Mulligan, Gerry (Gerald) (1927-1996)

US jazz saxophonist, arranger, and composer. Spanning the bebop and cool jazz movements, he worked with trumpeter Miles Davis on the important Birth of the Cool album (1950) and led his own quartet from 1951, which featured Chet Baker on trumpet and was original because it did not use a piano.

Born in New York City but based in Los Angeles from 1952, Mulligan is chiefly associated with the West Coast jazz style. An outstanding baritone-sax player, he has worked with many great names in jazz, including bandleader Stan Kenton (for whom he wrote arrangements) and pianist Thelonious Monk. As well as his quartet, he formed a sextet and a 13-piece Concert Jazz Band. He also appeared in several films, including I Want to Live (1958) and Bells are Ringing (1960), and wrote and performed the music for many film soundtracks.