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Gerry Mulligan & Thelonious Monk - Mulligan Meets Monk (1957) Genre: Jazz

Cduniverse.com:

MULLIGAN MEETS MONK documents the 1957 meeting of two sharp musical minds. Though the pairing may seem unlikely, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan--whose cool, West Coast style blends dexterity with laid-back grace -- and Thelonious Monk -- whose radical, angular piano playing and thoroughly modern compositions are blueprints for the possibilities of bop--sound remarkable together. In fact, it is the contrast between the players' styles that lends this set its balance and appeal.

The program, which includes four compositions by Monk and one by Mulligan, is unassailable. Mulligan acquits himself admirably on the Monk classics "'Round Midnight," "Rhythm-a-ning" and "Straight, No Chaser," unfurling his smooth tone over their zigzagging melodies and ambitious scalar architecture. (The CD also includes a handful of alternate takes.) Mulligan's "Decidedly," a bright bop workout, fits easily alongside Monk's tunes, especially with the help of Monk's off-kilter, accented comping. Bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Shadow Wilson lend solid support to the spirited playing of the two leaders, making this top-notch session--with its great tunes, chemistry, and soloing -- a true classic.

Amazon.com:

Critics thought the pairing of Gerry Mulligan and Thelonious Monk a strange one when this 1957 session was originally released, Mulligan's light baritone saxophone strongly identified with the cool school and Monk's percussive piano, fractured rhythms, and dissonant tunes the last word in bop. It's an interesting combination, though, with Mulligan's melodic focus actually working fairly well with Monk and his regular band, drummer Shadow Wilson and bassist Wilbur Ware. Common roots in swing are apparent on Mulligan's "Decidedly," a variant of "Undecided," while the baritonist acquits himself well on some of Monk's best-known tunes. Monk was at his peak as a player in 1957 -- working steadily for the first time in years in a long tenure at the Five Spot -- and it shows everywhere here, including the splashing chords and asymmetrical runs of "Sweet and Lovely." Ware, one of the most significant bassists in jazz history, is a perfect accompanist and as commanding a soloist as Mulligan or Monk, using subtle rhythmic shifts and double stops in an almost minimalist way. The alternate takes of several tunes are genuinely different approaches to the material, revealing just how spontaneous the meeting was. --Stuart Broomer



Amazon.com reviewer:

This disc combines Monk & his rhythm-section of the time -- Wilbur Ware & Shadow Wilson -- with the baritonist Gerry Mulligan, a stylistically unusual pairing that works out very well. Monk's skeletal chording & frequent preference to have his sidemen "stroll" (play without piano accompaniment) make a natural common ground with Mulligan, who had developed the pianoless quartet in his 1950s groups with Baker & Brookmeyer. Though this session was an informal blowing session, & thus doesn't feature any of Mulligan's sophisticated arrangements, he nonetheless frequently plays quiet counterlines to Monk like he did with Chet -- it's an interesting sound, & I've never heard anyone else do this with Monk.

The album is a bit uneven, but what pushes it into the first rank is the version of "Round Midnight", which is probably the single best group reading of the tune I've heard by Monk. Certainly it's the best version he did for Riverside except for the solo version on _Thelonious by Himself_. As usual with Monk in this period, his flow of compositions was slowing down, & there's only one new tune on the disc, "Rhythm-a-Ning" (first recorded by Monk for Atlantic a few months before on his collaboration with Art Blakey). The version here is very different from Monk's later recordings of the tune: it has a double-length bridge which seems to give Mulligan a little trouble (he goofs up a little at the end of the bridge on his first chorus); the performance isn't quite together, but nonetheless has lots of meat in the solos & a good vibe, which is I presume why they didn't do retakes. I'm not sure why "I Mean You" needed 3 complete takes, as they all sound pretty good to me -- but I certainly won't complain about getting the bonus tracks. "Decidedly" is Mulligan's variant on Shavers' "Undecided", and features a stoptime solo by Mulligan & some of Ware's most intriguing playing -- check out his very offbeat solo on the master take, in particular. "Sweet and Lovely" is a favourite tune of mine, & despite Monk's covering it in other places I would again name this as the best group reading Monk gave it.

A fine disc. Originally it was intended that the album be split between quartet tracks & a big band arranged by Mulligan, but because the 1st recording session went so well the producer & the band decided to go back into the studio the next day to complete the album with just the quartet. I think that was the left decision. This remains one of the high points of Monk's Riverside tenure.

Personnel:

Thelonious Monk (piano);

Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone);

Wilbur Ware (bass);

Shadow Wilson (drums).

Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, New York, New York on August 12 & 13, 1957. Originally released on Riverside (1106). Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.

Tracks:

1. 'Round Midnight 8:26

2. Rhythm-A-Ning 5:16

3. Sweet And Lovely 7:15

4. Decidedly (Take 4) 5:51

5. Decidedly (Take 5) 6:34

6. Straight, No Chaser (Take 3) 6:57

7. Straight, No Chaser (Take 1) 5:27

8. I Mean You (Take 4) 6:50

9. I Mean You (Take 2) 6:30

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Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123