Lars Gullin

Lars Gullin stands among the foremost baritone saxophonists in history and looms large as a central figure in European jazz, yet his reputation never reached its potential because he seldom traveled to the United States and because heavy drug use curtailed his professional life. He first mastered the bugle, clarinet, and piano, then worked for several years as a professional alto saxophonist before making the switch to baritone at age twenty-one. His tone and phrasing fell somewhere between those of Gerry Mulligan and Serge Chaloff. During the late 1940s he performed with local big bands and later joined Arne Domnerus’ sextet from 1951 to 1953, though his most enduring work came through his own small-group sessions. Gullin shared stages with visiting Americans that included Lee Konitz, a major influence, along with James Moody, Clifford Brown, Zoot Sims, and Chet Baker, and he recorded prolifically between 1951 and 1960. Among his pieces, “Danny’s Dream” remains his best-known composition. He returned to the studio only sporadically in 1964–1965 and made just one additional recording in 1973. Despite substantial achievements throughout the 1950s, he never fully realized his considerable promise. His finest playing appears on the five Dragon CDs issued collectively as The Great Lars Gullin, Vols. 1-5.