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 Saturday, 18 May 2013 |
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Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG |
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Written by Don Berryman
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Saturday, 18 August 2007 |
 Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG
Gerry Mulligan is one of the most widely respected and admired jazz musicians of our time. Mulligan performed with such jazz greats as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Lester Young, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Jack Teagarden and Billie Holiday. He was consistently voted number one in jazz polls around the world and won Down Beat Readers Poll Awards for 29 consecutive years, a feat that has not been repeated. As a saxophonist, composer, arranger and conductor, he played a vital role in the history of modern jazz and contemporary music. He elevated the role of the baritone sax to a solo instrument by demonstrating the speed and dexterity of an altoist. Moving from New York to California in the early 50's, Mulligan innovative, piano-less quartet became the cornerstone of the west cost school of jazz. Later quartets included Bob Brookmeyer, Zoot Sims, Art Farmer and Red Mitchell.
 Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan © Robert Bowman Recorded three years before the death of Mulligan, this Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG finds him in great form. With the help of Chip Jackson on bass and Carl Allen on drums, Mulligan and Taylor romp through a swinging collection of standards. The lyricism of Mulligan is perfectly meshed with Taylor's percussive bop-based approach.
"All the Things You Are" is performed as a piano/baritone sax duet. Taylor begins soloing in a baroque style and then Mulligan joins in with artfully improvised counterpoint. Throughout the song, and throughout the CD, you can hear an intriguing musical dialogue between these master musicians, complete with jokes.
Mulligan's upscale "Line for Lyons" begins with an extended solo on bari followed by Taylor answering in kind on piano. Chip Jackson presents a very brief, but nicely played solo, then the band swaps fours with Allen on drums.
"Body and Soul" begins slowly and sweetly with Mulligan gently unfolding the melody through subtle but progressively more complex permutations and Taylor takes over at that point and continues the process building upon Mulligan's opening with more intensity, pushing the tempo a little until Mulligans joins in again and brings the mood back down to soulful ballad for the finish.
 Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan © Robert Bowman
Although not essential, Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG will be loved by both Gerry Mulligan and Billy Taylor fans, and enjoyed by anyone who loves straight-ahead jazz.
Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG (MCGJ 1025) will be released worldwide on August 28, 2007 on the MCG Jazz label.
Track List:
1. Stompin' At The Savoy
2. Just You Just Me
3. Darn That Dream
4. All The Things You Are
5. Laura
6. Line For Lyons
7. Body And Soul
8. Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)
9. Come Sunday
10. Capricious
MCG Jazz is a social enterprise supporting the education programs of the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, a nonprofit, in Pittsburgh, PA whose mission is to preserve, present and promote jazz. In addition to presenting one of the nation’s longest running jazz subscription series, the MCG Jazz label has won four GRAMMY® Awards. For more information about Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, please visit their web site at www.mcgjazz.org. |
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