1957 · Album
Konitz Meets Mulligan
Recorded 1959 · Verve Records · Produced by Norman Granz
Two Saxophones, One Conversation
Konitz and Mulligan sound like they're genuinely enjoying figuring things out together.
Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan were both serious saxophone players who approached the instrument differently enough to make their pairing interesting. Konitz had that cool, linear thing going—clean lines, sparse phrasing, influenced by his work in the Miles Davis nonet sound. Mulligan brought the baritone sax's natural warmth and a more structured sense of harmony. When they got together for Konitz Meets Mulligan, the record works because neither player tried to dominate or prove anything. They genuinely sound like they're listening to each other.
What makes this album stand out is how straightforward it is. No big production, no unnecessary arrangement tricks. Just two horns working through standards and original material with real attention to what the other person is playing. The interplay feels natural—sometimes they're trading ideas back and forth, sometimes they're moving in parallel harmony, sometimes one takes the lead while the other provides support. It's the kind of record that reveals itself more on the second listen because the first time you're just getting used to the tonal contrast between them.
If you're already familiar with Konitz's solo work or his contributions to cool jazz classics, this is worth hearing because it shows him in a genuinely collaborative setting rather than leading from the front. It's not a peak moment in either player's career or a record that changed anything about jazz, but it's honest and well-made. It's the kind of session that works because two experienced players showed up and took the music seriously without overthinking it.
Who's playing
Carson Smithdouble bass
Lee Konitzalto saxophone
Gerry Mulliganbaritone saxophone
Chet Bakertrumpet
Larry Bunkerdrums
Where next?
More by Lee Konitz
All 15 albums →
The musicians on this record
Chet Baker Sings 1954
Chet Baker
plays trumpet here
plays trumpet here
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster 1959
Gerry Mulligan
plays baritone saxophone here
plays baritone saxophone here
