Readers familiar with Jeff Sultanof’s essays for Rifftides on Pete Rugolo and Russ Garcia know the depth of his knowledge and wisdom about arranging and composing. Professionals in many areas of music admire him for his analyses and editing of scores and for his teaching about major figures including Robert Farnon, Miles Davis and Gerald Wilson. With some excitement, Jeff recently told me about discovering a score from the days when Gil Evans, Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, Lee Konitz … [Read more...]

MULLIGAN AND “YARDBIRD SUITE" Part 2 By Jeff Sultanof When Jazz Lines began operation, Rob DuBoff had a meeting with Franca Mulligan and made an agreement. I contacted him about what Mulligan had said to me, and became his editor. Obviously the CJB library was a priority, but Jazz Lines also issued new editions I prepared of Mulligan’s contributions to the Miles Davis Nonet, which originally appeared in book form from Hal Leonard as scores only. (Photo by Hank O'Neal) In 1995, Gerry … [Read more...]

Here’s Mulligan’s composition “Rocker” (aka “Rock Salt’) for Charlie Parker with strings, recorded in concert in New York in 1950. … [Read more...]

If all had gone as planned, in a few hours I would be on an airplane headed east. A bunch of us who wrestled our commissions from the United States Marine Corps a few years ago were going to have a reunion at Quantico, Virginia, the scene of the struggle. Hurricane Sandy put an end to that. Along with countless other events, she wiped out the reunion and is making life inconvenient— to say the least—for 50 million people in and near her path. If you and your loved ones are among them … [Read more...]