4 CD Box Set including a 36-page booklet with comprehensive essay written by Ray Comiskey, session details, photos, original art & liner notes.
When Lars Gullin (1928-1976) switched from alto saxophone to fill the vacant baritone chair in Seymour Österwalls Stockholm band in 1949, it was destiny calling. Little more than a year later he was the finest baritone saxophonist in Sweden, at the Swedish jazz high table with such as Arne Domnérus, Åke Persson, Putte Wickmann and Rolf Ericson. With astonishing speed he also became a much sought-after focal point for visiting Americans like Lee Konitz, Stan Getz (both initial playing influences), Zoot Sims and James Moody. His rapid rise to international acclaim was crowned in 1954, when he was voted New Baritone Star in Down Beatthe first non-American to win a Down Beat polldespite never having visited America. By then it was clear that he was among the greatest baritone saxophonists ever to grace the music; technically assured, harmonically sophisticated, endlessly inventive and blessed with a vein of melodic inspiration that never seemed to run dry.
The reasons for his phenomenal rise are evident in the studio recordings made under his name in the years 1951-1955. While long, flowing lines and a very personal lyricism marked his work as a soloist, they were enhanced by his growing assurance, ambition and instrumental command. Other impressive facets of his musical personality were equally clear from the start, among them his talents as a fine composer and arranger. All are on display in the series of quartet, quintet, sextet, septet and octet recordings, made with some of the best Swedish and American jazzmen, that announced a memorable new presence on the jazz scene.
—Jordi Pujol
Tracklist
Total time: 282:35 min.
CD 1
01. That's It (Gullin) 2:52
02. Gull in a Gulch (Gullin) 2:40
03. All Yours (Norén) 3:29
04. Deep Purple (Parish-DeRose) 2:31
05. Danny-O (Gullin) 2:57
06. Laura (Raskin-Mercer) 3:10
07. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm (Kaper) 2:57
08. Blue Lou (Sampson) 2:49
09. The Continental (Conrad-Magidson) 2:32
10. I Got It Bad (Ellington-Webster) 2:57
11. Dancing in the Dark (Dietz-Schwartz) 2:38
12. Alone (Freed-Brown) 2:52
13. To Jeru (All the Things You Are) (Hammerstein II-Kern) 3:07
14. Flippant (Mean to Me) (Turk-Ahlert) 3:31
15. Dorica (Dorcia) (Gullin) 3:10
16. Ill Remember April (Raye-DePaul-Johnston) 3:09
17. Who Sleeps (Norvo) 2:37
18. First Walk (Gullin) 2:57
19. Long Ago and Far Away (Gershwin-Kern) 2:57
20. Top Hat (Berlin) 2:38
21. Liza (Gershwin-Kahn) 2:48
22. Toll Bridge (Gullin) 2:45
23. For Goofers Only, Part 1 (Gullin) 3:41
24. For Goofers Only, Part 2 (Gullin) 3:50
CD 2
01. All the Things You Are (Kern) 3:07
02. You Go to My Head (Coots) 3:10
03. Sov Du Lilla Vide Ung (Tegnér) 3:00
04. Smart Alec (Smart Alice) (Gullin) 3:01
05. Smooth Breeze (Gullin) 2:51
06. Smart Alec (Gullin) 2:57
07. Apostrophe (Gullin) 2:50
08. Merlin (Gullin) 3:32
09. Colon (Gullin) 2:58
10. Comma (Gullin) 2:59
11. Silhouette (Gullin) 3:44
12. Disc-Major (Gullin) 3:07
13. Holiday for Piano (Gullin) 2:47
14. Shes Funny That Way (Moret) 2:57
15. Night and Day (Porter) 2:48
16. Sounds Like It (Gullin) 2:23
17. Brazil (Barroso) 3:16
18. Four and No One More (Gullin) 3:00
19. Sad Sally (Gullin) 2:30
20. You Blew Out the Flame (Drake-Shirl-Hodges) 2:11
21. You Go to My Head (Coots) 3:12
22. The Things We Did Last Summer (Cahn-Styne) 2:48
23. Ablution (Tristano-Konitz) 2:47
24. Lady Fingers (Gullin) 2:43
CD 3
01. The Front (Gullin) 3:20
02. The Boy Next Door (Martin-Blane) 2:54
03. North Express (Gullin) 2:49
04. Hershey Bar (Mandel) 3:02
05. That Old Black Magic (Arlen) 3:06
06. They Didn't Believe Me (Kern) 2:59
