Paul Desmond And Gerry Mulligan Two Of A Mind on 180g Import LP from Speakers Corner

Although the beautiful sound, mutual understanding and harmonic balance mostly predominate, the music of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond performing together with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan is far from what one calls 'easy listening'. For many, it is even difficult to identify the melody of evergreens such as "Stardust" and "The Way You Look Tonight." And what theme is tucked away in "Two Of A Mind"?

The recording in the RCA Victor Studio took place over several days in 1962, and this is why different bass players and percussionists are heard here – Wendell Marshall, Joe Benjamin and John Beal each take their turn on the bass, while Connie Kay and Mel Lewis change places behind the drum set. These musicians form a brilliant team, and that there is no piano is both deliberate and inevitable for Gerry Mulligan recordings of the day. 

By the way, the second saxophonist in "The Way You Look Tonight" is Paul Desmond – by means of over-dubbing in the middle of the stereo recording. The present LP could certainly take a rightful place in a 'Best Of' collection alongside the other recordings by Gerry Mulligan with Ben Webster and Stan Getz.

"Two of the finest talents to emerge in the post-war jazz generation are brought together here for a happy, informal, yet earnest session of music-making. Individually, Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan can each look back at a decade of winning jazz polls - Paul as the alto saxophonist of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and Gerry as a baritone saxophonist who has led his own groups for many years, ranging from a quartet to a full-sized band.

"A series of sweeping performances in which something exciting is happening every instant, whether it be a solo of keen inventiveness or a duet passage in which each line stands up by itself within a whole that sounds like the work of a craftsman composer." - George Avakian, original album liner notes 

Paul Desmond (alto saxophone)

Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone)

Joe Benjamin / John Beal / Wendell Marshall (bass)

Connie Kay / Mel Lewis (drums)

1. All The Tings You Are

2. Stardust

3. Two Of A Mind

4. Blight Of the Fumble Bee

5. The Way You Look Tonight

6. Out Of Nowhere