From big bands to small groups, Gerry Mulligan created an unmistakable sound with his great ability to swing on that most notoriously unwieldy of instruments, the baritone sax.

In the 50s, he and Chet Baker pioneered the concept of a jazz quartet without a piano (previously unthinkable!) and his other close pairings with the likes of Paul Desmond and Bob Brookmeyer still stand up well today.Like many great players, Mulligan was the proud possessor of a short fuse.

I once saw him stop a gig in mid-number till an audience member had finished talking. After that, I was much better behaved.

– Bob

This portion of the competition has closed – but don’t forget to check out the BlackEyewear.com and Retrospecs websites.