Ron Weinstock of Jazz Blues Magazine reviews David Larsen , The Mulligan Chronicles. Weinstock says; ” It is a band that is true to Mulligan’s music’s spirit and style while the members bring their voices. The relaxed loping groove of “Walkin’ Shoes” starts as Larsen takes a burly solo followed by the other quintet members that capture the feel of a 50s World Pacific or Prestige recording. Larsen is a strong player and leader and takes the group through various settings such as the light swinger, “Curtains,” with Larsen and Glenn trading choruses, or the moody tribute to Monk, “Good Neighbor Thelonious,” with a superlative Mays solo. There is the delight of the call and response of the horns playing the head of “Festive Minor.”
On “Idol Gossip,” Larsen and the ensemble ably handle the brisker tempo with a particularly burly baritone sax solo from the leader. This track is followed by a lively rendition of the Latin rhythms of “Rico Apollo.” Larsen and Mays further shine on the “The Flying Scotsman” with its shifting motifs, while “Out Back of the Barn” has a down-home, bluesy feel. Glenn plays with a touch of gutbucket here. Larsen exhibits a more reflective tone on a lovely ballad, “Etude For France.” Combining Gerry Mulligan’s compositions with first-rate, straight-ahead playing, David Larsen has produced the memorable “The Mulligan Chronicles.”
