Honoring the life and legacy of internationally renowned jazz legend Benny Golson.

Honoring the life and legacy of internationally renowned jazz legend Benny Golson. WHEREAS, The multitalented Benny Golson was born on January 25, 1929 in Philadelphia. Golson began learning piano at the age of 9, then switched to the saxophone at the age of 14. While a student at Benjamin Franklin High School, he played alongside several other promising young musicians including John Coltrane, Red Garland, and Jimmy Heath; and WHEREAS, After graduating from Howard University, Golson then joined Bull Moose Jackson’s band in 1951. Arranging and composing music became a serious pursuit and passion for Golson at the early encouragement of composer-arranger Tadd Dameron ; and WHEREAS, He then began performing with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, with whom he recorded the classic Moanin’ in 1958; and WHEREAS, Also in 1958, at age 28, he was part of the most famous photograph in jazz - A Great Day in Harlem, a black-and-white photograph of 57 jazz musicians in Harlem, New York, taken by freelance photographer Art Kane for Esquire magazine on August 12, 1958; and WHEREAS, Golson’s writing skills blossomed working with the Jazz Messengers as he contributed pieces for the band that have forever entered the jazz canon, including “Along Came Betty”, “Blues March”, and “I Remember Clifford”; and WHEREAS, From 1959 to 1962, Golson co-led the Jazztet with Art Farmer, mainly playing his own compositions. Golson then left jazz entirely to concentrate on studio and orchestral work for 12 …