 38497.

The band members kept their promise to Elliot. The boys in the band visited record stores and radio stations giving out copies of the record. Howie Mann was probably the biggest promoter and rushed a copy to Al "Jazzbo" Collins at station KALL in Salt Lake City. Howie had befriended Collins back in '47 when the band played at Jerry Jones' Rainbow Rendezvous. Jazzbo later moved to New York where had the popular late-night program "Purple Grotto" on WNEW. Elliot later remembered that "Elevation" didn't sell a lot of copies right away.

Bop was at its peak during the summer of 1949. The Click in Philly opened in July decorated in bop style featuring Dizzy Gillespie. The band started to pursue the progressive bop style with or without Elliot. Howie Mann, Tom O'Neill, Bob Karch and Phil Urso formed a combo called "Phil Urso's Swingsters" and made recordings on the Futurama label.

The decline of the dance bands, the success of "Elevation," the Mulligan charts, and the creative pressure from the boys in the band all had an influence on Elliot. He began taking steps to secure the emerging audiences and music styles. Elliot noted that, "kids don't go to the dance halls as much as they used to." Elliot gave up his free Monday nights to visit high schools to, "acquaint high school students- first hand - with what they're missing." The November 4, 1949 issue of Down Beat noted that Elliot's library was tending more and more toward originals mostly by Mulligan, "I want to be a dance band that's going ahead," Elliot said, "I want to play stuff with a modern sound (23)."

Gerry Mulligan officially joined the band on October 8th and formed his own quintet within the band with Elliot's blessing. It included Mulligan on baritone sax, Phil Urso on tenor, Tom O'Neill on bass, Howie Mann on drums and Bob Karch on piano. Among their favorites was "Elegy to a Man" and "The Gold Rush."

Howie Mann recalled how brilliant Mulligan really was. Once, while rooming with Gerry, he went asleep while Gerry was working on an arrangement. When Howie woke in the morning, Gerry was still working on the arrangement. He hadn't slept at all.

Two days after Mulligan joined, Elliot recorded his last sides on the Columbia label, including an instrumental version of "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" - a tune normally performed with lyrics by prominent vocal artists. The second cut was "Ritual Fire Dance" - a tune not arranged by Mulligan. Arranger Frank Hunter played lead trombone on this last record date.

Elliot still had to contend with the heavy resistance from Columbia records. In the Down Beat interview, Elliot added, "The record companies are neglecting bands, they're making them cut the same pop ballads that all the big singers are doing. A band vocalist can't compete with name vocalists with those 40-man backgrounds, so naturally the band records don't sell as well. Bands should be cutting more originals, things that are strictly instrumental pieces and which don't have to go out and compete directly with the big vocalists."

When Elliot's contract with Columbia was discontinued, he picked up opportunities to record transcriptions. He had done a lot of recordings for Associate Transcriptions in 1946 and 1947. Like all the bands, his studio output ceased during the 10-month AFM recording strike of 1948. He had made a lot of recordings for Columbia while at the Hollywood Palladium immediately before the strike. From October 1949 to mid-1950 he found recording work for such transcription programs as Here's To Veterans and Land's Best Bands.

On November 17th, the band met in Columbia's Studio D at 799 Seventh Ave. in New York and made a few cuts for an upcoming 1950 March of Dimes transcription program. Because of Elliot's childhood struggle with polio, he was named chairman of the "bandleaders' division" of the March of Dimes for 1950.

By the fall of 1949, the band saw the following changes in personnel over the past two years: Howie Mann (Tittman) of Glendale, Long Island took over the drums in September 1947. In May 1948 Fred Schmidt, for years first French horn with the Indianapolis symphony, replaced John St. Amour, who joined the Columbus, Ohio symphony. Johnny Dee left the band to help his father who suffered a nervous breakdown by managing the family hotel in Atlantic City. Stan Kenton found him and berated him for leaving the business. Dee called Elliot and he got his job back as first trumpet. In November 1948, the same time of Dee's return, Joe Techner took over the trumpet jazz chair replacing Walt Stuart. Red Rodney had recommended Joe for the position. Joe had been with the Bob Sheble band and played in the 106th army band at Camp Shelby, Miss. during the war. Also in November 1948 Howie talked Elliot into getting Bob Karch as a second piano on the band, thus letting Elliot front the band in his flashy sport coats. Until Karch came, the band only had a rhythm guitar to fill in when Elliot was not at the keyboard. Joe Delaquilla was added on French horn during this time. In June 1949, Bobby Hunter came on board playing trombone and Frank Hunter official joined the band as full-time arranger. This was in addition to Mulligan, of course.

The 17th band member during this period was "Pres," a little dog named after Lester Young that sat atop Lawrence's piano during performances. The band picked Pres up in Sauk City, Wisconsin on October 26, 1950 while playing at the Riverview Ballroom. Stan Weiss recalled that everyone enjoyed Pres. The band would call him and he would come running - sliding across dance floors, making everyone laugh hard. Elliot recalls he went with Roz after the band's break-up.

Elliot set his eyes for dates at Bop City on New York's Broadway and the Blue Note in Chicago. "If we do play those spots a lot of people will be knocked off their chairs at what they hear," Elliot promised. As it turned out, as Merle Bredwell later recalled, these were the two most outstanding performances of the road band.

1950 arrived with Elliot performing at Bop City. Elliot spent three weeks there with Frankie Laine and the Slam Stuart Trio. Michael Levin gave the band an overall impressive review. He found the band more mature. Variety also reviewed the Bop City gig and found the band performing tricky musical patterns with some unusual sound effects. The arrangements were sometimes too embellished and Mulligan's "Elegy for a Man" was too elaborate.

Spring was baseball season. Elliot's band performed during the opening game of the Phillies at Shibe Park. About a year earlier, Elliot and arranger Bix Reichner had joined together to form the Elliot Music Company as an outlet for their compositions and arrangements. For the occasion, Elliot and Bix wrote "The Fightin' Phils" that sold over 2,000 copies during the 1950 season. The band never actually recorded the record. It was recorded by the Delaware County String Band.

In June 1950, Elliot began recording for Decca with studios at 50 W. 57th St. in New York. At the front of the small studio, watching over the musicians, was a famous picture of an Indian with outstretched arms and a tear coming down his cheek. A sign above him stated, "Where's the melody?" If Elliot felt he was strangled at Columbia with sleepy ballads, then Decca was worse. Decca was only interested in building Elliot up as a sweet band. The selections badly plied to the college crowd and would be enough for two 10" LPs and 12" LP reissue entitled Prom Night. A reviewer noted, "Mostly, this LP is a melange of dull, deadly tempos, male choirs, and Lawrence's harmless piano playing, though Roz Patton sings well in her solo chores." Neither Elliot nor his band enjoyed Decca's muffled and flat ballad recordings.

Stan Weiss recalled the Decca college albums and noted, "Elliot wrote them a la "The Four Brothers" voicing with myself playing lead tenor and Herbie Steward filling in jazz obligatos on the alto." More about the Four Brothers and Steward later in this article. If it weren't for drummer Howie Mann and his friend Rudy Van Gelder, most of the band's best material would have been lost. In 1950, Howie bought a Pentron open-reel tape recorder. He carried it to one-nighters and sat it next to him during performances. A few of the rare one-nighters survived from these ten-inch reels.

Elliot and "Mr. Rhythm" Frankie Laine spent most of the summer during 1950 together. First, they billed together with Pattie Page "The Latest Rage" at the Paramount Theater in May and June. Elliot and Frankie were together again at Pleasure Pier at Galveston, Texas playing "Apple Core" renamed as "The Texas Hop."

In the fall of 1950, personnel infused the band from Woody Herman's Second Herd that had recently folded. New additions included Rob Swope, Earl Swope and Ollie Wilson, all trombonists; Mert (Bass Fiddle) Oliver, Herbie (Alto Sax) Steward and Buddy (Tenor Sax) Savitt. In September 1950, Danny Riccardo joined the band as male vocalist, replacing Jack Hunter. Riccardo, who was 5'8" with black hair and brown eyes, couldn't read music.

Elliot spent the last week of 1950 showcasing his ex-Herman personnel at the Blue Note. Elliot's band was now at its peak of creativity and talent and the 88-er had everything he wanted: seasoned professional sidemen, Mulligan arrangements and compositions, and the Blue Note. Of all the ex-Herman personnel, Elliot spotlighted Herbie Steward. He had been one of the 2nd Herd's "Four Brothers." This was the name of a combo and the most popular tune of Woody's - after Woodchopper's Ball. Under Woody, the combo had included Zoot Sims, Herbie Steward, Stan Getz on tenor and Serge Chaloff on baritone.

Elliot's often played "Four and One Moore" (sometimes called "Lawrence Leaps"). This Mulligan arrangement was recorded on April 8, 1949 by Stan Getz joined by four other tenors (Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Zoot Sims and Brew Moore) and is based on the Four Brothers. At one nighters, Elliot would often jokingly introduce his version as "Three Gents And A Gentile" and it was performed in Elliot's band by Herb Steward, Stan Weiss, Buddy Savitt and Mike Gordon (Goldberg).

In addition to these problems, Elliot was craving more than leading a big band. He wanted to use more of Leon Barzin's symphonic training and saw how the new medium of television offered many opportunities for a young and ambitious man to arrange and lead orchestras. His interest in television and the camera started with an interest in developing musical film shorts way back in December 1947, during Elliot's only visit to Hollywood. While there, he produced a ten-minute film short for Columbia featuring "Five O'clock Shadow" and members of the band. Also while there, Elliot signed a deal with MGM for a musical short based on Elliot's life. In June 1948, Lawrence explained the value of movie shorts, "Band telecasts could also capitalize on the curiosity of the public about the men behind the songs - composers, arrangers and the song pluggers." Curiously, Elliot added, "I have other ideas, too, but these I shall not reveal just now. However, I'll tell you this: My crew is already at work rehearsing bits and specialties for the television camera. Before we're through, every member of our band will be a complete entertainer." By June 1949, Elliot was working with Bix Reichner to prepare a series of simple ten-minute musical comedies acted by band members. Although Elliot made several television appearances with his road band, his musical shorts concept remained undeveloped. Elliot knew that, if he were to remain successful, he would have to leave the road.

As 1951 progressed, Elliot appeared on Kate Smith's television show. As Howie Mann noted, the band wasn't working six nights a week anymore. As the itinerary got lighter and dates were cancelled, the boys saw the writing on the wall. Despite the loss of revenue, Elliot was still paying his men full salary. No one, including Elliot, seems to recall what announcement was made, if any. Howie Mann and vocalist Danny Riccardo left in May. Merle Bredwell remembers that the band was not as good as it was the year before. In fact, he said the band "may have been the best band in the country a year before it broke up." Frank Driggs, in his liner notes for The Uncollected Elliot Lawrence leaves us with the following report; "Young and ambitious, Elliot Lawrence stayed at the head of an always interesting and exciting big band for ten years and wound up ill and $20,000 in debt. A poignant note, when he finally decided to throw in the towel, he was given an impassioned speech by Stan Kenton who told him how much the band business needed him, how important it was to keep going, etc. Lawrence remembers how moving it all was and how Kenton felt, but it was too late. Another chapter in music closed, leaving lots of warm memories behind."

Elliot confirmed Driggs' report and explained that Stan Kenton was his friend and when Kenton heard he was planning to move to New York to do studio work and only play on the weekends, he immediately flew in from California and stayed up all night with Elliot trying to talk him out of it. Kenton told Elliot there were only a few bands he liked, the Lawrence Orchestra was one of them and he wanted it to continue. Elliot said he had $18,000 in the bank when he left Philadelphia for the road in 1946 and was $20,000 in debt when he finished. Financially, he "worked very hard for zero." Elliot explained that, yes, the band did well for the first several years, but it tapered off and got bad. As for being ill, Elliot explained that he had bad allergies that couldn't be treated like they can today with sprays. He was getting sick and his brother told him he was going to have to leave the road or he was going to kill himself.

The road band essentially declined after its stay at the Blue Note. A few years after leaving the road, Elliot told Down Beat, "The last year I was on the road the boys in the band weren't up to snuff, and you find that after a few months of one-nighters your ear begins to get dulled to what's right and what's wrong."

The road band's last appearance was Atlantic City's Steel Pier, July 6 to 12, 1951. All agree that the big bands were on the demise during this time.

Elliot Lawrence settled in uptown Manhattan near Central Park. He worked Monday thru Thursday in New York doing studio work and took out the band on the weekends, accepting gigs at colleges and universities. The Elliot Lawrence Orchestra was made up of mostly pick-up musicians and a small remnant of the road band personnel. Elliot increasingly worked in radio and television studios.

Elliot told me that his band in New York was very good but not the same as the road band, "Your father was with my band at the height of our popularity and after that, I had a good band, later on a couple of times, but it never hit like that original one." Opportunities in television quickly followed for Elliot. He conducted an orchestra on the Guide Right television show from February 1952 until the fall of 1953. Throughout '52 and '53, Elliot conducted a 13-piece band each week on the Red Buttons show, using mostly CBS studio men, and daily on the Jack Sterling CBS radio show. He also did an eight-month appearance on the Philip Morris Playhouse.

Elliot's "all-star" weekend band, included vocalists Danny Riccardo, Rosalind Patton; saxists Al Cohn, Al Steele, Sam Marowitz, Hal McKusick and Steve Perlo; drummer Tiny Kahn; trombones Johnny Mandell, Ollie Wilson and Al Robinson; bassist Buddy Jones; trumpets Travis, Porcino, DeRisi and Sherman. A few sides were put out on the King label. Elliot changed his dance book and scrapped the French horn, referring it to an "introverted instrument" and replacing it with the "extroverted" bass trumpet (5).

