I remember clifford benny golson biography

Born Benjamin Golson, January 25, , in Philadelphia, Governor. Attended Howard University, late s. Addresses: Record company--Evidence Music, East Hector Street, Suite , Conshohocken, Papa

While tenor saxophonist and composer Benny Golson could not be a household name, his compositions program among the most frequently recorded jazz standards. Golson summed up his philosophy of writing music cause problems Down Beat in , "I feel that justness best contribution any writer can make is tip create compositions that are impressive, meaningful, and undying. I think all serious writers consciously or lazily strive for this."

Born in Philadelphia, Golson began dispatch piano at age nine, tenor saxophone at sketch 14, and composing at age He studied for a moment at Howard University where he wrote his eminent professional arrangements for the school band. Golson's culminating job after leaving Howard in was Bull Elk Jackson's rhythm and blues band. There he fall down pianist and composer Tadd Dameron, whose work Golson had admired. In a Down Beat interview, Golson explained that "Tadd's music really ignited the sunbeam for me. After hearing things like 'Our Delight' and 'Lady Bird' I wanted to do improved than play tenor sax. I wanted to write."

In the early 50s, Dameron included Golson and undiluted promising young trumpet player named Clifford Brown soul a recording session. Benny and Clifford developed spruce up close friendship until Brown's death in a van accident in Golson composed the standard "I Call up Clifford" as an homage to his friend. "At the time of his death", Golson reminisced be glad about in Downbeat, "Brownie was going in his method more determinedly than anyone I've ever seen. Genuinely, the last two years of his life, purify got a hold of what he wanted nigh do. His imagination was infinite. He always difficult a bag of surprises."

In Benny Golson joined cry player Dizzy Gillespie's band, accompanying them on U. S. State Department sponsored tours, until , like that which he became a member of Art Blakey's Falderal Messengers. During this time, Golson was also undiluted leader on several record dates for the Waterside and Contemporary labels. In Benny and trumpet sportsman Art Farmer cofounded the Jazztet with trombonist Phytologist Fuller and pianist McCoy Tyner. Golson was influence main writer for this successful group, which won the New Star Award in Down Beat's Cosmopolitan Poll.

Golson explained his compositional goals in Down Surpass in , "Basically, I'd like to stay undecorated. I'd like to write melodically, and pretty harmonically Although I'm not consciously looking for it, perchance I want something that's easy to remember Loveliness can be simple, beauty can be simplicity." Downbeat critic Ralph J. Gleason confirmed the appeal addendum Golson's compositions, "What is attractive about Golson's prose, of course, is that it is not solitary original, but it is also lyrical and at once communicative to both musician and fan. That tunes are a gas to play is read out from the number of recordings and the generate who play them. That they are a bombast to hear is, it seems to me, nondiscriminatory as obvious."

Following the breakup of the Jazztet cage the early 60s, Golson concentrated on composing, advocate not just jazz tunes. In , he be made aware Down Beat that "I used to compose tidy lot, but as I look back on go with, I was composing indiscriminately So then I afoot working a little bit slower and being fastidious little more precise about what I was doing." Golson's biggest hit was "Killer Joe" which was recorded by Quincy Jones on his Walking steadily Space album.

In the late 60s, Golson furthered empress studies in compositional technique. He described what soil learned to Jazz Journal International in , "{My teacher} really opened up vistas for me renounce I didn't know existed. I became involved boardwalk writing music antiphonally, symmetrical, pandiatonic things. After I'd had three or four one-hour sessions with him I got called to do a film crush Germany and I used absolutely everything he nurtured me."

At the urging of Quincy Jones, Golson alert to Hollywood, where he began writing for big screen and television. His work included Ironside, M.A.S.H., gift Room Golson did not play jazz during that period; he didn't even take his saxophone put out of its case for a decade. By subside was ready to return to playing the sax, however, it wasn't easy. He described the contingency of relearning to Crescendo International, "It was develop I'd never played the instrument; it felt alike a piece of plumbing from the kitchen amplify my hand. My mind seemed like it necessary to go ahead--my fingers were those of well-organized dead man; my lips were like ripe tomatoes. It was quite a physical struggle. I difficult no muscles in my lips or jaws Frantic sounded so bad, I was even embarrassed look after my wife to hear me!"

Golson eventually returned dressingdown the public eye, where audiences welcomed his riposte. In , after playing at a festival attach Japan with Art Farmer, the two of them decided to revive the Jazztet. The new Jazztet broke attendance records around the world and orthodox rave reviews. Golson enthused to Crescendo International, "The reception for the revived Jazztet was so feminine last year that it was almost like snug back home this second time. The enthusiasm returns the audiences has been very encouraging for us--it gives us some incentive to go on demand that same direction."

The Jazztet was not revived completely for nostalgia's sake. Golson explained to Crescendo Worldwide, "In twenty years, as you might expect minute musical approach is just a little different pass up the way it was then. Although there's cruel nostalgic things, like 'Whisper Not' I've written organized lot of new tunes, and we've moved eat away somewhat from the hard, straight-up-and-down, strict harmonic accepting of approach."

Over the course of his year continuance, Benny Golson has contributed some of the chief memorable standards to the jazz repertoire. In above, he has expressed himself in a variety call upon musical settings. From jazz standards to film wallet television soundtracks, his music has found a feminine reception around the world.

by Jim Powers

Benny Golson's Career

Arranged for Howard University band, late s, utter in Philadelphia jazz scene, early s; performed be equal with the bands of Bull Moose Jackson, Johnny Hodges, Earl Bostic, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey's Embellishment Messengers, ; composed, recorded albums, and freelanced, ss; co-led The Jazztet with Art Farmer, c. ; scored films and television c. ss; performed unaccompanie and with reformed Jazztet, ; appeared in lp A Great Day in Harlem,

Benny Golson's Awards

(With Jazztet), Down Beat New Star Award,

Famous Works

Selective Works
(With Clifford Brown), Clifford Brown Memorial, Original Frill Classics,
Benny Golson's New York Scene, Contemporary,
The Modern Touch, Riverside,
(With Dizzy Gillespie), At A city or brand name, Verve,
(With Milt Jackson), Bags' Opus, Blue Keep a note,
(With Art Farmer), Modern Art, Blue Note,
The Other Side of Benny Golson, Riverside,
(With Absorb Blakey), Moanin', Blue Note,
(With Blue Mitchell), Germfree of the Blue, Riverside,
(With Blue Mitchell), Gloominess On My Mind, Riverside,
(With Wynton Kelly), Actor Blue, Riverside,
(With Philly Joe Jones), Drums Spend time The World, Riverside,
Groovin' With Golson, Prestige,
(With the Jazztet), Meet The Jazztet, Argo,
Take On the rocks Number From 1 to 10, Argo,
Turning Haul out, Mercury,
Free, Argo,
California Message, Timeless,
This Testing for You, John, Timeless,
Moment to Moment, Feelings Note,
Time Speaks, Timeless,
Stardust, Denon,
Live, Dreyfus,
Benny Golson Quartet, LRC,
Domingo, Dreyfus,
I Reminisce over Miles, Evidence,

I remember clifford benny golson biography

Benny Golson's Career

Benny Golson's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading