Billboard : 05/07/1955
Score of 81

In December, 1954, Mulligan temporarily disbanded his quartet. Two of the last concerts before doing so were recorded, and portions of them are to be heard here. In the first, trumpeter Jon Eardly and bassist Red Mitchell make auspicious debuts with Mulligan. It is as delicately balanced a group as a top longhair chamber ensemble and their music-making is rich in subtleties and unexpected kicks. In the second concert, the mood is more animated and less studied, for the quartet is joined by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and tenor man Zoot Sims. This LP is one of the finer examples of “West Coast modern” and will be a good seller to all admirers of the idiom.

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Saturday Review
Wilder Hobson : 04/30/1955

Charlie Parker could scarcely have a more fitting immediate memorial than a performance of his Yardbird Suite by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Pacific PJ-1201). This is part of a wholly entrancing LP which, to my mind, represents modern jazz at its best. For many months Mulligan felt his way cautiously, producing some of the most suavely balanced jazz chamber music we have, but he is now, with the same supple imagination, tearing right out in muscular style. The leader’s baritone saxophone is joined by the vivid trumpet of Jon Eardley; Red Mitchell, string bass; and Chico Hamilton, drums. On the other side the quartet becomes a sextet with Bob Brookmeyer, valve trombone; Zoot Sims, tenor saxophone; and Larry Bunker, drums. The program includes originals by Mulligan and Sims, blues, piano passages by Mulligan and Brookmeyer. In the Yardbird Suite there is a pianissimo section, with the lightest hints from saxophone and trumpet against exquisite string bass and drum playing, which is surely one of the outstanding rhythmic episodes in recorded jazz. Mulligan has long believed in the clear virtues of a “thin” rhythm section (here, for example, there is neither piano nor guitar) and the principal pays off irresistibly in this opus.

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Down Beat : 05/04/1955
Jack Tracy : 4 stars

These were recorded at two California high school concerts late last fall, and the presence of an audience stirs the Mulliganders to some lively efforts. The first four are by the quartet (Mulligan, Jon Eardley, Red Mitchell, and Chico Hamilton), while the last three find Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer added, with 𝙰̶𝚛̶𝚝̶ ̶𝙼̶𝚊̶𝚛̶𝚍̶𝚒̶𝚐̶𝚊̶𝚗̶ replacing Hamilton. [liner notes indicate Larry Bunker.]

Mitchell’s superb bass work, stronger and more forceful than when he worked with Red Norvo, is a joy to hear. Eardley is eloquent on Little Girl, the entire group gets a swinging unity on Blues, and Zoot and Bob give a happy lift when they join. Zoot is a real swinger who works exceedingly well with Gerry, and more recorded appearances with the quartet would seem in order.

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Liner Notes by Gerry Mulligan

November 12, 1954 – Stockton, California
Stockton High School Auditorium – Produced by George Westcott

We shared the stage in Stockton with my good friend Dave Brubeck. His quartet played the first half of the concert; after the intermission we began our part of the program with Blues Going Up. This is a completely extemporaneous arrangement of the blues – and, because of the excellence of their performances, serves as an ideal introduction to Jon Eardley and Red Mitchell in their first records with the Quartet. I feel that Blues Going Up is the Quartet at its impromptu best. Little Girl Blue is Jon’s favorite Rogers & Hart selection and is his choice for a feature solo ballad number. Piano Blues is just that, a blues featuring the piano that we usually don’t use. Chico‘s humorous interplay with the piano in the introduction sets the stage for a light, carefree, traditional blues. Chico shows plainly here one big reason why he is the ideal drummer for the Quartet. The ending may come as somewhat of a surprise to you as it did to us. Yardbird Suite is the last selection in this set. It is a particular favorite of mine and one of the most “song-like” of Charlie Parker‘s compositions. Our theme song Utter Chaos ends the side.

December 14, 1954 – San Diego, California
Hoover High School Auditorium – Produced by Don Howard

This concert was our first appearance in San Diego, and marked the last appearance of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet for some time to come. The Quartet has been disbanded for a period of six months in order for me to go home to New York to concentrate on new music and to formulate plans for new recordings and other musical undertakings.

The Quartet, with the same personnel as in Stockton, played the first half of the concert. After the intermission, Larry Bunker took Chico Hamilton’s place at the drums. We were joined onstage by Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer.

Western Reunion is so titled in honor of Zoot Sims, an old friend and musical compatriot of mine. It has been many years since Zoot and I have had an opportunity to blow together: so, for both of us this was an auspicious and happy occasion. I Know, Don’t Know How is a new original being presented for the first time here, and I hope you will enjoy it. The Red Door is a delightful tune composed by Zoot Sims. In New York in the late ’40s, Zoot and I and our friends used to play at a studio called Don Jose’s. This studio was located in an old building with a rather bleak front and distinguished by a bright red door, for which this tune is named. We play The Red Door as a duet for tenor and baritone, and are joined by Bobby Brookmeyer at the piano. This brings our San Diego concert to a close, and completes the album.