The Gerry Mulligan Songbook

The Gerry Mulligan Songbook (subtitled Volume 1) is an album by American jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in late 1957 and released on the World Pacific label.[1][2]

The Gerry Mulligan Songbook
Studio album by
Gerry Mulligan
Released1958
RecordedDecember 4–5, 1957
StudioCoastal Studios, New York City
GenreJazz
Length59:24
LabelWorld Pacific WP 1237
ProducerRichard Bock
Gerry Mulligan chronology
Jazz Concerto Grosso
(1957)		 The Gerry Mulligan Songbook
(1958)		 Reunion with Chet Baker
(1957)

Holman arrangements

This album features many arrangements by the composer/arrange Bill Holman. Gerry Mulligan kept the original parts and scores from this album which can be found in his special collection housed at the Library of Congress.[3] Viewing the original scores housed at the Library of Congress, you will find that Holman had labeled the sax parts with the players he may have intended to perform this music. The sax parts are listed as follows: (Names listed on score do not have last names. Names in parentheses were added here for clarity.)

After speaking with Bill Holman, he recalls that Richard Bock had come up with the idea for the album, but after Holman had finished the arrangements, Gerry Mulligan was not available in LA to record them. The music was recorded in New York in December of 1957 with alternate players. The arrangement for Crazy Day, was not found in the collection with the other 6 arrangements. The finders guide for the Library of Congress lists Crazy Day in the collection, but has no score, only parts.[4] The arrangements in this collection are pencil drawn in Bill Holman's handwriting. The parts were done by a copyist, unnamed, and are not in Mulligan or Holman's handwriting.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[5]

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow stated "this was one of the rarer Gerry Mulligan albums. The original program consisted of seven Mulligan compositions played by a five-sax octet (including the leader on baritone, altoist Lee Konitz, Allen Eager and Zoot Sims doubling on tenor and alto, Al Cohn on tenor and baritone and a rhythm section consisting of guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Henry Grimes, and drummer Dave Bailey). The session has a few surprise touches, giving listeners the rare opportunity to hear Eager and Sims soloing on alto and Cohn doubling on baritone... Highly recommended for Gerry Mulligan fans".[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Gerry Mulligan except as indicated

  1. "Four and One Moore" – 4:23
  2. "Crazy Day" – 7:05
  3. "Turnstile" – 7:53
  4. "Sextet" – 4:18
  5. "Disc Jockey Jump" – 4:35
  6. "Venus de Milo" – 5:08
  7. "Revelation" – 5:01
  8. "Mayreh" (Horace Silver) – 6:02 Bonus track on CD reissue
  9. "The Preacher" (Silver) – 6:25 Bonus track on CD reissue
  10. "Good Bait" (Count Basie, Tadd Dameron) – 4:39 Bonus track on CD reissue
  11. "Bags' Groove" (Milt Jackson) – 3:55 Bonus track on CD reissue

Personnel
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References
  1. Pacific Jazz Records Catalog: 1200 series accessed February 23, 2016
  2. Gerry Mulligan Discography Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine accessed February 23, 2016
  3. LC Catalog - Item Information (Full Record). LCCN 2006562035.
  4. Mulligan, Gerry (2015-10-01). "Gerry Mulligan collection, circa 1940-1994". Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  5. Yanow, Scott. Songbook – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
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