Customer Reviews

Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember owning the original LP that was titled "Mulligan meets Getz meets Mulligan". I think that was the title on a blue album cover.

The idea of trading horns for the first few numbers was very novel and fun. After careful listening you'd be able to distinguish who was playing what horn from the stylistic approach of each artist.

The kickoff number of "Let's Fall in Love" is wonderful. The beautiful "A Ballad" showcases the soft and cool improvisational skills of Mulligan and Getz.

The two cuts that weren't included on the original album -First, "Scrapple From The Apple" demonstrated just how well these two "cool school" musicians could burn on an uptempo number. Second, "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is an easy-going foot-tapper with Mulligan starting off with very creative lines. Getz lends his smooth, airy and controlled solo with absolute coolness. And let's not forget Lou Levy and Ray Brown's equally inventive solos.

One of my all-time favorites from both Mulligan and Getz. So my review may not sound as sophisticated as the others. Hey, I'm just a simple-minded reed player who's listened and played jazz for 35 years. I just love jazz. Buy this album!

"Getz Meets Mulligan" was my favorite jazz album when I was 16, and it remains my favorite as I approach 60.

That about covers it, so far as I'm concerned.

Ghs

Two of the best cool jazz men working together with more chemistry than the sum of the periodic table. Great tunes and absulutely masterful improvisational efforts with theme and variations, counterpoint and more cool than an arctic meat locker. The guys trade horns midway through the recording, and their innate musical brilliance and versatility defy description. On my deserted island must have short list.

This is probably the finest of all records with Stan Getz. And the same could be said about Gerry Mulligan. None of them ever played finer solos than here. The top performance is the Getz solo on That old feeling with Gerry's coming close behind. A remarkable thing with this record is when the two sax players exchange horns. There was never a finer baritone player than Getz and Mulligan also plays marvellously on Getz' tenor sax. They also improvise simultaneously with great results. The comp group gives excellent support. The piano player is no great soloist but accompanies very well indeed. In short, it is a must for any Getz or mulligan fan.

Having listened to both the present Getz/Mulligan album and the more acclaimed Meets Ben Webster recording, I don't see that Getz/Mulligan album is any less worthy. If you enjoy uptempo saxophone, this album will become a favorite. Even the songs are well-chosen standards, with Mulligan's refreshingly slower 'A Ballad' a welcome selection after a set of faster numbers. 'Too Close For Comfort' and 'Let's Fall in Love' are simply superb, nicley improvised, upbeat without being frenetic or overwrought.

The reasons for the 4-star rating -- which should NOT dissuade you from Getz/Mulligan -- are that a couple of numbers (especially 'Anything Goes') seem uncomfortably fast, as though this was a duel instead of a duet, and secondly because there is a sense that these are two colossal talents who were unaccustomed to playing together: the chemistry isn't great, so that even casual listeners will notice the tension that comes with cutting off and overlaying notes. You want to listen to both, but not always at the same time.

Lou Levy's piano continues to be a pleasure in the cool jazz of that era. He has a background role here, but know that you're listening to a talent, even if piano is not the focus here.

Sound quality is good for a recording of this vintage -- remember that 'Hi-Fi' is relative, and 1957 stereo was still evolving. Still, it beats monophonic.

Recommended, even if it's not a pure 5-star classic.

Stan the Man, the greastest sax player of all time should have made a number of albums with Jeru - the best baritone of all time (since his better playing mentor Serge Chaloff died off young). Both were Cool both West Coast Jazz. The owner of Verve put them together. But there is only this one.

In order to fool the listener, they switch instuments at one point! Getz plays baritone and Mulligan plays tenor. They should have made great music togehter but the results are adequate but don't live up to what each of the Cool Jazz greats did on other albums where they were out front. The Getz and Bill Evans albums are also pretty mediocre. Maybe too many egos?

The best series of duet albums Getz did (other than piano with Al Haig or Kenny Barrons) was with Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone.

Why this one is adequate but not great (as is stated elsewhere), it's hard to say.

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is absolutely the best you could hope for. Buy this album now or regret it later. In fact, buy it for your best friends who are jazz addicts, make them owe you a debt they can't repay.

I was delighted to read that this recording had been made, from the cover notes on "Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster". Then,when listening to it I found that they complemeted each other's playing perfectly. The icing on the cake was to be told in the cover notes that they had swapped instruments for the first 3 tracks and listening again to hear the characteristics of each one's style on unfamiliar instruments. This is one of my favourite recordings.

Very together work.. fantastic counterpoint..they play like one instrument

Great to get this in CD, since my orginal Vinyl of this seems to have disappeared. Great music, great musicians.