Benny Golson is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger who made his name with greats like John Coltrane, Art Blakey, and Lionel Hampton. Yet, perhaps his best known and recognized composition was for his friend, jazz trumpeter and legend Clifford Brown, who was taken at the age of 25 in a car accident. Golson wrote, “I Remember Clifford”, in the wake of his passing, and you can hear much of Brown’s rich and smooth texture throughout Golson’s piece.
In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, talks about the life and work of Benny Golson. He explores what it means to memorialize loved ones who have passed before us, as their lives and souls remain vivid within us, even though their bodies are no longer here.