California Concerts
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Stockton High School, Stockton, CA and Hoover High School, San Diego, CA
| California Concerts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1955 | |||
| Recorded | November 12 and December 14, 1954 Stockton High School, Stockton, CA and Hoover High School, San Diego, CA | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Pacific Jazz | |||
| Producer | Richard Bock | |||
| Gerry Mulligan chronology | ||||
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California Concerts (also referred to as Jazz Goes to High School) is a live album by saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded at the Stockton High School and Hoover High School in California in late 1954 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.[1][2] The original LP was the first 12-inch LP to be released on the Pacific Jazz label in 1955. The Gerry Mulligan feature track "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" with Bob Brookmeyer on piano was first released on the compilation LP The Genius of Gerry Mulligan in 1960. Although the tracks were recorded at a high school, recording took place on weekends and in the evening. Chet Baker was originally chosen to be the trumpet player of the session, but was jailed for his ongoing heroin addiction, so trumpeter Jon Eardley took Baker's place sounding very similar to Baker. There is a long drum solo performed by Chico Hamilton in the track "A Bark for Barksdale", which impressed the audience enthusiastically.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |  [4] |
The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow said, "The music, comprised of standards, some blues and a few Mulligan originals, is quite enjoyable, swinging lightly and with plenty of interplay between the horns".[3]