Benny Golson Quintet

Biography

Benny Golson, born January 25, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began his musical journey on piano at age nine before switching to saxophone at 14, inspired by hearing Arnett Cobb. He studied at Howard University, playing in jazz and marching bands, then launched his professional career in 1951 with Bull Moose Jackson's band, where he met mentor Tadd Dameron, who encouraged his arranging and composing talents. Golson played with Lionel Hampton (1953-54), Johnny Hodges, Earl Bostic, Dizzy Gillespie's big band (1956-58), and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1958), contributing iconic compositions like 'I Remember Clifford,' 'Blues March,' 'Along Came Betty,' and 'Killer Joe,' which became jazz standards during the hard bop era.[1][2][4][5]

In 1959, Golson co-founded the Jazztet with trumpeter Art Farmer, a hard bop quintet featuring Curtis Fuller, McCoy Tyner, and others, lasting until 1962 and blending bebop roots with sophisticated arrangements. After the group's initial run, Golson moved to California in 1963, shifting focus to composing and arranging for TV shows like Mission: Impossible, MAS*H, and The Partridge Family, largely pausing live jazz performance until reviving the Jazztet with Farmer in 1982 for tours and albums. His style evolved from swing-influenced tenor sax to a more modern approach upon his 1970s return, cementing his role in hard bop's development.[3][4][6]

Golson received the NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1995, induction into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame in 2009, DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2018, and a Grammy Trustees Award in 2021. He remained active into his 90s, passing away on September 21, 2024, at age 95 in Manhattan, leaving a legacy as a composer of over 30 jazz standards and a bridge between bebop and hard bop eras.[2][4][8]

Fun Facts

• Golson's 'Stablemates' became a jazz standard after John Coltrane brought it to Miles Davis in 1955, marking his early composing impact.[7]
• He composed 'I Remember Clifford' in 1956 as a tribute to his friend Clifford Brown, who died tragically young.[1][4]
• The original Jazztet debuted at the Five Spot in 1959, sharing the bill with Ornette Coleman's controversial East Coast stint.[6]
• Golson scored music for hit TV shows including Mission: Impossible, MAS*H, and The Partridge Family during his 1960s-70s studio phase.[3][4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tadd Dameron - Primary mentor who encouraged arranging and composing (Met in Bull Moose Jackson's band; played in Dameron's band 1953-59) [1951-1959]
• Arnett Cobb - Inspired him to pursue saxophone professionally after hearing him perform (Lionel Hampton's orchestra influence) [1940s (pre-professional)]

Key Collaborators

• Art Farmer - Co-leader of the Jazztet (Jazztet albums (1959-62, revived 1982)) [1959-1962, 1982 onward]
• Art Blakey - Tenor saxophonist in Jazz Messengers (Moanin' album including 'Blues March,' 'I Remember Clifford') [1958]
• Dizzy Gillespie - Member of big band (Toured and recorded) [1956-1958]
• Lionel Hampton - Early band member (Orchestra performances; met Art Farmer, Clifford Brown, Quincy Jones) [1953-1954]
• McCoy Tyner - Pianist in original Jazztet (Jazztet debut album) [1959-1960]
• Curtis Fuller - Trombonist in Jazztet (Multiple Jazztet albums) [1959-1962]

Artists Influenced

• John Coltrane - Introduced Golson's 'Stablemates' to Miles Davis (Recorded on Prestige sessions) [1955]
• Miles Davis - Recorded Golson's 'Stablemates' (Davis Quintet Prestige recordings) [1955]
• Quincy Jones - Later hit version of 'Killer Joe' ('Killer Joe' recording) [1960s]
• McCoy Tyner - Early career break with Jazztet (Jazztet debut) [1959]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia