Blues Roots [Import]

• 1xLP pressed on 180-Gram Audiophile Black Vinyl
• Housed in a standard sleeve
• Featuring Gerry Mulligan

Although this is a blues-oriented set, there is plenty of variety in tempos and grooves. The 1968 Quartet featured the leader/pianist, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, bassist Jack Six, and drummer Alan Dawson. The repertoire on this LP ranges from "Limehouse Blues" (which is not really a blues) to "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and several originals.

These songs are average for 1968, but the soloing is remarkable and the musicians here are some of the best. "Journey" is a remarkably beautiful piano ballad, while "Blues Roots" narrowly rises above in its epic scope and over-the-top ending. It's probably my favorite song here. But, "Broke Blues" is also exceptional. This one, along with "Cross Ties" and "Blues Roots", is fairly progressive, drawing as much from post-bop as blues and traditional Jazz, pushing toward avante-garde. By G. Skate's Yannow