| The Gerry Mulligan Songbook | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Gerry Mulligan |
| Cover: | The Gerry Mulligan Songbook Volume 1.jpg |
| Released: | 1958 |
| Recorded: | December 4–5, 1957 |
| Studio: | Coastal Studios, New York City |
| Genre: | Jazz |
| Length: | 59:24 |
| Label: | World Pacific WP 1237 |
| Producer: | Richard Bock |
| Chronology: | Gerry Mulligan |
| Prev Title: | Jazz Concerto Grosso |
| Prev Year: | 1957 |
| Next Title: | Reunion with Chet Baker |
| Next Year: | 1957 |
The Gerry Mulligan Songbook (subtitled Volume 1) is an album by American jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in late 1957 and released on the World Pacific label.[1] [2]
This album features many arrangements by the composer/arrange Bill Holman. Gerry Mulligan kept the original parts and scores from this album which can be found in his special collection housed at the Library of Congress.[3] Viewing the original scores housed at the Library of Congress, you will find that Holman had labeled the sax parts with the players he may have intended to perform this music. The sax parts are listed as follows: (Names listed on score do not have last names. Names in parentheses were added here for clarity.)
After speaking with Bill Holman, he recalls that Richard Bock had come up with the idea for the album, but after Holman had finished the arrangements, Gerry Mulligan was not available in LA to record them. The music was recorded in New York in December 1957 with alternate players. The arrangement for Crazy Day, was not found in the collection with the other 6 arrangements. The finders guide for the Library of Congress lists Crazy Day in the collection, but has no score, only parts.[4] The arrangements in this collection are pencil drawn in Bill Holman's handwriting. The parts were done by a copyist, unnamed, and are not in Mulligan or Holman's handwriting.
The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow stated "this was one of the rarer Gerry Mulligan albums. The original program consisted of seven Mulligan compositions played by a five-sax octet (including the leader on baritone, altoist Lee Konitz, Allen Eager and Zoot Sims doubling on tenor and alto, Al Cohn on tenor and baritone and a rhythm section consisting of guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Henry Grimes, and drummer Dave Bailey). The session has a few surprise touches, giving listeners the rare opportunity to hear Eager and Sims soloing on alto and Cohn doubling on baritone... Highly recommended for Gerry Mulligan fans".
All compositions by Gerry Mulligan except as indicated