Whom I won’t review

I’ve been asked why it is that you will never see reviews of music by Gerry Mulligan or Pepper Adams on this blog. They are arguably the most influential baritone players in jazz history after Harry Carney and quite possibly the most prolific. It is not as though i don’t don’t own plenty of both artists. In fact my favorite Mulligan album is  his 1957 release “Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi”. My favorite Adams album is his 1961 release “Out of This World: The Complete Warwick Sessions“.

I feel that every baritone saxophonist regardless of musical ambition should devote time and a little money into acquiring and devouring the music of these giants. These men have have defined their genre’s and redefined the role baritone saxophonists have in jazz music. The brilliant compositions of Mulligan and the effortlessness of Adam’s technique is without question the best thing that happened to baritone saxophones since its creation by Adolph Sax.

Now that I have doted over them I will explain why I won’t add to the cacophony of reviews already in print since the 1950’s. Critics from all walks of life and musical experience have reviewed the albums of both of these men throughout the ages. Is there anything new that I would hear that the calibrated ears of more practiced reviewers may have missed since the the original release date? In my practice I have not found a nuance in the music that has not been adequately discussed by other reviewers. With that in mind, and the fact that both of these men have since passed away, there is not likely to be a new release anytime soon unless like Tupac their holograms will be gracing a digital screen for new virtual performances.

Like many other bari players I simply listen to these sax titans and enjoy the magic of their creations for what they are, pure and simple joy. Joy as expressed on the apple of Adolph’s eye the Baritone Saxophone.