ARKADIA JAZZ ALL-STARS: Thank You, Gerry! – Our Tribute to Gerry Mulligan

The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars, featuring Jazz legends Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, and Randy Brecker, with the rhythm section of Ted Rosenthal, Dean Johnson, and Ron Vincent, the album Thank You, Gerry! is truly a moving and endearing tribute album to Cool Jazz icon Gerry Mulligan. Every player demonstrates his appreciation and respect for baritone saxophonist, composer, and arranger Gerry Mulligan; both the man and the musician. On this beautiful recording (which was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song “My Funny Valentine”), you will hear the unforgettable melodies and brilliant compositions that will always be the signatures of Mulligan’s sound.

“This fine CD is, as the title suggests, a tribute to the master composer, leader and musician by a group of excellent musicians. Rosenthal’s arrangements really evoke the Mulligan sound, and everyone is in top form. It’d be hard to let this album go.” – Jack Aldrich, Victory Music Review

Whether performing on the epic Birth of Cool album with Miles Davis, Gil Evans, and John Lewis, working with Claude Thornhill and Stan Kenton, or playing Cool Jazz alongside Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan is renowned for the light sounds of his virtuosic saxophone playing and his brilliant compositions.

“THANK YOU, GERRY! Is a moving and appropriate titles for this recording. Every player on it demonstrates his appreciation and respect for Gerry the man and Gerry the musician. On this beautiful tribute album (from the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars), you “hear some of the unforgettable melodies and voicings and clear form that will always be remembered as the Mulligan sound.” – from the Dave Brubeck liner notes.

Perhaps the greatest baritone sax player in Jazz history, Gerry Mulligan is honored on this extraordinary Arkadia Jazz All-Stars album, Thank You, Gerry! Our Tribute to Gerry Mulligan, by a group of prominent musicians who either played alongside the legend, or grew up under the influence of his indelible musical shadow.

Song Selection:

Lee Konitz: Alto saxophone
Bob Brookmeyer: Valve trombone
Randy Brecker: Trumpet, flugelhorn
Ted Rosenthal: Piano
Dean Johnson: Bass
Randy Vincent: Drums

Liner Notes by: Dave Brubeck
Produced by: Bob Karcy
Total Time: 69:00

What the Critics Say:

“This album features an all-star cast of Mulligan’s must notable sidemen, including Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, and Lee Konitz, and modernized arrangements of some of Mulligan’s more famous themes. The charts, by pianist Ted Rosenthal, brings out a different side of these eleven Mulligan classics. As could be expected, the soloing is superb, especially from Brookmeyer and Brecker. Brookmeyer has perfected the soling style he developed with the Mulligan quartet, and anchors the group with incredible consistency. Brecker, on the other hand, provides a contrast to Brookmeyer and Konitz, improvising in a more modern style. This album… draws on Gerry’s wide repertoire for an album of music as contemporary now as it was then.” – Jeffrey Sackman, The Gerry Mulligan Newsletter

“4.5 stars – A tribute to Gerry Mulligan would seem to demand use of a baritone sax – but this band gets along fine without one. Perhaps that is just because its members know Mulligan’s music so well. The rhythm section… served in that category with Mulligan. All three of the horn men solo well, and Brecker continues to show his ever-growing strength as a mainstream jazz trumpeter. Brookmeyer’s trombone has a deep richness and crispness in its phrasing. And Konitz provides a smooth sax voice like Mulligan’s – if a little higher.” – Bob Karlovits, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

About The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars:

The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars is a group established in 1996 as the brainchild of Bob Karcy, Producer, musician, Founder and CEO of Arkadia Records. Karcy’s original goal was to harness the creative brilliance of the Artists who recorded on its Arkadia Records labels, along with select guest musicians representing some of Jazz’s biggest stars, to create an unparalleled series of newly recorded, thematically unified studio albums. So far, ten albums have been recorded and three more are in production.

