1. Mud Bug
2. Sweet And Lovely
3. Apple Core - Vol. 2
4. Nights Of [At] The Turntable - Vol. 2
5. Broadway - Vol. 1
6. Everything Happens To Me
7. The Lady Is A Tramp - Rogers & Hart and Vol. 1
8. Bernie's Tune

• Bob Brookmeyer
• Dave Bailey
• Jon Eardley
• Peck Morrison
• Gerry Mulligan
• Zoot Sims

1 - 3 & 8 September 21, 1955
4 - 7 October 31, 1955

 LINER NOTES

Gerry Mulligan is a tall (6'1;"), thin (145 lbs.), young man with light red hair, pale skin, and an intense dedication toward all that interests him in life. Nothing interests him more than music. At the age of twenty-eight Gerry has been a professional musician for twelve years. In that time of constantly writing for big bands and small he has never written an uncommissioned piece of music. Simultaneously he has become a world famous baritonist, for it may be truly said that on baritone saxophone Gerry Mulligan has no peer.

Gerry's ever present nemesis is a fear of musical stagnation and boredom, and this has served to drive him to move his talents from band to band, playing with and writing for various instrumentations. It was because of this drive that last year, at the completion of a successful concert tour, Gerry disbanded the quartet and took six months off to sit down, regain his perspective, and see what it was he wanted to do next. Gerry's Sextet is the product of that introspective period. It brings together Bob Brookmeyer and Jon Eardley, each of whom has served as the other horn in the Quartet; a bright new rhythm section consisting of Dave Bailey on drums and Peck Morrison on bass, and adds to this the tang of Zoot Sims' ever-swinging tenor saxophone playing. Crowning the group is Gerry's forceful and persuasive musicianship showing itself in his writing and in his playing, both, as ever, warm, intimate, compelling.

Gerry detests having an audience told whether or not a record is good, preferring that his audience judge for themselves. This we leave you to do, merely saying that all who were concerned with the making of this album are delighted with the results.

The Sextet has played nearly all the jazz clubs on the eastern seaboard, completed a concert tour through many of the eastern and mid-western cities, and is scheduled to do a European tour. Then Gerry will undoubtedly retire again, seeking the direction of the next step in his musical journey. I am sure that he himself does not know exactly what it will be. But one thing is sure; more music will be coming from Gerry Mulligan. Much more.

From "Trip" re-issue

This album was recorded in 1955, and is almost the same sextet sound that launched Mulligan to fame from his early days at Pacific Jazz. Before he disbanded three albums were recorded for Emarcy.

With the exception of bassist Peck Morrison, all the musicians have since become very well known and have recorded and worked as soloists or leaders themselves. Bob Brookmeyer has enjoyed a fabulous reputation as one of the leading jazz trombonists (listen to "Jazz Is A Kick" on TRIP/TLP-5568) and is now working nightly on one of the late shows. Jon Eardley has been living in Europe, working with his trumpet out of Holland. Peck Morrison, on the other hand, almost never works outside of New York. Drummer Dave Bailey has become an airline pilot and is deeply involved with the Jazzmobile (with Jimmy Heath and Billy Taylor). When he does perform occasionally, you can usually find him in the company of Clark Terry.

In talking with Dave Bailey about this album, he feels the sound comes pretty close to the Mulligan perfection, although his own favorite was the "Profile" album re-issued as Trip TLP-5531. Dave wrily remarked that one could not repeat this type of music today, and the value of the re-issues such as this does prove that good music never dies - it just stays in the vaults and gets re-packaged. Dave recalled that one trumpeter that worked with Gerry in the '58 sextet had all the marks of stardom, and yet Oliver Beaner has not become a force in jazz and at last note was working with the Ray Charles Orchestra. One of the better Mulligan groups found Mose Allison on trumpet. Then Lee Konitz was added with the marvelous Joe Benjamin on bass. This group sadly was never recorded.

For some really happy, straight on swinging jazz there is a lot of excitement and good music right inside this jacket.