In my recent interview with Elliot, he candidly revealed that Ollie Wilson approached him about this weekend band and told him that 12 to 14 of the guys were on heroin. The drug problem was even worse than while on the road.

As the decade moved on, Elliot continued to work in television and his studio band centered more on instrumental arrangements. Some of the more well-known players included Urbie Green on trombone, Tiny Kahn or Sol Gubin on drums, Hal McKusick; Sam Marowitz and Al Cohn on saxes, and such trumpeters as Ernie Royal, Nick Travis and Bernie Glow. Some of his weekend work showed up on the Fantasy label and much of his studio work can be found on Vik, Sesac and Air Force transcriptions.

By the mid-fifties, Elliot finally made commercial recordings of the dozen or so Mulligan arrangements that were the main book of the road band during 1950-51. In Ira Gitler's Swing to Bop (page 287), Mulligan lamented that it was not the same, ""the New York guys were so rigid. And the terrible thing, man, that their orientation, the idea than an all-star band in this town, if you didn't play Count Basie's stocks, you were dead. They couldn't play my charts worth a damn. None of them. One of the proofs of it is when Elliot [Lawrence] finally recorded some of the charts that I wrote [Elliot Lawrence plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements, Fantasy 3-206, July 1955], long after I wrote the things and long after the band was really terrific. But he got a bunch of the New York guys together and, of course, this is partially unfair, because they did not have adequate rehearsal time, and Elliot never invited me to come rehearse the band. Those guys could have played the things, but left to their own devices, it just didn't really come out well. Anyway, that kind of atmosphere prevailed in this town. The dopers were terribly hip, and anything that didn't fit their particular standards""

Elliot told me that he had "one of those love-hate relationships" with Mulligan after he left his band, "We were very close. He got on drugs, as you know, and he was in a really bad way and the second wife got him off drugs completely. And then what really was the big argument and fights we had was, even though he couldn't work anywhere else, I always hired him and had him write for me. And he signed contracts for all these pieces that I published and years later he wanted everything back for free and I said, 'Gerry, that isn't the way it worked.' I published that music. That was our problem. Then at the end of his life he became my friend again. When he was dying, his wife said - just like your talking about your father's early life - she said he talked about his early life that was the best time of his life. So I talked to him, talked to her, talked at his funeral. It was a very interesting relationship that went back 30 or 40 years."

New Elliot Lawrence recordings from Drew Techner collection :

1. 1949 04 13 NEW YORK COLUMBIA STUDIO
Gerry Mulligan, being in New York, played sometimes with the Elliot Lawrence Orchestra in march and april 1949. . In march the band was performing a three week stint at the Paramount Theatre at Times Square, sharing the bill with the Nat King Cole Trio. They played the Gerry Mulligan theme "Elevation" at each set. 5 sets a day and during 20 days the band drilled this tune about 100 times while at the Paramount. The band and Elliot Lawrence decided to record it in studio this boppish theme.

2. "Elevation" : Two takes were issued.
During the first one, Elliot Lawrence was in the control room with Columbia's engineers checking the sound. Bob Karch is the pianist (heard at #1'24") .

The band picked this initial recording as the best. (78s issue Col 38497).

On the second take, Elliot Lawrence coming back at the piano, is a little shorter (2'33) and with a piano solo played by Elliot Lawrence. This take is found on the Columbia LP 34803 and the issued CDs.
The other soloists of Elevation were Phil Urso (ts), Sy Berger (tb),, Tommy O'Neil (b), Joe Techner (tp)
To play a Mulligan theme (jazz arrangement), the Elliot Lawrence Orchestra was obliged to respect the deal to play two ballad songs : "Gigolette" : Jack Hunter is the singer . This was the second side Of the 78s Columbia 38497, associated with "Elevation" and "Every Night Is Saturday Night" is a vocal group performance

3.1949 10 10 NEW YORK COLUMBIA STUDIO

Gerry Mulligan officially joined the Elliot Lawrence Band Band as baritone saxophonist on October 8th, the former baritone saxophonist Merle Bredwell (since December 1946) is always present, he played also bassoon.
Two days after Elliot Lawrence recorded his four last sides on the Columbia Label, one Mulligan arrangement "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" and three other songs, "Your Life Is My Life", "I've Got You Where I Want You", "Ritual Fire Dance". For these four songs Gerry Mulligan is present as baritone saxophonist. He is soloist in "Betwwen The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea"

