Customer Reviews

At the Village Vanguard (Spec Packaging)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this sometime in 2005, loved it, but decided not to review it because right on the sleeve (it's a cardboard package with the cd slipped inside a fuzzy little envelope like the Sam Rivers - Crystals package, not a jewel case) it says it's a limited release that goes out-of-print in september of 2005. I just figured there's no point in reviewing it since the review would effectively die in several months. Now here we are in 2006 and it's still available.

The band is Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax and piano. Mel Lewis drums. Bill Crow bass. Nick Travis, Clark Terry, Don Ferrara trumpets. Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Alan Ralph trombones. Gene Quill clarinet and alto saxophone. Bob Donovan alto. Jim Reider tenor saxophone. Gene Allen baritone saxophone and bass clarinet.

Who knows how much longer this will be around. If you think you might want it, GET IT. This band is amazing and the sound of the recording is fantastic! I like the couple slower tunes too, quite lovely interpretations of these tunes, but the uptempo stuff is the heart and soul of this album. There's not a single note I'd want to change here and the intensity is really something to behold. This band swings ruthlessly and the soloing is impeccable.

Even if you're not what you'd call a "big-band person", don't let that stop you. Glenn Miller this is not! Then again if you have high blood-pressure or arthritis you may want to take your medicine before popping this into the player because your heart-rate will rise and you're going to be moving. This is one of my favorite cds I bought in all of 2005 and from my first listen last year to my most recent listen yesterday, I've been in envy of everyone who ever attended a concert by this band on one of their good nights. I assume this was a phenomenal night because this thing knocks me out from the first track to the last, but if they were even better than this, and if that stuff was recorded, then please some label, any label, release or re-release all those albums because my soul and wallet are waiting.

This was a terrific record when it was issued and it is just as good today. The up-tempo pieces feature tight arrangements and great solos and the band's enthusiasm is infectious. The balads are lovely as well. The sound on the CD is excellent. I would recommend the CD to any jazz lover.

I've been waiting a long time for the reissue of the Concert Jazz Band albums. Granted this is only one but it is one of the better ones. I had hoped that Mosiac would do a "complete" box set but with this release it appears that is a dream. The music on this CD is excellent. The CD sound is much crisper than my LP and cassette versions. I would recommend this album to any jazz fan especially someone into big bands... A classic that deserved better.

The Concert Jazz Band was not your usual big band. At one point Gerry worked with what he called a "tentet" - this is kind of an outgrowth of that instrumentation. Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer, Mel Lewis and of course Gerry Mulligan are at the top of their form here.
Also try to find "Concert Jazz Band On Tour" (with Zoot Sims) which is listed on Amazon as available new. There's also a live Paris recording of this group now available, which features Zoot as a guest soloist. I bought all the original Verve CJB albums on vinyl when I was learning to play tenor sax. Used to love to try to swing along with Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan.
Gerry put together a ten member group in 1992 to re-record the "Birth of the Cool" music. Called "Re-Birth Of The Cool" it was recently available on the GRP label as a CD. This is very worthwhile as well - as are the original sessions (with Miles Davis) from 1949. Phil Woods plays superbly on alto in place of Lee Konitz on the newer "Birth". Wallace Roney plays a commendable trumpet, and I think I like Mulligan's work as much or more in his old age as in his 20's.

For those of you who were never enthralled with the Gerry Mulligan-Chet Baker "West Coast" cool school sound, do NOT overlook this album. The writing is excellent and Clark Terry and Mel Lewis bring the fire you would expect to the live date proceedings. Remember those "Cannonball" Adderley live club recordings where the excitement was palpable? You get that here. The beautiful finale to the record is "Let My People Be" where Clark Terry inspires the entire band to chuck the written arrangement and start riffing ad-lib Basie-style behind him. It's better than you-know-what and one wishes it'd never end!

Gerry Mulligan is usually associated with small group "chamber jazz", frequently with no drummer, or with "cool jazz", such as The Birth of the Cool with Miles. However, Mulligan got his start with big bands and wrote arrangements for Claude Thornhill, Stan Kenton and others. This is a different kind of big band, however.

First of all, Mulligan is a type of minimalist. He liked to arrange with "space" to allow the musicians to improvise. That is certainly true here, and he makes great use of his many outstanding soloists, such as Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer and of course Mulligan himself.

Second, when it is time for ensemble writing, he writes with a lot of punch, demanding very tight playing, as is very evident here. The playing and writing are both excellent.

There are several highlights, but the best moments on the album are the back and forth "trading" improvising by Mulligan and Terry in "Blueport" (absolutely infectious), and the ensemble playing in "Lady Chatterly's Mother".

This recording is an absolutely essential part of any Mulligan-lover's collection as it shows a different side of his talent. It should also be in any big band lover's collection. I hope that Verve keeps producing the album for a while.

Mosaic MD4-221 was released in an edition of 7500 in 2003. It has 4 remastered CDs containing all five albums made by this outstanding band. This one Verve CD is a perfect introduction to the set, but if you love it you will really want to pass it on to a friend and get yourself the Mosaic set, which also includes their usual full treatment booklet with outstanding photos and commentary as well as the complete session discography. As of 11/2006 the Mosaic site lists it as "Last Chance" meaning supplies are running low. Do yourself a favor and get it now, as all Mosaic boxed sets eventually do sell out and then become available only on eBay for a higher price. I own many Mosaic sets and this is one I truly treasure.

Gerry Mulligan was and is -because of his inmortal recordings- a one-of-a kind musician. Just try to hold a baritone saxophone, not even try to blow a tune in one, and you'll appreciate the effort that supposes playing one for an even short period of time. In this live recording you can hear the baritone saxophone the way this extraordinary virtuoso consistently made it sound: from sultry mellow to top-of-its-register staccatos; and always swinging! Surrounded by master musicians like Clark Terry and other virtuosos on their own right, and recorded live at the superfamous Village Vanguard, this record is a must-have for anyone who considers him/herself a jazz fan. The sound is perfect, the "atmosphere" fantastic, the performances unbeatable and...oh, those solos! Even when he plays piano in "Let My People Be" you can feel Mulligan was really at home and inspired by the sound of this band. I recommend this record heartily, without reservations!