Longtime jazz tenorman Benny Golson made a tour stop at the Blue Room in Kansas City on Friday, and much to the delight of a nearly full house, gave listeners a rare look back at a time when jazz was king. Golson, 82, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Jazz Museum. He and his quartet then played a variety of compositions, some of which Golson wrote over 50 years ago, and some that were a bit more modern.
As if it wasn't enough to see someone who is a living legend play, listeners also got an inside look at how he got started: the people he grew up with and played with, and some personal recollections that were truly remarkable.
First impressions of Golson were not what I expected: a short man with an extremely articulate soft voice, with a humorous side. Even before his group played the first tune, he talked about growing up with childhood friend John Coltrane, and going with him to see KC native Charlie Parker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He then started off the night's music with the medium-tempo number, "Whisper Not," a piece he'd written in 1956. Golson's tone, like his voice, was soft and unassuming. However, his lines were melodic, and I began to wonder if he ever played an off note. Afterward, he mentioned how he'd written the piece in 20 minutes, and how he played it for his boyhood idol, Dizzy Gillespie (Gillespie ended up recording the tune shortly thereafter).
Golson prefaced the next tune with a story about doing a gig at the Apollo in New York, and hearing from a fellow bandmate about the death of trumpeter Clifford Brown in 1956. His most famous composition, "I Remember Clifford," sounded like something out of a dream sequence. Most people probably know the recordings by famous trumpet players such as Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Art Farmer and Donald Byrd, but to hear it played by the composer, on saxophone, was truly something special. Golson started out playing the melody alone, then the band came in, following his lead through the song. The band played at a very slow pace on this one, but their sound was so warm and relaxed, it glued the audience's attention to the stage.
After the piece was over, Golson talked a bit more about Clifford Brown, and then kicked the band off with one of Brown's originals, "Tiny Capers." The jovial piece was light and fresh, and let the band turn up the evening's pace a bit. Golson's solo here was quick, but not blisteringly fast, like he placed every single note just in the right place. It was about this time that I realized the band hadn't played any tunes that were above a medium tempo. They had all sounded great, but the evening's program selection could've used a bit more variety.
Golson's quartet moved into a tune he wrote and recorded with Art Blakey, "Along Came Betty." He showed a humorous side when introducing the tune, saying he'd written the tune for a girl named Betty, but that he considered changing it to "Along Came Bobbi" after he got married. The entire room got a chuckle or two when he explained the dynamics of his relationship with Betty, including his wife, Bobbi, who was in attendance.
Golson paid homage to John Coltrane by playing Coltrane's "Mr. P.C." for the last song of the night. The uptempo number was just what the show needed (albeit a bit late in the program). Everyone in the group took a few solo choruses, and Golson's playing was the most energetic of the entire show. He definitely wasn't trying to play a fiery solo like Coltrane, but he certainly showed that he could keep up, regardless of age. The night's program was a bit short and did have more talking than I expected. However, the insight and first-person accounts that Golson provided about his younger days -- other musicians he's played with and his own compositions -- were truly a privilege to hear. There aren't very many people playing today who have the kind of credibility that Benny Golson has, and the crowd Friday night was fortunate to share in his music and his memories.
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