"Your Life Is My Life" is a theme for the vocalist Danny Ricardo. Noted the French horn or clarinet answers is a theme for the singer, Rosalind Patton. Noted the Trumpet or saxes sections answers
"Ritual Fire Dance" is arranged by Frank Hunter. This is a succession of instruments : percussion, trumpet section clarinet, piano, clarinet, bassoon, cl-fl, p, p/saxophone section, trombone section, trumpet section, p, orchestra
"Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" s a T. Koehler - H. Arlen theme. After a short introduction of p the theme is presented by the sax section. The soloists are Sy Berger (tb), Elliot Lawrence (p), Joe Techner (tp), Gerry Mulligan (bs), Phil Urso (ts).

4. 1949 10 00 NEW YORK "Here's To Veterans" # 177

This is a 15 minutes radio programme with the following interpretations. Gerry Mulligan is featured as baritone saxophonist and soloist on "Elevation".

"Ritual Fire Dance" is very similar at the official Columbia take
"Elegy to a Man" : This is one of the favorite songs of Gerry Mulligan
"Elevation" : This take is different of the April 1949. Just after the theme Gerry Mulligan takes a 22 seconds solo, then the other soloists are Phil Urso (ts), Sy Berger (tb), Joe Techner (tp)
"Heart To Heart" : The famous E. Lawrence theme is dedicated to the leader. There is also a nice sax section second voice.

5. 1950 01 12 NEW YORK Bop City

This is the complete 31 minutes radio programme featuring Elliot Lawrence Orchestra and also the Gerry Mulligan Quintet.
Previously I had only three songs, the ones which featured Gerry Mulligan as soloist : "The Gold Rush", "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Tenderly.
This new recording has a more complete "Tenderly" (3min28 / 2min41).
"Ritual Fire Dance", " 'Tis Autumn", Too Marvelous For Words", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "I've Got You Where I Want You" are the complementary songs ; These ones are dedicated to the vocalist Rosalind Patton".
The chronological order is : Ritual Fire Dance (2min12) - 'Tis Autumn (4min39) - Too Marvelous For Words (2min53) - The Gold Rush (5min32) - Don't Take Your Love From Me (3min26) - I've Got You Where I Want You (3min14) - Oh Lady Be Good (4min02) - Tenderly (3min28).

6. 1950 00 00 HACKENSACK, NJ, Rudy Van Gelder Studio

A lot of these recordings came from the Howie Mann Collection. The Elliot Lawrence drummer recorded a lot of E. Lawrence radio broadcasts. He was also a friend of Rudy Van Gelder. This incomplete and unknown song was recorded in the RVG Studio in 1950. Drew Techner indicates Mulligan, Sims, Mitchell. The timing is 2min32.

7. 1950 ?, unknown place

Medley : I can't Get Started (Al Cohn) (4min17) / Once In Awhile (Gerry Mulligan) (3min58)
A medley featuring Al Cohn (ts) for the first theme and Gerry Mulligan (p) on the second theme [Drew Techner information]

8. 1951 01 00 CEDAR GROVE, NJ, Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook

The complete personel is unknown, but includes Gerry Mulligan (bs),Phil Uso (ts) and Rosalind Patton (vocal*). I already have this recording, but dated in 1950 01.
Drew techner confirms that this was in January 1951 that the E. Lawrence Orchestra played In Cedar Grove. This recording has a better sound quality. Gerry Mulligan takes solos in "A Happy Hooligan" and "Jeru"
The chronological order is : A Happy Hooligan (3mn18s) - I' ve Got you right where I want you * (1mn49s) - Jeru (3mn06s) - This Autumn * (4mn20s) - Your life is my life (inc) (0mn05s)

9. 1951 07 00

Gerry Mulligan Trio, Quartet, Quintet, in Club 43, Woodside, Queens New York City

I had :

June 13, 1951

(1) : Phil Urso (ts), Gerry Mulligan (p), Howie Mann(d)
(2) : Phil Urso (ts), Don Ferrara (tp), Gerry Mulligan (p), Howie Mann(d)
(3) : Phil Urso (p), , Gerry Mulligan (ss), Teddy Kotick (b), Howie Mann(d)

• Medley : Stardust (1) - Worrying The Life Out of Me (1) - Ontet (2) (10min53s)
• Medley : 'Tis Autumn (2) - More Than You Know (1) (6min57s)
• Lester Leaps In (1) (3mn47s
• 'Tis Autumn (3) (4mn33s)
• Tea For Two (3) (9min29s)
• You Go to My Head (3) (6min27s)
• Lullaby In Rhythm (3) (7min15s)