07. Dedicated to Lee (Gullin) 2:39
08. Late Date (Gullin) 2:45
09. Bugs (Gullin) 3:04
10. Jump for Fan (Gullin) 3:34
11. Stocks and Bonds (Riedel) 3:57
12. I Fall In Love Too Easily (Styne-Kahn) 3:28
13. Danny's Dream (Gullin) 5:37
14. Be Careful (Gullin) 5:25
15. Igloo (Gullin) 4:29
16. Circus (Gullin) 5:16
17. Primula Veris (Cowslip) (Gullin) 5:38
18. Laburnum Vulgare (Laburnum) (Gullin) 5:59
CD 4
01. Lotus Corniculatus (Cat-In-Clover) (Gullin) 5:24
02. Galium Verum (Cheese-Renett) (Gullin) 7:05
03. Late Date (Gullin) 3:22
04. Beautiful Heart (Gullin) 3:02
05. Gone with the Wind (Wrubel-Magidson) 7:09
06. Lover Man (Davis-Ramirez-Sherman) 6:23
07. Merlin (Gullin) 6:58
08. Manchester Fog (Gullin) 4:23
09. Lars Meets Jeff (Gullin) 5:18
10. À la Carte (Riedel) 5:25
11. Soho (Gullin) 5:15
12. Late Summer (Gullin) 5:22
13. For F.J. Fans Only (Gullin) 6:01
Album details
Original sources CD 1:
Tracks #1 & 2, from the 78 rpm Metronome J 180
Tracks #3 & 4, from the 78 rpm Metronome J 191
Tracks #5 & 7, from the 78 rpm Gazell 2018
Tracks #6 & 8, from the 78 rpm Gazell 2017
Tracks #9 & 10, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 48601
Tracks #11 & 12, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 48600
Tracks #13 & 14, from the 10-inch album
"New Sounds from Sweden, Vol. 3" (Prestige PRLP 133)
Tracks #15 & 16, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49579
Tracks #17 & 18, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49580
Tracks #19 & 22, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49595
Tracks #20 & 21, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49590
Tracks #23 & 24, from the 78 rpm Modern Music M7
Original sources CD 2:
Tracks #1 & 2, from the 78 rpm Modern Music M 6
Tracks #3 & 4, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49600
Tracks #5 & 6, from the 78 rpm Metronome J 246
Tracks #7-12, from the 10-inch album
"New Sounds" (Metronome JLP 23)
Tracks #13-20, from the 10-inch album
"Piano Holiday" (Metronome JLP 34)
Tracks #21-24, from the 10-inch album
"Modern Sounds: Sweden" (Contemporary C 2505)
Original sources CD 3:
Tracks #1-4, from the 10-inch album
"Modern Sounds: Sweden" (Contemporary C 2505)
Tracks #5-6, from the 78 rpm Polydor H 49617
Tracks #7-8, from the 78 rpm Metronome B 646
Tracks #9-12, from the 45 rpm EP (Metronome MEP 27)
Tracks #13-14, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin Quartet, Vol. 1" (Metronome MEP 75)
Tracks #15-16, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin Quartet, Vol. 2" (Metronome MEP 76)
Tracks #17-18, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin Septet, Vol. 1" (Metronome MEP 77)
Original sources CD 4:
Tracks #1-2, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin Septet, Vol. 2" (Metronome MEP 78)
Tracks #3-5, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin with The Moretone Singers, Vol. 1" (Metronome MEP 86)
Tracks #6-7, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin with The Moretone Singers, Vol. 2" (Metronome MEP 87)
Tracks #8-9, from the 45 rpm EP
"Tribute To Britain, Vol. 1" (Metronome MEP 105)
Tracks #10-11, from the 45 rpm EP
"Tribute To Britain, Vol. 2" (Metronome MEP 106)
Tracks #12-13, from the 45 rpm EP
"Lars Gullin Sextet" (Metronome MEP 129)
Personnel on CD 1
Tracks #1-4: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Bengt Hallberg, piano; Gunnar Almstedt, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 10, Stockholm, February 21, 1951
Tracks #5-8: Lars Gullin Octet
Rolf Ericson, trumpet; Leppe Sundevall, tenor horn; Åke Persson, trombone; Jonas Bergström, alto sax; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Mats Olsson, piano; Bengt Wittström, bass; Nils-Bertil Dahlander, drums.
