Cool jazz is a style of modern jazz music inspired by bebop and big band that arose in the United States after World War II. It is characterized by relaxed tempos and a lighter tone than that used in the fast and complex bebop style. Cool jazz often employs formal arrangements and incorporates elements of classical music. Broadly,the genre refers to a number of post-war jazz styles employing a more subdued approach than that of contemporaneous jazz idioms. As Paul Tanner,Maurice Gerow,and David Megill suggest,"the tonal sonorities of these conservative players could be compared to pastel colors,while the solos of [Dizzy] Gillespie and his followers could be compared to fiery red colors."
Gerald Joseph Mulligan,also known as Jeru,was an American jazz saxophonist,clarinetist,composer and arranger. Though 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—Mulligan was also a significant arranger working with Claude Thornhill,Miles Davis,Stan Kenton,and others. His piano-less quartet of the early 1950s with trumpeter Chet Baker is still regarded as one of the best cool jazz ensembles. Mulligan was also a skilled pianist and played several other reed instruments. Several of his compositions including "Walkin' Shoes" and "Five Brothers",have become standards.
James Peter Giuffre was an American jazz clarinetist,saxophonist,composer,and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians,anticipating forms of free improvisation.
Birth of the Cool is a compilation album by the American jazz trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis,released in February 1957 by Capitol Records. It compiles eleven tracks recorded by Davis's nonet for the label over the course of three sessions during 1949 and 1950.
James George Hunter,known professionally as Jimmy Rowles,was an American jazz pianist,vocalist,and composer. As a bandleader and accompanist,he explored multiple styles including swing and cool jazz.
Conception is a compilation album issued by Prestige Records in 1956 as PRLP 7013,featuring Miles Davis on a number of tracks. The album,compiled from earlier 10 inch LPs,or as 78rpm singles,also features musicians such as Lee Konitz,Sonny Rollins,Stan Getz,Gerry Mulligan,and Zoot Sims. The cover was designed by Bob Parent. In particular,the entirety of the 10"LP Lee Konitz:The New Sounds makes up all of side 1.
Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio is a 1958 studio album by Stan Getz,accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Trio.
The Haig was a jazz club located at 638 South Kenmore Avenue in Hollywood. Along with the Tiffany Club it was one of Los Angeles's premier jazz venues in the 1950s and strongly associated with West Coast jazz.
Chet Baker &Crew is an album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker which was recorded in Los Angeles in 1956 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.
Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman is an album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker originally recorded in 1953 and released as a 10-inch LP on the Pacific Jazz label. Russ Freeman was the pianist in the quartet and the composer of several of the pieces. The album was reissued on CD in 1998 with 17 bonus tracks originally released on the 10-inch LP Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman and 12-inch LPs Pretty/Groovy and The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker.
West Coast Live is a live album by trumpeter Chet Baker and saxophonist Stan Getz which was recorded in California in 1953 but not released until 1997,on the Pacific Jazz label.
Reunion with Chet Baker is an album recorded in 1957 by saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's Quartet with trumpeter Chet Baker which was released by World Pacific. It was Baker's first recording after moving to New York City.
The Gerry Mulligan Songbook is an album by American jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in late 1957 and released on the World Pacific label.
Two of a Mind is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonists Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1962 which were released on the RCA Victor label. The album is the second of two albums Mulligan and Desmond recorded in a pianoless quartet setting. The first,recorded in 1957,was Blues in Time.
Paris Concert is a live album by saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded at the Salle Pleyel in Paris in June 1954 and released on the Pacific Jazz label. In 1966,Pacific Jazz released an album with the same title but with a slightly different track listing and edited versions of previously released tracks. The original recordings were made by Disques Vogue who issued the recordings in France.
Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1 is an album by saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1952 and originally released as the first 10-inch LP on the Pacific Jazz label. In 2001 Pacific Jazz released an album on CD with additional tracks from Mulligan's first five recording sessions.
Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 2 is an album by saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1953 and originally released as a 10-inch LP on the Pacific Jazz label. In 2001 Pacific Jazz re-released the album on CD with additional alternate takes and 12" masters along with five live tracks.
Sketches on Standards is an album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton featuring performances of jazz standards recorded in 1953 and originally released on the Capitol label as a 10-inch LP.
The Teddy Wilson Trio &Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Bob Brookmeyer at Newport is a live album by Teddy Wilson's Trio and Gerry Mulligan's Quartet recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 and released on the Verve label.
Tenorlee is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz,released on the Choice label in 1978 and rereleased by Candid in 1996,with two bonus tracks.
