Benny Golson Best Of Benny Golson

Personnel: Benny Golson (tenor saxophone); Gigi Gryce (alto saxophone); Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone); Art Farmer (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eddie Henderson, John Swana, Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Julius Watkins (French horn); Curtis Fuller, J.J. Johnson , James Cleveland (trombone); Mickey Tucker, Mike LeDonne, Ray Bryant, Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris , Wynton Kelly (piano); Al Harewood, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Joe Farnsworth, Carl Allen, Charlie Persip (drums).

Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino.

Liner Note Author: Marc Myers.

Recording information: 39th Street Studios, New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Nola Studios, New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Reeves Sound Studio, New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Sound on Sound Studios, New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Sweet Basil, New York, NY (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Van Gelder Studios, Hackensack, NJ (10/14/1957-02/26/2004); Vand Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (10/14/1957-02/26/2004).

Arranger: Benny Golson.

Since the 1950's, Benny Golson has been such an ever-present player on the American music scene that it's easy to take him for granted. He's a fine tenor saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor. Golson is also noted for composing the music for many films and TV shows. This BEST OF focuses on his career as a jazz bandleader, and it's as fine an example of classic mainstream/bebop jazz as one could ask for. Golson's got a rich, blues-charged, and lively-but-smooth tone on the tenor and he's composed a clutch of genial, engaging tunes as well ("Whisper Not," "Killer Joe"), many of which have become jazz standards.This career cross-section also includes ace musicians like pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, and the great Art Blakey himself.