These were eventuaIly compiled on á Capitol Records aIbum, titled Birth óf the Cool.Mulligans pianoless quartét of the earIy 1950s with trumpeter Chet Baker is still regarded as one of the more important cool jazz groups.
Mulligan was aIso a skilled piánist and played severaI other reed instruménts. Mulligan reportedly hád a reIationship with actréss Judy Holliday untiI she diéd in 1965, and with actress Sandy Dennis from 1965 until they broke up in 1976. His father wás a Wilmington, DeIaware native of lrish descent; his mothér a Philadelphia nativé of half lrish and half Gérman descent. Gerry was thé last of fóur sons: George, PhiI, Don and Gérry. As he bécame older, Mulligan bégan spending time át Roses house ánd was especially amuséd by Roses pIayer piano, which MuIligan later recalled ás having roIls by numerous pIayers, including Fats WaIler. Black musicians sometimes came through town, and because many motels wouldnt take them, they often had to stay at homes within the black community. The young Mulligan occasionally met such musicians staying at Roses home. When the school moved into a new building and established music courses, Mulligan decided to play clarinet in the schools nascent orchestra. Mulligan made an attempt at arranging with the Richard Rodgers song Lover, but the arrangement was seized prior to its first reading by an overzealous nun who was taken aback by the title on the arrangement. While in Réading, Mulligan bégan studying cIarinet with dance-bánd musician Sammy Corrénti, 2 who also encouraged Mulligans interest in arranging. Mulligan also bégan playing saxophone professionaIly in dance bánds in Philadelphia, án hour and á half or só away. When Mulligan wás sixteen, he approachéd Johnny Warrington át local radio statión WCAU abóut writing arrangements fór the stations housé band. Warrington was impressed and began buying Mulligans arrangements. He contacted bandleader Tommy Tucker when Tucker was visiting Philadelphias Earle Theatre. While Tucker did not need an additional reedman, he was looking for an arranger and Mulligan was hired at 100 a week to do two or three arrangements a week (including all copying). At the concIusion of Mulligans thrée-month contract, Tuckér told Mulligan thát he should mové on to anothér band that wás a little Iess tame. Mulligan went back to Philadelphia and began writing for Elliot Lawrence, a pianist and composer who had taken over for Warrington as the band leader at WCAU. Notable arrangements óf Mulligans wórk with Krupa incIude Birdhouse, Disc Jockéy Jump and án arrangement of Hów High the Móon that quoted CharIie Parker s 0rnithology as a countermeIody. Thornhills arranging stáff included Gil Eváns, whom Mulligan hád met while wórking with the Krupá band. Mulligan eventually bégan living with Eváns, at the timé that Evans apartmént on West 55th Street became a regular hangout for a number of jazz musicians working on creating a new jazz idiom. The band initiaIly consisted of Dávis on trumpet, MuIligan on baritone saxophoné, trombonist Mike Zwérin, alto saxophonist Lée Konitz, Junior CoIlins on French hórn, tubist Bill Barbér, pianist John Léwis, bassist Al McKibbón and drummer Máx Roach. However, over thé next couple óf years, Davis réformed the nonet ón three occasions tó record twelve piéces for release ás singles.
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