New recordings !!!! :

1. July 15 : Gerry Mulligan (ss), Phil Urso (ts), Teddy Kotick (b), Howie Mann(d), unknown pianist
After You've Gone (9min17) - One In Awhile (3min08) - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (7min28)

2. July 1951 : Phil Urso (ts), Teddy Kotick (b), Howie Mann (d), Gerry Mulligan (p)

Mr President (5min59) - Laura (3min29) - Perdido (7min01) - Unknown title (6min05) - She's Funny That Way (5min29) - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (3min 56) (incomplete)

3. July 1951 : Phil Urso (ts), Sonny Rich (tp), Teddy Kotick (b), Howie Mann (d) and surely Gerry Mulligan (p), and an unknown clarinetist.
Drew Techner indicates 5 musicians and there is 6 instruments !

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (12min 06) - Medley : Tenderly (ts, Phil Urso) (2min04) / Stardust (tp, Sonny Rich) (1min54) / Worryin' In The Life (p, Gerry Mulligan) (1min27) and then the tenor saxophone comes back (39s). [Total time of the medley (6min04)] - Perdido (10min29)

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (12min 06)
The pianist plays when cl, ts play together the theme and during tenor sax solo, clarinet solo, trumpet solo, bass solo, cl & tp together

Medley : Tenderly (ts, Phil Urso) (2min04) / Stardust (tp, Sonny Rich) (1min54) / Worryin' In The Life (p, Gerry Mulligan) (1min27) and then the tenor saxophone comes back (39s).
The name of the soloist is given by Drew Techner
The trio p,b,d play during Tenderly, Stardust, of course Worryin' In The Life and at the end of the medley when the tenor saxophone plays again.

Perdido (10min29)
The trio p,b,d play the introduction and during the tenor sax solo, the trumpet solo and the clarinet solo.

4. 1950 - 1951 ELLIOT LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA PLAYING MULLIGAN'S ARRANGEMENTS
All these one are included in complete radio shows

5. 1950 LAND'S BEST BANDS Radio Show

1A : Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (2min30)
4A : Elevation (2min27)
7B : But Not For Me (2min44) - The Swinging Door (2min58)
10A : Strike Up The Band (2min03)

6. 1951 03 25 TOPEKA (Kansas), Meadow Acres Ballroom

But Not For Me (inc) (1min17)
Elevation (3min02)

GERRY MULLIGAN'S RECORDINGS

1. 1952 - 53 WEST COAST RARITIES LA JAZZ INSTITUTE LAJI 002

This CD was prepared by the L.A. JAZZ INSTITUTE only for the members of the JAZZ INSTITUTE. This is not a commercial issue ! This CD presents extreme rarities of the JAZZ WEST COAST scene ! Gerry Mulligan is present on 2 tracks :

"The first track of this CD is the Mulligan original "Elevation" (8min00s) and was recorded at the Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach ; June 1, 1952 by the Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars.
This group was composed by Shorty Rogers (tp), Jimmy Giuffre (ts), Bob Cooper (ts), Gerry Mulligan (bs), Fraznk Patchen (p), Howard Rumsey (b), Shelly Manne (d).
The soloists were : Gerry Mulligan, Jimmy Giuffre, Shorty Rogers, Bob Cooper, Frank Patchen.

"The second track of this CD is an exceptional version of "Move" (Denzil Best) from an unissued LIVE performance of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet at THE HAIG
The note of this CD gives as personnel Chet Baker (tp), Bob Whitlock (b), Chico Hamilton (d). Ken Poston indicates that "Move" was recorded during one of the first appearances of the GM"4", when the group played the four Tuesdays in August while the Red Norvo Trio was the featured attraction.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEWPORT ! 50 SWINGING TEARS COLUMBIA LEGACY

The greatest jazz festival celebrated its 50 anniversary. This 3 CD box gives a large panel of the music played during this festival. Most of the tracks collected were recorded for previous Columbia albums. But it's hard to quibble with a set that includes Miles Davis' "comeback" in 1955, playing "Round About Midnight" with Thelonious Monk on piano and Gerry Mulligan and Zoots Sims on baritone and tenor respectively;
The version of "Round About Midnight" on "Miscellaneous Miles 1955-1957", Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2050, recorded 07/17/55 at Freebody Park Newport RI is a duet by Miles & Monk. GM's involvement is only in the introduction. No Zoot, no Percy Heath, no Connie Kay.

