Photo: William P. Gottlieb / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Gerry Mulligan is, to me, the conscience of cool jazz. He took the baritone saxophone, a heavy and ungainly instrument, and made it float with an airy lightness no one had imagined. His pianoless quartet was a quietly radical idea, and his arranging work on Birth of the Cool helped reshape the music's direction entirely. Grammy wins and a Hall of Fame induction only confirm what the recordings already prove. Decades after his death in 1996, his tone remains timeless. He is the artist I reach for on rainy nights, and I suspect I always will.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Gerry Mulligan
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェリー・マリガン
- Reading
- じぇりー・まりがん
- Born
- April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Rabbit
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / saxophonist / jazz musician / music arranger / conductor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- West Philadelphia Catholic High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Grammy Awards
- American Jazz Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Gerry Mulligan born?
April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996.
Where is Gerry Mulligan from?
Gerry Mulligan is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Gerry Mulligan do?
Gerry Mulligan works as composer, saxophonist, jazz musician, music arranger, conductor.
Composer — see all → · Saxophonist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.