Chet Baker's Role in the "Piano-Less Quartet" of Gerry Mulligan. Charles Lester Quinn Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1996 Chet Baker's Role in the "Piano-Less Quartet" of Gerry Mulligan. Charles Lester Quinn Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Quinn, Charles Lester Jr, "Chet Baker's Role in the "Piano-Less Quartet" of Gerry Mulligan." (1996). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 6276. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6276 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHET BAKER’S ROLE IN THE "PIANO-LESS QUARTET" OF GERRY MULLIGAN A Written Document Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fullfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music in The School of Music by Charles L. Quinn Jr. B . M ., University of Montevallo, 1990 M . M ., University of Mississippi, 1991 August 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9706359 UMI Microform 9706359 Copyright 1996, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe a great deal of thanks to a number of people. First and foremost to Dr. William F. Grimes for his patience and guidance in every aspect of this project. Not only did Dr. Grimes proof-read and suggest areas of revision for this manuscript, he also spent many hours editing my transcriptions. I would also like to thank Mr. James West, Mr. Larry Campbell, and Dr. Stephen D. Beck for their helpful suggestions concerning this project. To my good friend, Charles Flanagan, I offer my sincere gratitude for his assistance with many aspects of this project. I must also thank my brother, Brad for sparking my interest in Chet Baker. I certainly could have never completed this project without the emotional support and encouragement from my mother, Sandra Nash. I would also like to extend my heart-felt thanks to Adrianna Hulscher, Lester Quinn, Lois Stringer, Anne McManus, and Klaus Hugl-Mohr for their support and friendship. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................... ii LIST OF T A B LE S.................................................................................................................. v ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: CHET BAKER .......................................................... 1 2 THE GERRY MULLIGAN Q U A R T E T ................................................. 14 3 FORMAL ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 25 4 CHET BAKER'S SOLO STYLE .............................................................. 39 5 CONCLUSION............................................................................................. 48 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 51 APPENDIXES A BERNEE'S TU N E.......................................................................................... 52 B LULLABY OF THE LEAVES .................................................................. 62 C NIGHTS AT THE TU RN TA BLE............................................................. 69 D WALKIN' SHOES........................................................................................ 75 E SOFT SHOE ................................................................................................. 84 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. F AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU’RE YOU ....................................................... 92 G FREEWAY .................................................................................................. 99 H FR EN ESI..................................................................................................... 112 VTTA .................................................................................................................................... 122 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES 1. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF BERNIE'S TUNE ........................................................... 30 2. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF LULLABY OF THE LEAVES ..................................... 31 3. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF NIGHTS AT THE TURNTABLE................................. 32 4. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF WALKIN' SHOES........................................................... 34 5. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF SOFT SHOE ................................................................... 35 6. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU’RE YOU .......................... 36 7. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF FREEWAY ...................................................................... 37 8. FORMAL ANALYSIS OF FRENESI .......................................................................... 38 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. a b st r a c t The purpose of this study was to discover common traits and characteristics about Chet Baker's early solo style. The primary sources for this investigation were the initial recordings of the "Original Gerry Mulligan Quartet." Since this music was improvised, rather than notated, it was necessary to transcribe the pieces in order to create a musical score. The transcription process included the transfer of the scores to a computerized musical notation program. The resulting scores were then analyzed in order to determine the characteristics of Baker's early playing and solo style, as well as formal structures of the compositions. Chapter one served as an introduction to Chet Baker and includes biographical information. The second chapter focuses on the eleven-month partnership of Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. A formal analysis of each piece is contained in chapter three and chapter four emphasizes various characteristics of Chet Baker's early trumpet style. The appendixes contain eight analyzed transcriptions of the "Gerry Mulligan Quartet's" first recordings. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: CHET BAKER Chet Baker was an important jazz musician of the 1950s. Baker's association with Gerry Mulligan in the celebrated "piano-less" quartet signaled the arrival of West Coast cool jazz. Although the quartet worked together for a mere eleven months, they were widely imitated. Baker's relaxed style of playing and soft warm tone became a significant aspect of the West Coast cool jazz aesthetic. This study will describe several characteristics of Chet Baker's early solo and playing style. Transcriptions, produced by the author, of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet's first LP will be presented and discussed to illustrate characteristics of Baker's early solo style. Following these introductory remarks, the remainder of chapter one is a biographical sketch of Baker. Chapter two describes the Gerry Mulligan Quartet