Benny Golson, an esteemed saxophonist celebrated for both his enduring contributions to jazz standards and his expressive tenor sound, died on Saturday at his Manhattan home at the age of 95. His longtime manager and agent, Jason Franklin, reported that Golson succumbed to a short illness.
Golson played a pivotal role in the evolution from bebop to hard bop, particularly during his influential tenure with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and his co-led group, the Jazztet, alongside trumpeter Art Farmer. Even without his musical accomplishments, Golson’s legacy is secure, with a remarkable catalog of standards including “Whisper Not,” “Stablemates,” “I Remember Clifford,” “Along Came Betty,” “Killer Joe,” and “Blues March.”
“Every stroke of his pen became another classic,” said trumpeter Eddie Henderson, a member of Golson’s bands, in a statement to WRTI. “His signature sound was undeniable: one note from him, and you knew it was Benny Golson. That’s the mark of a true artist.”
Alongside Sonny Rollins, Golson was one of the last surviving musicians featured in Art Kane’s iconic 1958 photograph, “A Great Day in Harlem.” This image notably appeared in Steven Spielberg’s 2004 film The Terminal, where Golson made a brief but impactful cameo.
Golson was a gifted conversationalist, often weaving eloquent prose into his speech. His tenor voice reflected this sophistication, merging bebop lines with a refined elegance. His compositions, too, showcased his knack for storytelling and character development.
“I had a love affair with melodies,” Golson stated in 2007. “My music should have meaningful melodic content, something you can hum. Athleticism doesn’t mean anything if it lacks melody. I’m from the old school, I guess.”
Born on January 25, 1929, in Philadelphia, Golson was raised by his mother Celadia, a seamstress, and his father Bennie, who worked for Nabisco and the Philadelphia Gas Company. During his time at Benjamin Franklin High School, he developed friendships with musical luminaries like Jimmy and Percy Heath, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Ray Bryant, and his close friend John Coltrane.
Golson fondly remembered frequenting North Philly jam sessions with Coltrane, who emulated Johnny Hodges while Golson sought to capture Arnett Cobb’s style, inspired by Cobb’s solo on Lionel Hampton’s “Flying Home.”
Their musical journeys shifted dramatically with the advent of bebop, as Golson recalled, “We were neophytes changing horses in midstream, trying to adapt to new music. It was a challenge, but we loved it.”
At his mother’s urging, Golson attended Howard University, where he first honed his skills as a composer and arranger for a jazz band. After graduation, he played with notable bandleaders such as Tadd Dameron, Bull Moose Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Earl Bostic, and Dizzy Gillespie.
Although Golson’s stint with Blakey’s Jazz Messengers was brief, it yielded the 1958 Blue Note album Moanin’, featuring classic tracks like “Along Came Betty,” “Blues March,” and “Are You Real.”
In 1959, he co-founded the Jazztet with Farmer, which debuted with Meet the Jazztet, showcasing trombonist Curtis Fuller and a young McCoy Tyner. The Jazztet gained notoriety during their run at The Five Spot, sharing a bill with avant-garde pioneer Ornette Coleman, though Golson remained skeptical of the avant-garde movement.
The Jazztet disbanded in 1962 when Golson shifted his focus to composing for television in Hollywood, earning credits on popular shows like MASH*, Mission: Impossible, and The Partridge Family. He made a comeback to jazz in the mid-1970s, reflecting, “I thought I’d never play again. I wanted to be known for more than just ‘hip jazz things.’”
In 1982, Golson and Farmer reformed the Jazztet, releasing albums throughout the 1980s that resonated with the Young Lions movement. Following Farmer’s passing in 1999, Golson created a new version of the band, the New’tet, which included a lineup of distinguished musicians.
Trumpeter Terell Stafford praised Golson, stating, “He’s an incredible icon in this music, yet he remains underrated in many ways. I always tell my students to transcribe Benny Golson to truly understand the tenor saxophone.”
In May, Golson’s band paid tribute to him at Smoke Jazz Club in New York. “His music is regal and requires you to find the essence in changes when soloing,” said band member Steve Davis. “He belongs alongside great modern jazz composers like Horace Silver and Wayne Shorter.”
Golson was recognized as an NEA Jazz Master in 1996 and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1994, along with the Mellon Living Legend Legacy Award in 2007. A documentary titled Benny Golson: Going Beyond the Horizon is forthcoming, and Franklin noted he recently saw a full cut of the film.
Until its release, Golson’s most notable film appearance remains in The Terminal, where he played a role in a storyline about a man stranded at JFK Airport seeking his autograph.
In 2007, Golson reflected on the loss of many colleagues from the famous photograph, stating, “Time is corrosive, yet it can also be rewarding. Life is full of surprises, disappointments, and rewards… We can never predict the future, but we can shape it in our own way.”
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