I’m making my way through the Gerry Mulligan DVD, The Age of Steam. I’ve always appreciated Gerry’s sense of rhythm and song phrasing. Right now he’s playing clarinet on his ‘One Note Samba’. The DVD has him playing piano, sax, and clarinet. His music is haunting and delicious. I have a friend, JB, who’s bari stylings are very similar to Mulligan’s.

Made me pull out the clarinet and start honking on the instrument. Did I ever mention how much I love playing clarinet. I started three years ago. Although I haven’t taken lessons, I have played bass clarinet in the concert band for half a year (then two more showed up) and in the pit orchestra.

Playing bari sax is a really a labor of luv for me. Although it takes more air, the sweet dulcid and low tones make it one of my favorite instruments to play. I’ve always played Yanagisawa baritones which have superb intonation and keyworks. It is effortless to run the scale and there is very little lip work necessary to fix the common sax intonation problems.

As side one of the DVD runs to an end, it is obvious that Gerry had a love for life that pursued with gusto and sated with his love for music. An arranger, performer, and educator, Gerry Mulligan epitomizes all that is good about music. ‘O Great Spirit’ by Gerry Mulligan indeed.

Here are some more bari soloists to consider:

• Moanin (Mingus version)
• Yakety Sax
• My Foolish Heart
• The Way You Look Tonight
• Love Me or Leave Me
• Satin Doll
• Filthy McNasty
• A Child is Born

Enjoy!