These Arkadia Jazz All-Stars releases have been honored with three Grammy Award Nominations.

The “Thank You” Series – Tributes to the most revered artists in the history of Jazz:

The first “Thank You” Series was created to honor the memory and the lasting legacy of many of the greatest and most esteemed artists in the history of Jazz.

The initial album in the “Thank You” series is entitled “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Thank You, John! – Our Tribute to John Coltrane” (Grammy Nominated for “My Favorite Things” by David Liebman).

This was followed by “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Thank you. Duke! – Our tribute to Duke Ellington”.

The Lead All-Star Members of these two albums are: Benny Golson, Billy Taylor, T.K. Blue, Joanne Brackeen, Nova Bossa Nova, and Joris Teepe.

The Supporting Members performing with them are: Mulgrew Miller, Buster Williams, Carl Allen, Eric Reed, Rodney Whitaker, Mike LeDonne, Vic Juris, Steve Nelson, Terrell Stafford, Ira Coleman, and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez.

Appearing as Special Guests are: Randy Weston, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Claudio Roditi, Bob Mintzer, David Hazeltine, Bruce Cox, and Harold Land.

Next on the agenda were new tribute albums to Joe Henderson (“Thank You, Joe! – Our Tribute to Joe Henderson”) and Gerry Mulligan (“Thank You, Gerry! – Our Tribute to Gerry Mulligan”). For “Thank You Joe!”, Karcy and Musical Directors Eric Reed and Carl Allen put together an ensemble including Randy Brecker, Terrell Stafford, Steve Nelson, Rodney Whitaker with special guest, Joanne Brackeen.

For “Thank You, Gerry!” (Grammy Nominated for “My Funny Valentine” by Randy Brecker), Karcy and Musical Director, Ted Rosenthal enlisted jazz legends Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Randy Brecker, with Javon Jackson, Dean Johnson and Ron Vincent, all of whom performed with Gerry Mulligan’s band.

Thematic Albums:

The next series of albums were conceived as thematically-driven group collections of outstanding singles, representing the best-of-our-best.

The first two albums, “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The Stars of Jazz #1” (Grammy Nominated for “Body and Soul” by Branford Marsalis) and “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The Stars of Jazz #2” (Grammy Nominated for “My Favorite Things” by David Liebman), present the most highly recognized artists, including Joanne Brackeen, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Branford Marsalis, Billy Taylor, Randy Weston, Gary Bartz, and Nat Adderley.

The “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The New Young Lions of Jazz” showcases the next generation of rising stars on the Jazz horizon, including James Carter, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Javon Jackson, Ravi Coltrane, Eric Reed, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton, Steve Turre, and Kurt Elling.

The “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: Out and Out Jazz” captures inventive performances on the cutting edge of modern and free jazz, both fully composed and improvised. This album showcases John Abercrombie, Paul Bley, Joanne Brackeen, John Clark, Andrew Hill, David Liebman, Pat Metheny, Nicholas Payton, Gary Peacock, Sam Rivers, and Reggie Workman.

Everyone has known love, and that emotion is beautifully expressed in “Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: It’s About Love”, a new album of heartfelt romantic ballads, performed by Benny Golson, Nigel Clark, Joanne Brackeen, T.K. Blue, Mary Pearson, Billy Taylor, Kenny Drew, Jr., Eric Reed. It includes the stunning Grammy Nominated “My Funny Valentine” by Randy Brecker.

Arkadia Records continues to create new releases from the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars. Albums currently in production are tributes to Thelonious Monk (“Thank You, Thelonious!”) and Miles Davis (“Thank You, Miles!”), as well a suite of lively standards and compelling original songs for the holiday season.

Bob Karcy’s ultimate aim is that the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars will emerge as an artistically successful recording group in its own right. In addition to creating new, exciting and stellar music, the All-Stars will showcase the Artists on Arkadia Records, creating greater awareness and recognition of their talent, and helping them reach a new generation of listeners far beyond their core fans.