ENDEIT
Gerry Mulligan
Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Saxophonists · 1927–1996

Gerry Mulligan

American jazz musician and composer (1927–1996)

Born
6 April 1927
Queens
Died
20 January 1996
Darien
Country
United States
Active
1946–1996
Record labels
Pacific Jazz Records
Discography
61 albums

Biography

Gerry Mulligan was a jazz musician who played saxophone, soprano saxophone and baritone saxophone. Gerry Mulligan was born on 6 April 1927 in Queens and died on 20 January 1996 in Darien. The music is usually filed under jazz, big band music and cool jazz. Record labels: Pacific Jazz Records. The discography here lists 61 albums, from “Play Phil Sunkel's Jazz Concerto Grosso” (1957) to “Laura” (2024). Honours include Grammy Awards and American Jazz Hall of Fame.

Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, pianist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz—Mulligan was also a significant arranger working with Claude Thornhill, Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, and others. His piano-less quartet of the early 1950s with trumpeter Chet Baker is still regarded as one of the best cool jazz ensembles. Mulligan was also a skilled pianist and played several other reed instruments. Several of his compositions, including "Walkin' Shoes" and "Five Brothers", have become standards.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Play Phil Sunkel's Jazz Concerto Grosso 1957 · Electrola A Profile of Gerry Mulligan 1958 · Mercury Records Reunion With Chet Baker and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet 1958 · World Pacific Records The Jazz Combo From "I Want To Live!" 1958 · United Artists Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster 1959 · Verve The Concert Jazz Band 1960 · Verve '63: The Concert Jazz Band 1963 · Verve
Gerry Mulligan and Annie Ross 1963
Jeru 1963 · Columbia Night Lights 1963 · Philips Butterfly With Hiccups 1964 · Limelight Feelin' Good 1965 · Limelight
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em! 1965
Compadres 1967 · Live · Columbia Blues Roots 1969 · Columbia The Age of Steam 1972 · A&M Records Summit (Reunión cumbre) 1974 · Erre T.V. Carnegie Hall Concert 1975 · Live Carnegie Hall Concert - Volume 2 1975 · Live · CTI Gerry Mulligan Meets Enrico Intra 1976 · TELDEC La minaccia (Colonna sonora originale del film) 1977 · CBS The Arranger 1977 · Columbia Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges 1982 · Verve Little Big Horn 1983 · GRP Mainstream of Jazz 1984 · EmArcy Mulligan 1985 · Columbia Soft Lights and Sweet Music 1986 · Concord Jazz 1974 1987 · Accord In Sweden 1987 · Live · Jazz Information California Concerts, Volume 1 1988 · Live · EMI Manhattan California Concerts, Volume 2 1988 · Live · Pacific Jazz Lionel Hampton Presents Gerry Mulligan 1988 · Who's Who In Jazz Mulligan Plays Mulligan 1989 · Prestige Lonesome Boulevard 1990 · A&M Records
Gitanes Jazz: Gerry Mulligan 1991
Saxophone Dreams 1991 Compact Jazz: Gerry Mulligan 1992 · Verve Re-Birth of the Cool 1992 · GRP Walk on the Water 1992 · DRG Records Gerry Mulligan Quartet & Chubby Jackson Big Band 1993 · Original Jazz Classics Paraiso 1993 · Telarc Jazz
Live at the Berlin Philharmonie 1995 · Live
The Gerry Mulligan Songbook 1995 · Pacific Jazz
Walkin' Shoes 1995
The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions 1997 · Verve Mullenium 1998 · Columbia
Triple Play 1998
Watching & Waiting 1999 · DRG Records
The Saxophone Player 2001
I Grandi Del Jazz - Gerry Mulligan - Verve Jazz Masters 36 2002 · RCS Quotidiani S.p.A. Midas Touch: Live in Berlin 2003 · Live · Concord Records
Swing House 2004
Westwood Walk 2004 In New York 2007 · West Wind The Jazz Combo From "I Want to Live!" 2009 · Jazz Plaza Music Jazz at the Concertgebouw: Western Reunion 2011 · Live · MCN The Rare Albums Collection (CD2) 2021 · Enlightenment Laura 2024 · Diggers Factory
Briskness
Gerry Mulligan (Live at North Sea Jazz Festival 1982) · Live
Gerry Mulligan Meets The Sax Giants Vol. 1 · Verve

