1. For an Unfinished Woman
2. Line for Lyons
3. My Funny Valentine
4. Idol Gossip
5. Out Back of the Barn
6. Night Lights
7. Song for Strayhorn
8. Satin Doll
9. K-4 Pacific
Gerry Mulligan - Baritone sax
Dave Samuels - Vibes
Thomas Fay - Piano
Mike Santiago - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Bobby Rosengarden - Drums
Recorded live at Liederhalle, Stuttgart on November 22, 1977
Jazzhaus, a new label, has apparently acquired some 3,000 hours of recordings of live performances from various German radio stations. This remastered recording of a live gig in Stuttgart by the Gerry Mulligan Sextet is of excellent quality and captures the band in great form. Gerry was fifty years old at this time and looked like an Old Testament prophet, but his powers as a leader and soloist were undiminished. The recording is also a reminder of his talents as a composer: seven of the nine tracks are his own compositions and they are all good tunes. The exceptions, of course, are My Funny Valentine and Satin Doll, the two shortest tracks on the CD.
This sextet recorded an album, Idol Gossip, in 1976 and they sound very integrated here as if they had been touring for some time. Samuels, Fay and Santiago may be unfamiliar names but they are all first-class; Santiago, in particular, contributes some powerful guitar licks. Duvivier and Rosengarden make up an excellent support team with the drummer really firing on the faster numbers.
The first and last tracks, For an Unfinished Woman and K-4 Pacific, are the longest and they are both outstanding, full of inventive solos and sounding as fresh as if they had been recorded a few weeks ago. Night Lights is appealingly ruminative and Song for Strayhorn is a lovely, wistful tribute.
This CD is an essential addition for Mulligan fans but would grace anyone's collection. If the rest of Jazzhaus's archives are of this standard, there are some joyous listening pleasures to come.
George Stacy
CD Reviews
Jazzhaus N:101 700
