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 Early One-Horn Gerry Mulligan Quartet Sep 10, 2008
At the time of these sessions (1962), it was unusual to hear a Gerry Mulligan recording where there was not another horn for him to interact with - except on the rare occasions where Bob Brookmeyer would play piano instead of trombone. This counterpoint with another horn was a hallmark of the mid 1950's Mulligan/Chet Baker piano-less quartet that was perhaps the prime example of West Coast cool jazz. So, when I first heard "Jeru" on Columbia Records, I was somewhat disappointed in the sound. It didn't sound like an old Mulligan quartet, but more like his 1990's quartet. Upon listening again (and again) I grew to appreciate this fine effort for what it is - some of the best cool jazz laid down in the early 1960's.
Tommy Flanagan on piano was not appreciated as fully as he deserved to be and you can certainly hear him at his always tasteful and appropriate best on this album. Gerry Mulligan's arrangements shine as usual. Dave Bailey, a frequent Mulligan drummer, does a very nice job as does Ben Tucker on bass. Alex Dorsey is credited on congas, but is not overbearing at all. This album is fully worthy of a 4-star rating and should be in your collection if you are a Mulligan fan.
If you are new to Gerry's music and want something to sample, I'd probably recommend something more truly representative of the West Coast sound - like "What Is There To Say?" or "Presenting The Gerry Mulligan Sextet" or some of the Mulligan/Baker quartet material. Gerry's Concert Jazz Band made headlines as a piano-less 13+ member big band in the early 1960's and much of that material is available now and is highly recommended. Mulligan's first big jazz headlines came as an arranger and baritone sax player in the Miles Davis-led "Birth Of The Cool" sessions in the late 1940's for Capitol. And Miles gave him the nickname "Jeru" - hence this album name.
 AVOID -- MAY INSTALL A ROOTKIT VIRUS Jul 20, 2008
Hi Gerry Mulligan fans,
It's absolutely infuriating that Sony implanted a significant portion of the Gerry Mulligan Jeru CDs made up to 2005 with an instant-install rootkit copy protection scheme. The same goes for a number of other Sony pressings, including the Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra Great American Songbook CDs, Art Blakey's Drum Suite, Dexter Gordon's Manhattan Symphonie, Horace Silver's Silver's Blues, and about 40 other CDs.
This Sony rootkit (The XCP rootkit) lodges itself in your Windows operating system if you so much as put the CD in your computer's drive, sends info to Sony, affects your performance, and has been exploited by hackers since 2004. Rootkits are notoriously difficult to detect and dislodge, and you have two options: Use the reputable company F-Secure's BlackLight rootkit detector, which is a free tool on their website, or use the Sony-provided removal tool, which you can get from the Sony site. Per Amazon's policy, I can't give you a link, but you can find the page by Googling "Sony XCP."
If you have/buy a CD with bar code number 074646549827, then you have a CD with a rootkit problem.
In 2005, Sony also stated that it would allow owners to swap these CDs for new non-XCP copies -- but only if you have the precise bar code above. Still, there is no information on how to do so. My hunch is that you use the Tech Support link at the Sony XCP site to email Sony, and they'll provide the Return to Manufacturer details.
Amazon itself supposedly returned all of its old XCP copies to Sony, but it's not clear to me that there really was reissue without XCP. Anyway, the small sellers on Amazon Marketplace may still have the old copies for sale, unknowingly. Who knows what bar code you'll get if you buy one? Unfortunately, this also hoses all the people trying to sell their copies here on Amazon Marketplace. If you're a seller, I urge you to specify the barcode on your product.
 Pleasant Relaxation Nov 21, 2007
Until I saw Jeru featured in a big-box book/music store which I frequent, I had never heard of it. Much less had I heard why it merited a remaster and a reissue. But since I own several other Gerry Mulligan recordings which I thoroughly enjoy, I bought it at an excellent price hoping to find a hidden gem.
Well, that didn't happen but what I did find was a CD that at least induced feelings of pleasant relaxation, From what I have heard of Mulligan's music, that is what I always get. Nothing outstanding, but nothing lousy, Just good, competent jazz in a smooth vein without the pejorative stigma that comes with that "smooth" label.
I like the entire CD, but it seems to me that for the money the label could have featured some bonus tracks that have become almost de rigeuer on reissues of classic albums. If you like Gerry Mulligan, I'm certain you'll agree that while Jeru may not be essential, it is certainly enjoyable.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Cool Jan 18, 2007
Prior to this album from 1962, Gerry Mulligan quartets throughout the 1950s seldom performed using a traditional rhythm section that included piano. Mulligan also tended not to perform very many ballads, though it would be misleading to have you believe he had never played in that format previously. In Mulligan's regular quartet Bob Brookmeyer, his trombonist, would occasionally play piano on a track or two. This proved to be the exception rather than the rule.
"Jeru" is a solid offering featuring this baritone saxophone legend accompanied by Tommy Flanagan (piano), Ben Tucker (bass), Dave Bailey (drums) and Alec Dorsey (Conga drums). Bailey was Mulligan's drummer for a very long time in his regular quartet, and Tommy Flanagan was a personal friend of Mulligan who was well respected as an accomplished pianist. Ben Tucker was a solid bassist who was constantly finding work in the studios of fellow musicians, and Alec Dorsey was there to provide an element that was gaining popularity at the time with his conga drums.
The creative compatibility of all players on this session becomes apparent as the cool relaxed sound of each element hits the listeners' ears. This is what jazz was, could be, should be, and occasionally still is. You cannot go wrong purchasing this great album with great sound clarity by such great artists. Enjoy!
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Grab a Scotch and turn it up Apr 06, 2006
I've always maintained that to truly get the most out of the greatest form of music created (Jazz) you should be willing to travel in any direction. Like most forms of music, Jazz is so multifaceted that a lot of fans of the genre are scared to venture too far from their favorite artists. I on the other hand look to broaden my horizons constantly, by picking out different artists along with the old standbys. Enter Gerry Mulligan. The album got my attention primarily because of the Miles Davis song of the same name. I had never heard of Mulligan, and have no Baritone Sax players in my collection, but I was familiar with the personnel. (Tommy Flannagan, Dave Bailey) I picked it up on a whim, and I'm glad I did. Coltrane's "Meditations" or Pharoe Sanders "Karma" (although great albums!) aren't exactly my first choices when I want to relax with a Remy on ice and some straight ahead playing! My point again is that to truly round out your collection, and the hardcore jazz fiends know what I'm talking about, you gotta be diverse. "Jeru" is a crisp listen as Mulligan and crew offer up a healthy serving of uptempos, "Capricious" and "Inside Impromptu" being my favorites. They close the set nicely with the beautiful ballad "Lonely Town". This album is one of those that if put in the hands of todays hipsters (another word for followers) would be touted for it's "lounge jazz" qualities. What these clowns fail to realize is that music this good has been around for decades. Maybe if they'd ask their parents instead of dismissing everything old as corny, they'd know.
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