Benny Golson

A powerhouse tenor saxophonist and composer whose work was a paradigm of elegant, yet deeply soulful hard bop, Benny Golson distinguished himself both on his own and as a co-founder of the Jazztet. Emerging out of the vibrant Dizzy Gillespie Big Band of the 1950s, Golson released a string of his own albums, including 1958's The Modern Touch. He was also a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for their classic 1959 album Moanin'. Known as much for his composing as his playing, Golson penned numerous songs that would become jazz standards, including "I Remember Clifford," for ...