Rating:
Genre: Jazz
Release Date: 03/21/1990

The swing and bop start right here on this legendary 1959 session between baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and tenor man Ben Webster. The opening track, Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge," is lush and emotional and truly sets the tone for this album. With Jimmy Rowles on piano (his intro on "Sunday" sounds like a ragtimer like Willie "The Lion" Smith just pushed him off the stool before the band came in), Mel Lewis on drums, and always superb Leroy Vinnegar on bass present and accounted for, the rhythm section is superbly swinging with just the right amount of bop lines and chords in the mix to spice things up. The ghost of Duke Ellington hovers over every note on this record (Billy Strayhorn was one of his main arrangers), and that is a very good thing indeed. There's a beautiful understated quality to the music on this session that makes it the perfect "relaxing around the house on a rainy day" disc to pop in the player. File this one under cool, very smooth, and supple.

~Cub Koda, All Music Guide

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Mel Lewis - Drums
Gerry Mulligan - Sax (Baritone)
Gerry Mulligan - Main Performer
Jimmy Rowles - Piano
Ben Webster - Sax (Tenor)
Leroy Vinnegar - Bass

This Is How I Feel About Jazz
    Quincy Jones / CD / 1956
Barney Kessel, Vol. 3: To Swing or Not to Swing
    Barney Kessel / CD / 1955
My Fair Lady
    Shelly Manne & His Friends / CD / 1956
Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers
    Zoot Sims / CD / 1975
With the Oscar Peterson Trio
    Lester Young and the Oscar Peterson Trio / CD / 1952
In the Night
    George Shearing / CD / 1958

Release Date: 03/21/1990
Genre: jazz