Also plays on

Albums where Gerry Mulligan is credited as a sideman

1951 Modern Jazz Trombones — Kai Winding, Jay Jay Johnson baritone saxophone
1953 Lee Konitz Plays With the Gerry Mulligan Quartet — Lee Konitz Plays With the Gerry Mulligan Quartet baritone saxophone
1956 The Brothers — Stan Getz & Zoot Sims arranger
1957 Mulligan Meets Monk — Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan baritone saxophone
1957 At Newport — The Teddy Wilson Trio & Gerry Mulligan Quartet baritone saxophone
1959 Sings a Song With Mulligan — Annie Ross & The Gerry Mulligan Quartet baritone saxophone
1962 Two of a Mind — Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan baritone saxophone
1971 Summit Sessions — Dave Brubeck baritone saxophone
1973 We're All Together Again for the First Time — Dave Brubeck baritone saxophone
1973 Charles Mingus and Friends — Charles Mingus baritone saxophone
1974 Newport Jazz Festival Japan — Joe Newman, Art Farmer, Illinois Jacquet, James Moody, Gerry Mulligan, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Jack Six, Roy Haynes baritone saxophone
1979 The Big Apple Bash — Jay McShann saxophone
1990 Le Jazz Grand — Michel Legrand baritone saxophone
1990 A Hundred Years From Today — Jack Teagarden baritone saxophone
1991 Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi‐Fi — Stan Getz & Gerry Mulligan saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
1992 Mel Tormé and Friends: Recorded Live at Marty’s, New York City — Mel Tormé performer
1993 Dr. T — Billy Taylor baritone saxophone
1994 Blue and Sentimental — Cleo Laine baritone saxophone
1999 I Want to Live — Johnny Mandel baritone saxophone
2001 Jazz Seen — Till Brönner saxophone, baritone saxophone
2002 Choice — Zoot Sims baritone saxophone
2005 The Classic Concert Live — Mel Tormé, Gerry Mulligan & George Shearing baritone saxophone
2007 Live at MCG — Billy Taylor & Gerry Mulligan baritone saxophone
2008 50 Years of Dave Brubeck Live at The Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-2007 — Dave Brubeck baritone saxophone
2008 Jazz Giants '58 — Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Harry Edison, Louis Bellson and The Oscar Peterson Trio baritone saxophone
2015 Six Classic Albums — Paul Desmond baritone saxophone
2018 Getz Meets Mulligan In Hifi — Stan Getz & Gerry Mulligan saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
— Lionel Hampton - Gerry Mulligan — Lionel Hampton & Gerry Mulligan baritone saxophone

Standards written by Gerry Mulligan

TitleKeyFormGroove
Line For Lyons G major AABA · 32 Medium swing
A Ballad C major AABA · 47 Ballad
Walkin' Shoes E♭ major AABC · 32 Medium swing
Bark For Barksdale F major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Five Brothers C major AABA · 28 Medium-up swing
Song For Strayhorn D major AABA · 36 Ballad

Analysed solos by Gerry Mulligan

Awards

Historic 78 rpm records

  • NIGHTS AT THE TURNTABLE THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Bob… archive.org ↗
  • FRENESI THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Bob… archive.org ↗
  • Bebop James · A. N. Other · Tiny Kahn · Charlie Ventura · Red Rodney ·… · 1946 archive.org ↗
  • Funny Valentine The Gerry Mulligan Quartet · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Carson… · 1956 archive.org ↗

Books about Gerry Mulligan

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Gerry Mulligan play?

Gerry Mulligan is known for playing saxophone, soprano saxophone and baritone saxophone.

When and where was Gerry Mulligan born?

Gerry Mulligan was born 6 April 1927 in Queens.

What are Gerry Mulligan's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Play Phil Sunkel's Jazz Concerto Grosso (1957), A Profile of Gerry Mulligan (1958), Reunion With Chet Baker and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet (1958), The Jazz Combo From "I Want To Live!" (1958) and Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1959).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.