Description:

Title: Joe Policastro - Jeru

Artist(s): Joe Policastro: Acoustic Bass
Art Davis: Trumpet
Ted Hogarth: Baritone Saxophone
Phill Gratteau: Drums

Recording Info: Recorded 6 March 2020, at Pro Musica in Chicago Illinois, onto a custom Studer/Revox 8 track (C-278) at 15ips IEC. Microphone preamps were a Manley
8 X 8 X 2 mixer. Bass microphone is a Neumann KM 84; Trumpet is a Neumann
U-67; Baritone Sax is a Telefunken 251e; Drums is a stereo pair of AKG 414
EBs. Engineering by Jonathan Horwich, assisted by Ken Christianson.

1. Struttin With Some Barbecue 5:54
2. Moonlight In Vermont 6:18
3. Alexander's Ragtime Band 3:51
4. Sugar 5:55
5. My Funny Valentine 7:33
6. Rustic Hop 3:26

West Coast jazz developed largely in Los Angeles in the 1950s and 1960s and stood in contrast to the music of hard-bop developed on the East Coast during the same time. Classic hard-bop was infused with the blues and gospel, often hard driving, whereas West Coast jazz was not and manifested a more lyrical, mellow sound stressing arrangement and blended harmonies.  One of its premier proponents was the baritone saxophone player, Gerry Mulligan (nicknamed “Jeru”), to whom this session was dedicated.  Here, as in Mulligan’s classic quartet, there is no piano, but just baritone sax, trumpet, bass and drums.  This homage to West Coast jazz is beautifully executed by Joe Policastro’s group, and gorgeously captured on tape in stark, but natural, realism.  This is world class music captured by world class microphones.  It rises to demonstration quality for both the music lover and audiophile.  Not to be missed. 

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