The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars, featuring Jazz legends Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, and Randy Brecker, with the rhythm section of Ted Rosenthal, Dean Johnson, and Ron Vincent, the album Thank You, Gerry! is truly a moving and endearing tribute album to Cool Jazz icon Gerry Mulligan. Every player demonstrates his appreciation and respect for baritone saxophonist, composer, and arranger Gerry Mulligan; both the man and the musician. On this beautiful recording (which was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song “My Funny Valentine”), you will hear the unforgettable melodies and brilliant compositions that will always be the signatures of Mulligan’s sound.
“This fine CD is, as the title suggests, a tribute to the master composer, leader and musician by a group of excellent musicians. Rosenthal’s arrangements really evoke the Mulligan sound, and everyone is in top form. It’d be hard to let this album go.” – Jack Aldrich, Victory Music Review
Whether performing on the epic Birth of Cool album with Miles Davis, Gil Evans, and John Lewis, working with Claude Thornhill and Stan Kenton, or playing Cool Jazz alongside Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan is renowned for the light sounds of his virtuosic saxophone playing and his brilliant compositions.
“THANK YOU, GERRY! Is a moving and appropriate titles for this recording. Every player on it demonstrates his appreciation and respect for Gerry the man and Gerry the musician. On this beautiful tribute album (from the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars), you “hear some of the unforgettable melodies and voicings and clear form that will always be remembered as the Mulligan sound.” – from the Dave Brubeck liner notes.
Perhaps the greatest baritone sax player in Jazz history, Gerry Mulligan is honored on this extraordinary Arkadia Jazz All-Stars album, Thank You, Gerry! Our Tribute to Gerry Mulligan, by a group of prominent musicians who either played alongside the legend, or grew up under the influence of his indelible musical shadow.
Song Selection:
| 1. Bark for Barksdale | Gerry Mulligan | 4:59 |
| 2. Theme for Jobim | Gerry Mulligan | 5:58 |
| 3. Elevation | Gerry Mulligan | 4:11 |
| 4. My Funny Valentine | Rodgers/Hart | 8:37 |
| 5. Rocker | Gerry Mulligan | 5:30 |
| 6. Walkin’ Shoes | Gerry Mulligan | 7:28 |
| 7. Moonlight in Vermont | Suesdorf-Blackburn | 5:17 |
| 8. Line for Lyons | Gerry Mulligan | 5:58 |
| 9. Festive Minor | Gerry Mulligan | 6:39 |
| 10. Bernie’s Tune | Bernie Miller | 5:58 |
| 11. Curtains | Gerry Mulligan | 7:28 |
Lee Konitz: Alto saxophone
Bob Brookmeyer: Valve trombone
Randy Brecker: Trumpet, flugelhorn
Ted Rosenthal: Piano
Dean Johnson: Bass
Randy Vincent: Drums
Liner Notes by: Dave Brubeck
Produced by: Bob Karcy
Total Time: 69:00
What the Critics Say:
“This album features an all-star cast of Mulligan’s must notable sidemen, including Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, and Lee Konitz, and modernized arrangements of some of Mulligan’s more famous themes. The charts, by pianist Ted Rosenthal, brings out a different side of these eleven Mulligan classics. As could be expected, the soloing is superb, especially from Brookmeyer and Brecker. Brookmeyer has perfected the soling style he developed with the Mulligan quartet, and anchors the group with incredible consistency. Brecker, on the other hand, provides a contrast to Brookmeyer and Konitz, improvising in a more modern style. This album… draws on Gerry’s wide repertoire for an album of music as contemporary now as it was then.” – Jeffrey Sackman, The Gerry Mulligan Newsletter
“4.5 stars – A tribute to Gerry Mulligan would seem to demand use of a baritone sax – but this band gets along fine without one. Perhaps that is just because its members know Mulligan’s music so well. The rhythm section… served in that category with Mulligan. All three of the horn men solo well, and Brecker continues to show his ever-growing strength as a mainstream jazz trumpeter. Brookmeyer’s trombone has a deep richness and crispness in its phrasing. And Konitz provides a smooth sax voice like Mulligan’s – if a little higher.” – Bob Karlovits, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars:
The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars is a group established in 1996 as the brainchild of Bob Karcy, Producer, musician, Founder and CEO of Arkadia Records. Karcy’s original goal was to harness the creative brilliance of the Artists on its Arkadia Records labels, along with select guest musicians representing some of Jazz’s biggest stars, to create an unparalleled series of newly recorded, thematically unified studio albums. So far, ten albums have been recorded and three more are in production. The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars albums have been honored with three Grammy Award Nominations.
We at Arkadia Records feel it is important to honor the legacy of some of Jazz’s greats. For our Thank You Series of musical homages, we asked our artists go into the studio and record all new, previously unreleased songs either derived from or influenced by the enduring legacy Jazz’s royalty, in this case, the incomparable Gerry Mulligan.
In this diverse and exciting collection from Arkadia´s recording artists, a talented and multifaceted assemblage of musicians – each in his own style and manner- pays tribute to Gerry Mulligan, playing tunes he wrote or made famous. Mulligan’s influence is something for which we will remain in debt for many years to come. As such, we feel very strongly that it is important to say… Thank you, Gerry!
Bob Karcy’s ultimate aim is that the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars, in addition to creating new, exciting and stellar music, would emerge as an artistically successful recording group on its own, and would serve as a showcase for the Artists on Arkadia Records, allowing them to create awareness and recognition, and helping them expand beyond their hard core fans.
