The Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Bob Brookmeyer was one of the best small groups in jazz history. This LP presents two out of just three of the recordings made by the incarnation of this group featuring bassist Joe Benjamin (who only played regularly with Mulligan in 1957) and drummer Dave Bailey. It consists of concerts at the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Hollywood Bowl. From its earliest recordings at Paris Salle Playel in June of 1954 (with Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Isola on drums), Gerry Mulligan s (April 6, 1927-January 20, 1996) outstanding piano-less quartet with valve-trombone virtuoso Bob Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 December 15, 2011) was performing some of the most intelligent and tasteful material of any small band in jazz. Mulligan s quartet with Chet Baker had come to an end in June of 1953, when the baritonist was arrested on drug charges, and forced to serve a six-month prison sentence. Baker went on to form his own quartet, and Mulligan turned to the valve-trombonist for a new frontline sidekick. Although in Brookmeyer, the quartet lost the teen-idol movie-star status of Baker, the quality of the music never suffered. The primary differences between the Baker and Brookmeyer quartets had to do with the personality of the two horn players as well as the natural timbre and characteristics of each instrument. Brookmeyer brought a growling, ebullient and fiery style to the band as well as a delightfully quixotic sense of humor. With the trombonist the quartet moved towards brisker tempos and a more upbeat, humorous style as opposed to the more ballad oriented, nostalgic moods of the cooltingedquartet with Baker. 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl Limited Collector Edition.
