Saturday 16th November, 17:00 – House of Hard Bop.
Today the second and final programme dedicated to the recently deceased tenorist, composer and bandleader Benny Golson. You will hear the remaining pieces from the album Meet the Jazztet from 1960. Then the complete album Free from 1962 – a quartet line-up with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and on drums: Art Taylor!
Meet the Jazztet With It’s All Right with Me this hour starts at a brisk pace. It is a feature for trombonist Curtis Fuller. The quality of his solo is on the same level as the arrangement by Benny Golson. Golson makes full use of the presence of three wind instruments – all sorts of things regularly happen behind the soloist. The title Park Avenue Petite, a composition by Golson, was initially a mystery, until Golson himself came up with an explanation: “I thought of a lovely single young lady living in one of Park Avenue’s high rises. Each day she passes the building’s doorman without knowing that he has great admiration for her. However, he is never able to approach her or express his feelings because of his job and her high position in society. The lady is so high above him socially.”Sadness, futility, desperation, hopelessness and unfulfillment become his metier as he mechanically opens the door for her each day, sharing only her delightful, captivating and alluring smile.”
Mox Nix, a composition by trumpeter Art Farmer, has something special in its design. Halfway through, after the tenor solo, the texture narrows to two-part: trombone & bass. From there, a new structure follows.
After the ballad Easy Living, Golson’s Killer Joe sounds. The meaning of the title is explained in detail this time. Even before the first note sounds, we get an extensive portrait of the person Killer Joe. In spoken word! The composition has dozens of covers. One of the best known is that of Quincy Jones, on his album Walking in Space. Several female vocalists have been added to his orchestra.
Free This record (1962) is for the time being Golson’s last as a leader. He continues as a full-time arranger. It is not until 1977 that he leads another recording session. The drummer in the quartet line-up is Art Taylor. He replaces Philly Joe Jones, who did not show up.
The smaller line-up offers less space for arrangements. But the advantage is the spotlight on the only wind player: Benny Golson himself. And he takes the time to solo.
Sock Cha Cha is the relaxed, Latin style opening.
Mad About the Boy – originally a song; music and lyrics by Noël Coward. It concerns women’s infatuation with a movie star: “On the silver screen He melts my foolish heart in every single scene…” Just by Myself, Shades of Stein, My Romance and Just in Time.
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House of Hard Bop – Eric Ineke