Recorded at Europa-Film, Stockholm, April 21, 1951
Tracks #9-12: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 2, Stockholm, October 9, 1951
Tracks #13-14: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Ingemar Westberg, piano; Bengt Wittström, bass; Anders Burman, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 2, Stockholm, January 11, 1952
Tracks #15-18:
Lars Gullin Quintet/Lasse Gullins Cool Sounders
Rolf Ericson, trumpet; Åke Persson, trombone on #18; Åke Björkman, French horn on #17 & 18; Rolf Blomquist, tenor sax on #17; Lars Gullin, baritone sax or bass clarinet on #18; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Södra Flickläroverkrt, Stockholm, January 19, 1952
Tracks #19-22:
Lars Gullin Quintet/Lasse Gullins Cool Sounders
Weine Renliden, trumpet on #21; Åke Björkman, French horn on #21; Carl-Erik Lindgren, tenor sax on #21; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson (on #19-21) or Ingemar Westberg (on #22), piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Södra Flickläroverkrt, Stockholm, May 15, 1952
Tracks #23-24: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Rune Öfwerman, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Nils-Bertil Dahlander, drums.
Recorded at BRA Studio, Stockholm, July 4, 1952
Personnel on CD 2
Tracks #1-2: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Rune Öfwerman, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Nils-Bertil Dahlander, drums.
Recorded at BRA Studio, Stockholm, July 4, 1952
Tracks #3-4: Lars Gullins Kvartett
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Södra Flickläroverkrt, Stockholm, October 2, 1952
Tracks #5-6: Lars Gullin Octet
Weine Renliden, trumpet; Åke Persson, trombone; Åke Bjorkman, French horn; Arne Domnérus, alto sax; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 2, Stockholm, October 28, 1952
Tracks #7-10: Lars Gullin Octet/Sextet
Arnold Johansson, trumpet on #7 & 8; Åke Persson, trombone; Åke Björkman, French horn on #7 & 8; Arne Domnerus, alto sax on #7 & 8; Rolf Blomquist, tenor sax on #9 & 10; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 10, Stockholm, December 12, 1952
Tracks #11-12: Lars Gullin Octet/Quintet
Weine Renliden, trumpet on #11; Åke Persson, trombone; Åke Björkman, French horn on #11; Arne Domnérus, alto sax on #11; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Gunnar Svensson, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded at Radiotjänst Studio 2, Stockholm, December 15, 1952
Tracks #13-20: Lars Gullin Quartet
Åke Persson, trombone; Lars Gullin, baritone sax, arranger; Simone, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Radiotjänst Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, February 12 (#13-16) & 19 (#17-20), 1953
Tracks #21-24: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Putte Lindblom, piano; Yngve Åkerberg, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, March 11, 1953
Personnel on CD 3
Tracks #1-4: Lars Gullin Quintet
Weine Renliden, trumpet; Gullin, alto (on #2 & 3) & baritone (#1 & 4) sax; Putte Lindblom, piano; Georg Riedel, bass; Jack Norén, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, March 31, 1953
Tracks #5-6: Lars Gullins Kvartett
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Putte Lindblom, piano; Georg Riedel, bass; Bosse Stoor, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, April 16, 1953
Tracks #7-8: Lars Gullin and His American All Stars
Conte Candoli, trumpet; Frank Rosolino, trombone; Lee Konitz, alto sax; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Gullin, baritone sax; Don Bagley, bass; Stan Levey, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, August 25, 1953
Tracks #9-12: Lars Gullin Quintet
Carl-Henrik Norin, tenor sax except on #12; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Rolf Berg, guitar; Georg Riedel, bass; Alan Dawson, drums.
