Benny Golson - In The 1960s (2025)

Jazz giant Benny Golson was born in Philadelphia on 25th January 1929. He spent much of his teens jamming with other young musicians - including John Coltrane, Red Garland, Jimmy Heath and Philly Joe Jones. He began taking piano lessons at age nine; his interest in music was nurtured at Benjamin Franklin High School in Philadelphia giving him ambitions to become a concert pianist; he was fascinated by the music of Brahms and Chopin. But Golson changed direction at age 13, when he was taken to New York's Minton Playhouse, where bebop was born, and he experienced a number of bop pioneers, including Thelonious Monk. He then saw Lionel Hampton's band, featuring Arnett Cobb on tenor saxophone, at Philadelphia's Earle Theatre. Inspired, he switched to the saxophone at age 14.