Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges＜限定盤＞

マリガンが他の楽器奏者と共演した録音の中で最高の作品のひとつと評されている1959年録音作品。

この作品では、2人のサックス奏者に、クロード・ウィリアムソン(ピアノ)、バディ・クラーク(ベース)、メル・ルイス(ドラム)という堅実なリズム・セクションが加わり、マリガンとホッジスのオリジナル曲をそれぞれ3曲ずつ演奏。2人は、マリガン作曲の「What's the Rush」を除いて、終始互いに補完し合っている。この曲では、バリトン・サックスのマリガンは、ホッジスのアルト・サックスがスポットライトを浴びるよう、完全に演奏を控えている。
■ゲイトフォールド仕様

〈パーソネル〉 Gerry Mulligan (bs except track 2) Johnny Hodges(as) Claude Williamson (piano), Buddy Clark (bass) and Mel Lewis (drums)

Gerry Mulligan's 1959 studio date with Johnny Hodges is one of the most satisfying sessions of his various meetings with different saxophonists for Verve, yet it was inexplicably the last to be made available on CD. With a hand-picked rhythm section consisting of pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Buddy Clark, and drummer Mel Lewis, and three originals contributed by each of the two leaders, everything gels nicely, though several tracks took more than three takes (in spite of liner note writer Nat Hentoff's assertions) to reach their final form. Mulligan contributed the gorgeous ballad "What's the Rush" (where he sat back to enjoy Hodges' solo and never plays his own horn), the easygoing swinger "Bunny," and the brisk cooker "18 Carrots (For Rabbit)," the latter which its composer would revisit with his Concert Jazz Band. The veteran alto saxophonist contributed the low-key ballad "Shady Side," the sassy blues "Back Beat" (later re-recorded by Hodges during a still unreleased 1960 studio meeting with Ben Webster), and "What It's All About," another potent blues. Throughout the date, the two saxophonists blend beautifully and complement one another's efforts, even though this was their only opportunity to record together in the studio. Sadly, no alternate takes or unissued numbers (at least two of which exist) have been added to this long anticipated reissue. ~ Ken Dryden