GERRY MULLIGAN

    Gerry Mulligan was born in New York City on April 4, 1927. Later, his family moved to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. As a teenager, Mulligan attended West Catholic High School, but left in his senior year to return to New York City and begin his musical career.

    As a young musician, Mulligan practiced the clarinet and piano. In his career as a jazz performer he was renowned for playing the baritone saxophone, and for his work as a composer and arranger. His first success came at age twenty. The young Mulligan wrote “Disc Jockey Jump” for the Gene Krupa Band. A jam session in a Philadelphia night club in 1945, began Mulligan's association with alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. His composition "Rocker" on the album Charlie Parker with Strings brought Mulligan to the attention of the arranger Gil Evans, which eventually led to Mulligan’s association with Miles Davis. Mulligan wrote many songs for Davis’ 1949 album Birth of the Cool ("Jeru," "Venus De Milo," and another arrangement of "Rocker,").  Jeru was Davis' nickname for Mulligan.  

    In the 1950s, Mulligan had moved to Los Angeles. Initially he worked with Stan Kenton’s band. He soon began his own small combos, including his infamous piaonless quartets.  Mulligan was influential in the development of the West Coast jazz sound.  In the 1960s, Mulligan organized a larger ensemble, the Concert Jazz Band.   This was an ensemble that moved beyond the restrictions of swing music played for dancers.  In the 1970s, Mulligan became more distant from the music industry. His public appearance were less frequent.  He turned his attention to writing for jazz orchestra and composing for movie scores.  Mulligan's last album, Dragonfly, was recorded in 1995.  

    Gerry Mulligan died on January 19, 1996 after a long illness. The Library of Congress has opened a permanent exhibit to honor this jazz legend.

Sources:     http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9906/gerry.html

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