The Jazz Gallery Presents: A Tribute to Benny Golson

Photo courtesy of the artist.

At 92 years young, tenor saxophonist Benny Golson is truly a living legend of American jazz. A native of Philadelphia, Golson got his start jamming with the likes of John Coltrane, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones and the Heath Brothers. Throughout the 1950s, Golson toured in bands led by Tadd Dameron, Johnny Hodges, and Lionel Hampton, as well as Art Blakey’s famed Jazz Messengers.

Golson was playing in Hampton’s band at the Apollo Theater in June 1956, when he heard between sets that his friend and former bandmate Clifford Brown had died in a car crash. Golson immediately began work on a tribute to Brown, resulting in the now oft-performed standard “I Remember Clifford.” Looking back on the tune, Golson recalled:

I worked with this melody for three weeks, trying to get a melody that would be reminiscent of [Clifford] and the way he played…I was very moody while composing this song because with each note I wrote, I realized that it was to someone who had gone— my friend forever.

In addition to “I Remember Clifford,” several other Golson originals have become jazz standards, from the sprightly “Blues March” to the irresistibly-catchy “Killer Joe.” Golson’s recorded output has continued into the last decade, including his most recent disc Horizon Ahead, released in 2016.

In 2020, The Jazz Gallery awarded Golson a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to American jazz. As the gala and award ceremony was cancelled due to COVID-19, the Gallery has organized a tribute to Golson and his work this Friday, November 19, 2021. A number of acclaimed saxophonists will step up to the plate and take on Golson’s music, including Ron Blake (who has recorded with Golson), Jaleel Shaw (a fellow Philadelphian), Dayna Stephens, John Ellis, and Donny McCaslin. Don’t miss this chance to hear today’s top players embrace Golson’s living legacy as a saxophonist and composer.

The Jazz Gallery presents a Tribute to Benny Golson on Friday, November 19, 2021. The band will feature Ron Blake , Dayna Stephens, John Ellis, abd Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone; Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone; David Virelles on piano; Vicente Archer on bass; Johnathan Blake on drums; and special guests. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. EST. $25 general admission ($10 for members), $35 reserved table seating ($20 for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.