Live at the Berlin Philharmonie [Live]

Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 14, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AC5
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,717 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Recorded live at the Berln Philharmone in 1970. This fine recording features Gerry Mulligan (Baritone sax), Alan Dawson (Drums), Jack Six (Bass) and Dave Brubeck (Piano). Includes the songs: 'Things Ain't What They Used to Be', 'The Duke', 'Limehouse Blues', 'Take Five' and 'Lullaby of Mexico'. Available for the first time in its entirety and includes two previously unavailable tracks ('Out of Nowhere' and Mexican Jumping Bean' ). --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You've Got to Get This One, Friends, February 1, 2001

By 

D. Mataconis (Bristow, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live at the Berlin Philharmonie (Audio CD)

Don't get me wrong, I love jazz recorded in a studio, and my collection is full of that kind of stuff. But jazz is primarily a live art, and its in the interaction between musician and audience that it achieves its best. That is no more apparent anywhere than in this recording featuring Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan, two of the best (and, based on the amount of time Ken Burns spent on them in his recent documentary, most under-rated) of America's post-swing jazz musicians.

There's much that could be said about all of performances on this CD, but the best thing I can do is just tell you to listen to them. Some of the best treats come from the tracks that were left off of the original vinyl release, such as "Blessed Are The Poor", "Out of Nowhere", and "Out of The Way of The People". Mulligan's powerful baritone sax and Brubeck's distinctive piano fit together perfectly, and the two musicians, encouraged by the auidence no doubt, bring out things in each others' performance that I don't think we'd hear from a studio recording.

At the time I wrote this review, this recording ranked at about 46,000 on Amazon's sales rank. Obviously, too few people are paying attention to this gem. Do yourself a favor, buy it now.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding - vibrantly alive and successful, September 22, 2001

By 

Joost Daalder "Joost Daalder" (South Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live at the Berlin Philharmonie (Audio CD)

I totally agree with the one other person who has reviewed this recording (consisting of two substantial CDs!) that it has been badly underrated recently, which probably shows how important (and annoying) a part fashion plays in the appreciation of jazz. The fact is, though, that Brubeck and Mulligan formed an outstanding combination, as the two leading musicians of this quartet - certainly not inferior to the combination of Brubeck and Desmond. The hard, driving swing on many of the tracks is truly to be heard to be believed, and contagious. The inventiveness of both of the key musicians was never at a more inspired pitch; indeed, one doubts that it often, if ever, reached this level. The foursome produced an excellent combination, with an outstanding bass-player and fascinatingly versatile drummer. No wonder that the Berlin audience wanted to hear MORE, MORE, MORE! I play the CDs regularly, in a whole variety of moods, and invariably get a real "kick" out of them. It especially is music to lift one's spirits when other events tend to overwhelm one with depresssion, as in the current days of world tension. This music, I feel, is therapeutic, with all its spectacular harmonies, melodic twists, yet wonderful lucidity and bounce. Unhesitatingly recommended, not least for its great entertainment value. And all four musicians are constantly working within the fundamentals of JAZZ, that great American form of music. - Joost Daalder

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Track Selection; Weak Bass Sound; Not Enough Soul, April 20, 2010

By 

TUCO H. "H. TUCO" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Live at the Berlin Philharmonie (Audio CD)

In the past, Brubeck's piano solos had always tended towards the percussive and polyrhythmic in nature but he managed to keep things in check with alternate laid-back melody and groove. Here he just gets wacky and annoying. On some of the tunes, it's Mulligan that gets annoying since he seems to be playing off-key for the hell of it, as if it's some of kind of modern, hip statement to do that. Mulligan and Brubeck never synergize the way Brubeck and Desmond did. Whereas the melodic breeziness of Desmond always balanced Brubeck's rough edges out, here you have the rough baritone of Mulligan on top of the rough percussive piano of Brubeck. 'Cool Jazz' this certainly isn't anymore though Mulligan tries hard to get laid-back on some of the tunes here, sensing the direction it needs to go before Brubeck gets wacky over-banging them keys again.

The bass and drum team of Six and Dawson can't even hold a candle to Wright and Morello despite being obvious virtuosos. It's never about being a virtuoso, it's only about the soul and the energy behind the chops. To make matters worse, the recorded bass sound is mixed so low you can barely hear it even when you turn the bass all the way up.

All these faults add up to a lot of annoyance and keep me from enjoying this album. On the plus side, the song selection is great and varied. The same song selection played by the classic Brubeck Quartet with Desmond would have created another masterpiece. Here it's more like a mediocre outing led by 2 legends of jazz.

The final verdict: either one of the lesser known classic Brubeck Quartet Live releases "Buried Treasures: Live in Mexico City" or "Bravo!" is far superior to this. Buy this album only if you're a Brubeck completist like myself and only after you've bought all the Desmond/Brubeck discs.