LARS GULLIN – Lars Gullin (1953-55) / LP released - ?

Label: EmArcy – MG 36012

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: ?

Style: Bop, Contemporary

Recorded in Stockholm on November 6, 1953 (A1, A2, B1, B2) and on January 26, 1955 (A3, A4, B3, B4).

All tunes also available on 45 RPM records EP-1-6121, EP-1-6122 and EP-1-6123.

A1 - Bugs .................................................................. 3:10

        (by – Lars Gullin)

A2 - Jump For Fan .................................................... 3:40

        (by – Lars Gullin)

A3 - Lars Meets Jeff ................................................. 5:20

        (by – Lars Gullin)

A4 - A La Carte ......................................................... 5:25

        (by – Georg Riedel)

B1 - Stock And Bonds ............................................... 4:05

        (by – Georg Riedel)

B2 - I Fall In Love Too Easily .................................... 4:25

        (by – Jule Styne / Sammy Cahn)

B3 - Manchester Fog ................................................. 3:30

        (by – Lars Gullin)

B4 - Soho .................................................................. 5:20

        (by – Lars Gullin)

Personnel:

A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2:

Lars Gullin (bs), Carl-Henrik Norin (ts), Rolf Berg (g), George Riedel (b), Alan Dawson (ds).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden on November 6, 1953.

A-3, B-3, B-4:

Lars Gullin (bs), Rolf Berg (g), George Riedel (b), Bo Stoor (ds).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden on January 26, 1955.

A-4:

same personnel, date and place, except Lars Gullin (bs, p)

Lars Gullin was one of the most famous baritone saxophonists from Sweden - actually he was elected the new star of the year (1954) by a board of critics, on baritone saxophone in the Down Beat Critics' Poll. Also, before the Critics' Poll, many US Jazz players who toured to North Europe noticed Lars Gullin's artistry - such musicians as Chet Baker, James Moody and Stan Getz played with Lars Gullin.

Like Gerry Mulligan, he doubles on baritone sax and piano (his piano comping at the keyboard can be heard on A-4). But of course his primary instrument is baritone sax. His tone is heart-warming as well as swingy - as Chet Baker recalled Lars in his late days “... Lars played with a lot more fire and a lot more authority in some ways than Gerry did ...”

This LP features two different sessions both recorded in Stockholm, Sweden by Metronome label. Listen to Lars' fruitful improvisations on B-1 - this track itself easily proves he was one of the best baritone players in Sweden.

Cover:

Gullin recorded prolifically, and a selection of covers from Birka-Jazz show modern retro design and furnishing, as well as some  dodgy Viking stereotyping. With so much output I was surprised to never have heard of him until now. May be like British jazz, Swedish jazz was mainly for domestic consumption. Anyway I have done my bit to raise the Swedish flag.

I keep looking with envy at that tiered seated theatre audience, the men all in suit collar and tie, accompanied by wives and girlfriends (possibly both in progressive Sweden).  Amazing. Venue and audience like this simply do not exist any more, another time and place.

Originally issued on a series of EPs in Sweden. Its a little bit crackly, but then it has had to survive the most grueling years for vinyl, the Fifties.

Note:

Source: London Suburban record store, neglected in a shelf, on account of there probably being hardly a soul in the 300,000 population of the borough who would know who Lars Gullin was, and be interested in vinyl. Inexpensive in the light of its VG condition. Heaven only knows how it made its way there.

_By LJC (August 1, 2012)

If you find it, buy this album!

ARCHIE SHEPP / LARS GULLIN QUINTET – The House I Live In (1963-LP-1980)

Label: SteepleChase – SCC 6013

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Denmark / Released: 1980

Style: Free Jazz, Improvisation

Recorded live at Jazz Club Montmartre, Copenhagen, November 21, 1963.

Previously unissued recordings by the Danish radio

Artwork – Per Grunnet

Photography By – Jan Persson

Producer, Mixed By – Nils Wither

A1 - You Stepped Out Of A Dream ............... 19:40

A2 - I Should Care ........................................... 9:00

B1 - The House I Live In .................................. 9:35

B2 - Sweet Georgia Brown ............................ 11:25

Archie Shepp – tenor saxophone

Lars Gullin – baritone saxophone

Tete Montoliu – piano

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – bass

Alex Riel – drums, percussion

This is a fascinating release. Tenor-saxophonist Archie Shepp would not burst upon the U.S. avant-garde scene until 1964-65 but here he is featured at a Danish concert with the great coolbop baritonist Lars Gullin and a top-notch straightahead rhythm section (pianist Tete Montoliu, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel). The quintet stretches out on four lengthy standards (including "Sweet Georgia Brown" and a 19-minute rendition of "You Stepped out of a Dream") and it is particularly interesting to hear the reactions of the other musicians to Shepp's rather free flights; at a couple of points Gullin tries to copy him. An important historical release.

Europe has always been fertile ground for Shepp. As he has said himself, the greater intellectualism of European audiences made it much easier for his complex music to find receptive ears. As a result several periods of his career have been spent in Europe and a great many recordings have become available. One of the earliest is this 1963 Danish concert featuring bop baritonist Lars Gullin and bass stalwart Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen.

Saxophonist and playwright Archie Shepp (b. May 24, 1937 in Fort Lauderdale. FL) then 26 years old visited Copenhagen in the fall of 1963 as a member of the famed New York Contemporary Five.

The quintet work through four standards, the opener 'You Stepped Out Of A Dream' being the high point. It's a long piece at nineteen minutes, giving Shepp ample time to improvise in his usual manner. The contrast with the straight-ahead rhythm section is marked, being all the more obvious at those times when Gullin tries (not always successfully) to follow Shepp in his flights.

Though Shepp at that time was the passionate practitioner of Free jazz, this recording in which he shared the bandstand with Sweden’s legendary baritone sax Gullin is something quite different from what one normally expects from Shepp in the 60s. It is Shepp playing straight jazz with audible enjoyment showing off his broad range of expression.

If you find it, buy this album!