''Free'' is an album by saxophonist
Benny Golson recorded in late 1962 and originally released on the
Argo label.
[Benny Golson discography](_blank)
accessed June 27, 2012
Background
Pianist
Tommy Flanagan had played with Golson before; bassist
Ron Carter was selected to provide a different approach for the leader; and drummer
Art Taylor was a replacement for
Philly Joe Jones
Joseph Rudolph "Philly Joe" Jones (July 15, 1923 – August 30, 1985) was an American Jazz drumming, jazz drummer.
Biography Early career
As a child, Jones appeared as a featured tap dancer on ''The Kiddie Show'' on the Philadelphia radio stat ...
, who was due to play, but did not go to the studio.
Reception
In the November 7, 1963 issue of ''
Down Beat'' magazine, critic
Harvey Pekar awarded the album 5 stars and said that "Golson's improvising is outstanding; I doubt that he's ever before played as consistently well on record."
[Down Beat: November 7, 1963 Vol. 30, No. 29]
The
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
review states, "Golson's last album as a leader in which he plays in his
Don Byas/
Lucky Thompson style (he would soon become a fulltime arranger and; by the time he led his next playing date in 1977, Golson's sound was quite a bit different) finds him in top form."
[Ankeny, J]
Allmusic Review
accessed June 27, 2012 Writing in 2004, critic Bob Blumenthal commented that the album "remains among the highlights of his recording career."
[Blumenthal, Bob (2004) In ''The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions'' D liner notes p. 15. Mosaic.]
Track listing
''All compositions by Benny Golson except as indicated''
# "Sock Cha Cha" (Will Davis) – 7:10
# "
Mad About the Boy" (
Noël Coward) – 7:15
# "Just by Myself" – 5:45
# "Shades of Stein" – 4:30
# "
My Romance" (
Lorenz Hart,
Richard Rodgers) – 7:30
# "
Just in Time" (
Betty Comden,
Adolph Green,
Jule Styne) – 5:55
Personnel
Musicians
*
Benny Golson –
tenor saxophone
*
Tommy Flanagan –
piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
*
Ron Carter –
bass
*
Art Taylor –
drums
The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...
Production
*Esmond Edwards – production
*
Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineering
References
{{Authority control
Argo Records albums
Benny Golson albums
1963 albums