Gerry Mulligan: Night Lights (Acoustic Sounds Vinyl 180g)

Contents

1. Night Lights (1963 Version)
2. Morning Of The Carnival (From “Black Orpheus”)
3. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
4. Prelude In E Minor
5. Festival Minor
6. Tell Me When

One of the highlights of modern mainstream jazz to accompany the early hours of the morning and a dry martini: that’s what the late nights were designed for.

Several tracks lay down a soothing samba-accented beat with a contemporary Brazilian flair. The later jazz flirtation with edgier bossa nova didn’t wear as well over time, but the mulligan temperature is just right here and passed the midnight test without demure. Chopin’s Prelude in E minor was a surprise – I didn’t know Chopin played samba, the Warsaw Concerto meets Come Dancing, but it works well.

Verve Acoustic Sound Series: completely analog mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original tapes, QPR pressing (180 g), sturdy tip-on gatefold (Stoughton Printing), padded inner sleeve, gatefold sleeve.