Gerry Mulligan

Gerry Mulligan (born April 6, 1927) is possibly the best known baritone saxophonist in jazz, but he has also recorded on soprano and tenor saxophones, clarinet and piano. He is a prolific composer and arranger, contributing scores to the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool nonet, the Claude Thornhill and Stan Kenton bands, and his own Concert Jazz Band in the early 60s and 80s. His innovative piano-less quartet with trumpeter Chet Baker was the accidental result of the piano having been put into storage at the club where the group made its debut, and the group’s spare, lyrical, contrapuntal style immediately became emblematic of the west coast jazz style.