Europa-Film Studio, Stockholm, November 5, 1953
Tracks #13-16: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Rolf Berg, guitar; Georg Riedel, bass; Robert Edman, drums.
Europa-Film Studio, Stockholm, May 25, 1954
Tracks #17-18: Lars Gullin Septet
Åke Persson, trombone; Putte Wickman, clarinet; Bjarne Nerem, tenor sax; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Bengt Hallberg, piano; Georg Riedel, bass; Robert Edman, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, June 3, 1954
Personnel on CD 4
Tracks #1-2: Lars Gullin Septet
Åke Persson, trombone; Putte Wickman, clarinet; Bjarne Nerem, tenor sax; Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Bengt Hallberg, piano; Georg Riedel, bass; Robert Edman, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, June 3, 1954
Tracks #3-7: Lars Gullin with The Moretone Singers
Lars Gullin, baritone sax; Bengt Hallberg, piano; Georg Riedel, bass; William Schiopffe, drums; The Moretone Singers (16 piece mixed choir directed by Ole Morthensen), vocals. On #4-7 add Leppe Sundevall, bass trumpet, and Curt Järnberg, trombone.
Korsager School, Copenhagen, Denmark, Sept. 11 (#3), 12 (#4,6) & 13 (#5,7), 1954
Tracks #8-11: Lars Gullin Quartet
Lars Gullin, baritone sax, piano on #9-11; Rolf Berg, guitar; Georg Riedel, bass; Bo Stoor, drums.
Metronome Studio, Stockholm, January 26, 1955
Tracks #12-13: Lars Gullin Sextet
Richard Johansson, trombone; Rolf Billberg, tenor sax; Gullin, baritone sax, piano on #13; Rolf Berg, guitar; Georg Riedel, bass; William Schiopffe, drums.
Recorded in Stockholm, June 13, 1955
Recordings produced by Anders Burman, Lars Burman & Börje Ekberg (Metronome), Arne Widegren & Bengt Bernhag (Philips) and Gunnar Bergström (Sonet).
This 4-CD set produced by Jordi Pujol
Liner notes by Ray Comiskey
Hi-Fi · 24-Bit Digitally RemasteredPress reviews
"This is what you might call the prequel to Fresh Sound’s album of the same title that covers 1956-60. By 1951, the year that these recordings began, the Swedish saxophone players had achieved a unique sophistication in their adoption of bebop and Gullin was their most eloquent exponent. He was a player of great imagination who could turn ordinary pop songs into jazz classics and, as with the other jazz Swedes, his original compositions had a freshness and simplicity about them. Only the ultimate cream of British musicians could have held their own in this company. I have been unable to find a dud track amongst the 79, and that says a lot about the musical consistency. There are no dull patches or lapses in taste. The sound quality throughout is faultless and Fresh Sound have provided an excellent 36-page booklet to go with their attractive and robust box. It’s packed with good photographs that evoke the period and informed notes by Ray Comiskey, who provides great detail on each of the players."
—Steve Voce (March, 2016)
Jazz Journal
