Benny Golson: The Whisper Not Tour

A legend in every sense of the word, Arkadia Records’ Jazz saxophonist/composer Benny Golson performs alongside Jazz greats such as Art Farmer and Curtis Fuller (original members of the historic Jazztet) as well as vocalist extraordinaire Jon Hendricks, who “Time Magazine” called, “the James Joyce of Jazz”, in this full-length concert Arkadia DVD entitled, “Benny Golson: The Whisper Not Tour”.

Already renowned in the Jazz pantheon, after writing the classic Whisper Not for Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band, Benny’s reputation flourished. Working with artists such as Quincy Jones, Lou Rawls, Connie Francis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis Jr., and Diana Ross, Golson not only secured his place as one of the world’s preeminent saxophone superstars, but has also penned numerous standards such as “Killer Joe” and “I Remember Clifford”, making him one of a few jazzmen whose achievements as a Composer equal his accomplishments as a Jazz Saxophonist.

Whether leading Philadelphia’s Columbus Avenue jam sessions, playing with fellow stars such as John Coltrane, or in a Hollywood recording studio writing and arranging the scores for classic American television shows such as “M*A*S*H”, “The Cosby Show”, and “Mission Impossible”, Jazz’s elder statesman Benny Golson is simply remarkable.

This Arkadia DVD live concert performance, with one extra hour of Bonus Features, “Benny Golson: The Whisper Not Tour”, features far more then just the genius of Golson. From his classic songs to his stellar sidemen, and featuring the vocals and lyrics of Jon Hendricks, this timeless, uncut concert DVD, live from Berlin, celebrates Benny Golson’s musical immortality.

Selections Include:

• Whisper Not
• Blues March
• I Remember Clifford
• Are You Real
• Out of the Past

DVD Bonus Features:

• Bonus Video Performance from the Skopje Jazz Festival
• 3 Bonus Audio Tracks
• Artist’s Biographies
• Picture Gallery
• Digitally Mastered Audio and Video
• Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
• Instant Access Songs and Solos
• Multi-dimensional Interactive Menus

DVD Length: One-hour plus, one-hour Bonus Features

Musicians:

Benny Golson: Tenor sax
Art Farmer: Trumpet
Curtis Fuller: Trombone
Geoffrey Keezer: Piano
Dwayne Burno: Bass
Joe Farnsworth: Drums
And featuring:
Jon Hendricks: Vocals

About Benny Golson:

Multi-talented and internationally famous jazz legend, – a composer, arranger, lyricist, producer – and tenor saxophonist of world note, Benny Golson was born in Philadelphia, PA on January 25, 1929.

Raised with an impeccable musical pedigree, Golson has played in the bands of world famous Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Earl Bostic and Art Blakey.

Composer/Arranger/Performing Artist:

Few jazz musicians can claim to be true innovators and even fewer can boast of a performing and recording career that literally redefines the term “Jazz.” A prodigious writer, Golson has written well over 300 compositions. Benny Golson has made major contributions to the world of music with such jazz standards as:

“Killer Joe”, “I Remember Clifford”, “Along Came Betty”, “Stablemates”, “Whisper Not”, “Blues March”, “Five Spot After Dark”, and “Are you Real”

Benny Golson is the only living jazz artist to have written 8 standards for jazz repertoire. These jazz standards have found their way into countless recordings internationally over the years and are still being recorded.

He has recorded over 30 albums, including six for Arkadia Records, in the United States and Europe under his own name and innumerable ones with other major artists.

For more than 60 years, Golson has enjoyed an illustrious, musical career in which he has not only made scores of recordings but has also composed and arranged music for:

Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., Mama Cass Elliott, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Shirley Horn, David Jones and the Monkees, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Itzhak Perlman, Oscar Peterson, Lou Rawls, Mickey Rooney, Diana Ross, The Animals (Eric Burden), Mel Torme, George Shearing, and Dusty Springfield.

His prolific writing includes scores for hit TV series and films:

“M*A*S*H”, “Mannix”, “Mission Impossible”, “Mod Squad”, “Room 222”, “Run for Your Life”, “The Partridge Family”, “The Academy Awards”, and “The Karen Valentine Show”, Television specials for ABC, CBS and NBC. Television specials for BBC in London and Copenhagen, Denmark. Theme for Bill Cosby’s last TV show, and A french film ‘Des Femmes Disparaissent” (Paris)

He has written music for national radio and television spots for some of the major advertising agencies in the country. Some of these commercials were for:

Borateem, Canada Dry, Carnation, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Clorox, Dodge, General Telephone, Gillette, Heinz Foods, Jack in The Box, Liquid Plum’r, MacDonald’s, Mattel Toys, Monsanto, Nissan, Ohrbachs, Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes, Parliament Cigarettes, Pepsi Cola, and Texaco.

Educator:

Benny Golson has absolute mastery of the jazz medium. He has not only blazed a trail in the world of jazz but is passionate about teaching jazz to young and old alike. He has lectured at the Lincoln Center through a special series by Wynton Marsalis. He has lectured to doctoral candidates at New York University and to the faculty at National University at San Diego.

Honored with doctorates from William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ and Berklee School of Music, Boston, MA, Dr. Golson has also conducted workshops and clinics at:

• Appalachian University, Boone, NC
• Berklee School fo Music, Boston, MA
• Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY
• Howard University, Washington, DC
• Julliard School of Music, New York, NY
• Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY
• New England Conservatory
• Paris Conservatory, Paris, France
• Rutgers University, New Orleans, LA
• Stanford University, Stanford, CA
• University of Denver, Denver, CO
• University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
• University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, Appleton, WI
• William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ

Golson’s musical odyssey has taken him around the world. In 1987 he was sent by the US State Department on a cultural tour of Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore. Later, Philip Morris International sent him on an assignment to Bangkok, Thailand to write music for the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

A live performer who consistently knocks audiences off their feet, Benny Golson has given hundreds of performances in the USA, Europe, South America, the Far East and Japan for decades. Benny is also working on a major college textbook and his autobiography.

This humble musical giant continues to impress critics, fans and fellow musicians with his prodigious contributions to the world of Jazz.