OTHER MUSICIANS PLAY GERRY MULLIGAN

1. ED BENNETT TRIO VISION LP VR 2001

On March 17 & 26, 1987, the Ed Bennett Trio was present at the Monterey Studio in GLENDALE (CA) to record an album simply entitled "Ed Bennett Trio" for the VISION label. For this session, Bennett selected a Mulligan original, FIVE BROTHERS (4:38). The trio was composed of Ed Bennett (b), the late Kent Glenn (p) and Jack Ranelli (d). With the assistance of Bennett and author/historian Noal Cohen, I have obtained a copy of this rare LP (never reissued on CD). This talented trio also performs some Tadd Dameron themes and several composed by the under-recognized pianist Kent Glenn.

After a short introduction, Bennett states the FIVE BROTHERS theme in arco fashion (bowed). He follows with two choruses before Glenn takes over and the blowing concludes with one chorus of exchanges between piano and drums. It is very rare to hear a bassist bowing a Mulligan song although I remember one, the excellent Frank Luther. He played with Gerry Mulligan's orchestra and quartet in late 70s and early 80s.

Ed Bennett also performed a Zoot Sims - Mulligan original, THE RED DOOR, featured on his trio CD, "Blues For Hamp," recorded in 1992 for SAPHU Records (SCD-0015).

Ed Bennett's website : http://www.edbennett.net/
Noal Cohen's website : http://www.attictoys.com/jazz/

2. SAXKARTEL Airdance IGLOO CD

Tom Van Dyck (bs), Kurt Van Herck (ts), Sara Meyer (as), Robin Verheyen (ss)

Tom Van Dyck, who played alto and baritone saxophones got together two generations of saxophonists. The tenor saxophonist Kurt Van Herck, who some years ago won the Belgian Django's d'Or, the French alto saxophonist Sara Meyer and the soprano saxophonist Robin Verheyen. These two last musicians are younger.
Gerry Mulligan famous original "Line for Lyons" is played with a lot of swing.

3. NORWEGIAN JAZZ ARCHIVES

From this norwegian web-site www.nb.no I got the following references of norwegian albums including interpretation of Mulligan originals. "Line For Lyons" is frequently found.

4. TOTTI BERGH/HARRY ALLEN/GEORGE MASSO Night Birds Gemini CD 95

George Masso (tb), Totti Bergh (ss, ts), Harry Allen (ts), Per Husby (p), Bjorn Alterhaug (b), Pelle Hulten (dr). Oslo 10. & 11. Aug. 1997.
They played "Line For Lyons", "Song For Strayhorn"

5. BLAMANN'DA Blamann'da Nordisc STCD 9801

Terje Johansen (tp), Finn Gulbrandsen (g), Roar Hartung (b). Oslo 19. March 1996
They played "Line For Lyons"

6. TORODD KARLSTEN Rett Fra Torrod Karlsten CD 1993

Torodd Karlsten (tp, flh), Helge Wetes (as), Knut Wede (g, p), Oscar Svendsen (b), Arne Dypdahl (dr). Skjenkestuen, Stavanger, 3. & 4. March 1993
They played "Line for Lyons"

7. NORSK SOLISTSEXTETT That Look You Wear NSS CD 01-97

Gunnar Kullebund (tp), Njaal Arder (ts), Robert Frei (p), Bjo;rn Roland (b), Emil Verpe (dr), Lisbeth Verpe (vo)

8. LOUIS STEWART/TERJE VENAAS Stringtime VILLA VRCD 003

Louis Stewart, Knut Mikalsen (g), Terje Venaas (b), Ole Jacob Hansen (dr).
Oslo 12. & 13. June 1990
They played "Line For Lyons", and "My Funny Valentine"

The Twin Cities Jazz Society has just released a CD titled "MULLIGAN STEW, COOKIN' at the Hot Summer Jazz Festival", thanks to the generosity of some Jazz Friends of TCJS. In November of 2003, Saxophonist Dave Karr put together a group to recreate the Gerry Mulligan Quartet sound at a Jazz From J to Z concert at the Artists' Quarter. A snowstorm occurred and only 30 hardy souls showed up. The music was outstanding!, so we promised Dave an encore, and the TCJS sponsored them at the 2004 Hot Summer Jazz Festival, in downtown Minneapolis. The music was fantastic and it was recorded! The CD features some of the Twin Cities finest, all world class musicians; Dave Karr - baritone sax, Dave Graf - trombone (he also wrote the incredible liner notes), Phil Hey - drums, Gordy Johnson - bass, and the young Tanner Taylor - piano.
They played the following Mulligan songs : Bweebida Bobbida (7min41) - Line For Lyons (8min46) - Walking Shoes (8min27) - Jeru (9min04) - I know, Don't Know How (6min28).
Three other themes played by Gerry are selected : Bernie's Tune - You Took Advantage Of Me - Manoir De Mes Reves (Django's Castle)
You can get this album by going to www.tcjs.org (tcjs = Twin Cities Jazz Society)

