Themes
Songs
Chronology
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Collection Themes Songs Chronology | |
FEELIN' GOOD |
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LINER NOTES |
| Feelin' Good - Original This may come as somewhat of a surprise, but for the nearly twenty years that Gerry Mulligan has been a ranking baritone saxophonist whose forte has been a unique ability to communicate melodically with the most varied of audiences, he has never recorded an album of superior songs with string backgrounds. What is even more surprising is that only once before, and that briefly, has he been heard playing clarinet on record. Both of those gaps in Mulligan's career have been filled with the making of this album. And, if you wilL excuse the non-objective opinion of the album's producer, they have been filled emphatically and unequivocally. To these ears, and to those of some friends in jazz who heard test pressings of this album, Gerry's clarinet playing is the freshest, loveliest sound on that instrument since Lester Young occasionally played it. Don't take my word, however - listen to Love Walked In or The Lonely Night as just two examples. If you happen to be among those who say that strings and jazz just don't mix, listen to the backgrounds provided herein by Julian Lee before you do any such prejudging. The combination of Gerry Mulligan and Julian Lee is, to my mind, one of those great pairings that happen only rarely - like scotch and soda, or Koufax and Drysdale. What resulted is exactly what the title of this album tries to connote - good feelings. The selection of tunes was done after Gerry went through literally scores of songs, trying them on piano, baritone, and clarinet. "All I want are some good tunes that I can enjoy playing the melody of," he kept saying. He found them. The Lonely Night, however, wasn't difficult to find. It happens to be a Gerry Mulligan composition, one that he recorded a couple of years ago as Night Lights. The difficulty came in getting him to record it again so soon, but when it was pointed out that it would be an entirely different record if played on clarinet with orchestral backing, he agreed. I think it's probably the outstanding side on the album. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone is the old standard that Gerry laughingly suggested should be the title tune for this package. Mulligan is back on baritone sax here, skimming along warmly. Note particularly his and pianist Pete Jolly's solos, followed by an exhilarating string figure behind Gerry's returning statements. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen's Second Time Around is wrapped up prettily in just one chorus. That's all Mulligan needed to tell the story. Not Mine, the Johnny Mercer.Vic Schertzinger song from the 1942 film, The Fleet's In, finds Mulligan back on clarinet, Jolly improvising a driving introduction, and Julian providing discreet background. The combination of performance and arrangement on P. S. I Love You is just gorgeous, while The Song Is Ended starts out swinging and never quits. Two of the tracks on the second side are with just clarinet and rhythm section - Love Walked In and I'll Walk Alone. The warmth and delicacy of Gerry's tone is a delight, and he fairly sings out the melodies, reshaping them slightly as any good singer would. To those critics who have to scratch their heads every year when it comes time to vote for the new star clarinetist, might I point out that it is spelled M-u-l-l-i-g-a-n. Feeling Good is from the Broadway musical, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd. It's a lonely, haunting thing, the way Gerry and Julian treat it. Ray Noble's Love Is The Sweetest Thing lopes along in friendly fashion, with Jolly chipping in a felicitous solo and the strings offering a red carpet to walk on. The final tune should be the Academy Award winner of 1965. The Shadow Of Your Smile is Johnny Mandel's theme for the picture, The Sandpiper, and if he doesn't get an Oscar for it the people who vote in that annual derby should be checked out for deafness. It long has been a theory of mine, though certainly not an original one, that a musician cannot help but reveal his personality by what he plays and how he plays it. And so after hearing this album, if you choose to think that Gerry Mulligan is a soft-hearted Irishman with a wry sense of humor and a big streak of romanticism in him, one who wouldn't mind lifting a glass or two while he sings a good song, I'm afraid I couldn't argue with you. Jack Tracy How Deep Is The Ocean - The Irving Berlin Songbook Gerry Muligan demonstrates his prowess as one of the kings of cool on his solo on The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On) Cliff Preiss Feelin' Good - Trip We've heard Gerry Mulligan play baritone saxophone in various small groups (with and without piano) and in big units like his Concert Jazz Band. We've also heard him blow tenor saxophone on one side of an LP in which he and Stan Getz switched horns. He's been know to sit down at the piano and take a pretty fair whack at the keyboard. In late 1975 he began using a curved soprano saxophone in his concert and club appearances. Ten years earlier, however, Mulligan recorded for the only time, at length, on clarinet. (He has solos on "Pretty Little Gypsy" and "Big City Blues" on a Concert Jazz Band recording.) "Feelin' Good", first issued on the Limelight label, also marked the only time he has been backed by a string section on record. Headed by concertmaster Harry Bluestone, it was written for and conducted by Julian Lee, the New Zealander brought to the United States under the aegis of George Shearing in 1963. Mulligan's versatility is echoed and complemented by his flexibility. He has sat-in comfortably with both Charlie Parker as well as Pee Wee Russell; recorded with both Paul Desmond and Thelonious Monk. He has never had to explain what swinging is about. His performances have been self explanatory and the enthusiasm with which he has invested his work has always bubbled naturally in its own creative juices no matter the groove. Essentially this is a mellow (laid-back, if you will) set even when it is cooking in a medium-up attitude such as "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone". While this album fashions many moods it should not be thought of as "mood Jazz" because Gerry is one of those soloists who won't (or can't) play down to his audience . . . or play down his muse. The strings are sweet and simple, enhancing subtly and never obtruding. Pete Jolly's piano solos are pleasant interludes that, as condiments, add to the overall blend of Mulligan's brew. There are four clarinet features beginning with the opener, Gerry's own "The Lonely Night" (he originally recorded it as "Night Lights" on piano with a sextet for Philips) and continuing with Victor Schertzinger's "Not Mine" for Paramount's "The Fleet's in", a film whose score also contained the more celebrated "Tangerine", Mulligan's approach reminded Jack Tracy of Lester Young. I find his 'chalumeau' sound reminscent of 1950's Jimmy Giuffre, although not as woodsy-folksy. But, after all, they both came from Pres. These two tracks are string-accompanied; the last two clarinet numbers, Gershwin's "Love Walked In" and "I'll Walk Alone.', a Jule Styne melody with lyrics by Sammy Cahn popularized by Lilyann Carol with Louis Prima's band during World War II, find Mulligan backed only by the rhythm section. Notice how he gives the solitary stroll a strong injection of blues. The baritone selections include the aforementiond "Please Don't Talk About Me" which he caps with a Benny Goodman ending from "Let's Dance" (he was even thinking clarinet on baritone). Cahn and Van Heusen's "The Second Time Around", the Johnny Mercer-Gordon Jenkins collaboration, "P.S. I Love You", Berlin's "The Sang is Ended"; Ray Noble's "Love is the Sweetest Thing"; Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow of Your Smile", and the title track by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, "Feelin' Good" from "Roar of the Greasepaint . . . Smell of the Crowd". One of the best things I can say about this album is that it is thoroughly enjoyable. "Jazz music is fun to me", Mulligan once said. Coming from a man who is pretty serious about the music, that statement carries much weight. "Feelin' Good" will make you feel better. IRA GITLER |
| Collection Themes Songs Chronology | |
