Five days after the actual big birthday, Benny Golson himself is headlining this eightieth birthday salute with an all-star version of the famous jazztet that he formed with Art Farmer fifty years ago that includes trumpeter Eddie Henderson, trombonist Steve Davis, pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Carl Allen. Known for his smooth tenor saxophone sound, Golson is perhaps best known as a composer of such iconic jazz standards as “I Remember Clifford,” “Killer Joe,” “Along Came Betty,” “Five Spot After Dark” and “Are You Real?” among others, but Baby Boomers are far more likely to remember the wide variety of music Golson wrote for television program such as “M*A*S*H,” “Mannix,” “Mission Impossible,” “Mod Squad,” “Room 222” and the like, or the many commercial jingles he wrote for radio and television.
Likewise, Golson’s arrangements have been sought after over the years by the likes of Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton, among others, but perhaps less known is the amount of pop music that Golson has written and arranged for everyone from Sammy Davis Jr. and Mama Cass Elliott to the Monkees and the Animals.
Enormously active as a jazz educator, Golson’s trademark tenor sound sounds as glorious as ever as he will demonstrate in this rare area appearance. Pianist Mulgrew Miller and his trio will open the show with his own take on the Golson legacy. (Dennis Polkow)
January 30, Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan, (312) 294-3000. 8pm.
Dennis Polkow is an award-winning veteran journalist, critic, author, broadcaster and educator. He made his stage debut at age five, was a child art prodigy and began playing keyboards in clubs at the age of fourteen. He holds degrees in music theory, composition, religious studies and philosophy from DePaul University in Chicago. Polkow spent his early years performing and recording in rock and jazz bands while concertizing as a classical pianist, organist and harpsichordist and composing, arranging and producing for other artists. As a scholar, Polkow has published and lectured extensively and taught at several colleges and universities in various departments. As an actor, narrator and consultant, Polkow has been involved with numerous films, plays, broadcasts and documentaries. As a journalist, Polkow helped co-create the experiential Chicago Musicale and Spotlight, the award-winning tabloid arts and entertainment section of the Press Publications chain of newspapers, which he later edited. He also created and ran the nationally recognized journalism program at Oakton College and was faculty advisor to its award-winning student newspaper; many former students went on to major media careers, including Channel Awesome’s the Nostalgia Critic. Polkow’s research, interviews, features, reviews and commentaries have appeared across national and international media and he has corresponded from the Middle East, Asia and Africa for the Chicago Tribune. Contact: dpolkow25@aol.com
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