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

1. BILL CHARLAP

Bill Beuttler, Globe Corrrespondent, wrote in August 19, 2004 that Bill Charlap played on the club's Steinway grand the Mulligan theme, "Rocker"
He performed also "On a Clear Day," by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane -- "42nd Street" by Al Dubin and Harry Warren' -- "Manhattan" by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers --"Alice Through the Looking Glass," by his late father, Moose Charlap -- a medley of Bernstein's "Somewhere" and "Cool", and as an encore, Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You".

2. GERRY MULLIGAN RADIO BROADCAST RECORDINGS

Programs described in the Radiogoldindex database:

1. 20466. One Night Stand August 4, 1975. NBC-TV net
   
   WNBC-TV, New York aircheck. Participating sponsors. The program was recorded previously to air date. Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, B. B. King, Johnny Mercer, Teddy Wilson, Joe Bushkin, Tyree Glenn, Zoot Sims, Dusty Springfield, Gene McClelland, Ocean, Gerry Mulligan, Roy Eldridge, Milt Hinton, Mel Lewis. 1 hour. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
2. 21048. White House Jazz Festival June 17, 1978. NPR net
   
   WMUK-FM, Kalamazoo, Michigan aircheck. Sustaining. A salute to the 25th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival, from the South Lawn of the White House. The program includes a recording of President Nixon presenting an award to Duke Ellington on April 21, 1969, an interview with Clark Terry, a recording from the 1956 Festival featuring Paul Gonzalves, an interview with George Wein (founder of the festival), a recording of Mary Lou Williams, interviews with McCoy Tiner, Teddy Wilson, Eubie Blake, Mrs. Catherine Handy Lewis (daughter of W. C. Handy) sings "The St. Louis Blues" (accompanied by Doc Cheatham, Dick Hyman, Milt Hinton), President Carter speaks about jazz and joins in on "Salty Peanuts." Benny Carter, Billy Taylor (host), Catherine Handy Lewis, Cecil Taylor, Chick Corea, Clark Terry, Denardo Coleman, Dexter Gordon, Dick Hyman, Doc Cheatham, Eubie Blake, George Benson, George Wein, Gerry Mulligan, Herbie Hancock, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Carter, Jo Jones, John Lewis, Lionel Hampton, Louis Bellson, Mary Lou Williams, Max Roach, McCoy Tiner, Milt Hinton, Ornet Coleman, Paul Gonsalves, Pearl Bailey (guest), Ray Brown (piano), Ron Carter, Roy Eldridge, Sam Rivers, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Teddy Wilson, The Young Tuxedo Jazz Band, Tony Williams, Zoot Sims, Steve Rath (producer, director), Greg Fitzgerald (associate producer), Tim Owens (associate producer), Paulette Pecker (assistant director), Chuck Thompson (technical director), Skip Peazey (? assistant technical director), John Beale (assistant technical director), Roger Byrd (assistant technical director), John Whetstone (master control), Carol McBothwick (production assistant). 3 hours 19 minutes. Audio condition: Very good to excellent. Complete.
   
   
3. 21083. Summerfest '79 August 18, 1979 PBS-TV net, WNET-TV
   
   Newark, New Jersey aircheck. Sustaining. WMHT-TV, Schenectady, New York origination. A broadcast of a portion of the Newport Jazz Festival at Saratoga, originating from the Saratoga (New York) Performing Arts Center. Art Blakey, B. B. King, Benny Carter, Carmen MacRae, Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Harris, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, George Benson, Gerry Mulligan, Grover Washington Jr., Hubert Laws, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Witherspoon, Johnny Griffin, Johnny Winter, Lonnie Liston Smith and The Cosmic Echoes, Machito, Muddy Waters, Roland Hannah, Ronnie Laws, Willie Bobo Smith. 2:17:14. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
   
   

From http://www.visualtransformation.com/jazz.htm, I noted the presence of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet in 1965 at Berkeley. This was A Calif. Jazz Presentation of the ASUC.

4. 1967 OCTOBER 29 GERRY MULLIGAN "From The Bitter End" on WOR-TV

Sandy Dennis, Gerry Mulligan, Amanda Ambrose, Dick Cavett, The Boxtops, Jake Holmes, Ralph Ortiz, Betsey Johnson were present on "From The Bitter End" broadcast on WOR-TV,10:00p.m.) http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/x/sxh36/jakeconcerts.htm