Jazz Artist of the Week
Gerry Mulligan - "Jeru"

Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also a significant arranger, working with Claude Thornhill, Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, and others. Mulligan's pianoless quartet of the early 1950s with trumpeter Chet Baker is still regarded as one of the best cool jazz groups. Mulligan's big break happened in 1948 with his work as the baritone saxophonist on the Miles Davis album, "Birth of the Cool." Mulligan composed three of the tunes on the album, Rocker, Venus di Milo, and Jeru, the last one named after himself. This launched a very long career as a sideman and band leader. Below are a couple favorites: