Arkadia Records is pleased to add another album to its growing roster of musical homages to the giants of jazz with Thank You, Gerry!, a tribute to the late saxophonist-composer-arranger Gerry Mulligan.

"Mulligan was a dominant artist on his instrument-the baritone saxophone," says Arkadia founder and CEO Bob Karcy. "but he was also a consummate composer and arranger. We wanted to highlight all sides of his complex and beautiful musicianship on this recording. Fortunately these musicians perfectly understood Gerry's gifts from first-hand experience. I think Gerry, who was notoriously hard to please, would be impressed with the results."

Mulligan, who died in 1996 at the age of 70, made his breakthrough in 1952 as leader of a pianoless quartet featuring trumpeter Chet Baker. He first achieved prominence as an arranger and composer on the Miles Davis classic Birth of the Cool. Over the length of his career, Mulligan recorded with Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, and Thelonious Monk, and maintained a consistently high level in both his improvising and writing for his own groups.

This group, who call themselves the Gerry Mulligan All-Star Tribute Band, features musicians who worked with Mulligan in all periods of his career. Alto saxophonist Lee Konitz goes back to the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool band. Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer replaced Baker in the Mulligan quartet in 1953 and was a member of several other Mulligan ensembles over the years. Pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Dean Johnson, and drummer Ron Vincent all served in a variety of Mulligan's bands in the last ten years of his life. And Randy Brecker brings a special sensitivity to the demands of the saxophonist's graceful and sophisticated writing.

The tribute album is marked by the same linear clarity, attention to personal sound, and intellectual rigor coupled with emotional passion that marked all of Mulligan's music. "Theme for Jobim" includes contrapuntal improvising from all three horns, and Mulligan's hip mid-tempo swinger, "Rocker," originally arranged for the Davis nonet, features boldly lyrical statements from Konitz, Brookmeyer, and Brecker. Brecker is featured on a pensive reading of "My Funny Valentine," a trademark tune of the Mulligan-Baker quartet. Lee Konitz is at his quirky, elliptical best on "Line for Lyons" and "Festive Minor." Brookmeyer's burnished tone is featured on "Moonlight in Vermont." The rhythm players shine during the ingenious arrangement of duets on "Elevation." Everyone is clearly inspired by their memories of the brilliant musician who was such a large part of their lives.