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.
DISC ONE
1 My Blues House 9:29
2 Drum Boogie 4:02
3 I Didn’t Know What Time It Was 5:26
4 The Stroller 9:21
5 Yesterdays 5:54
6 Baubles, Bangles And Beads 6:19
7 April In Paris 5:09
8 Blue Streak 7:00
9 Tippin’ On Thru 6:44
10 Bob Hurd’s Blues 12:17
DISC TWO
1 How Am I To Know 3:50
2 The Masquerade Is Over 4:40
3 Dear Kathy 4:49
4 Three Little Words 4:42
5 Turning Point 3:58
6 Stella By Starlight 4:53
7 Alone Together 7:34
8 Sock Cha Cha 7:03
9 Mad About The Boy 7:18
10 Just By Myself 5:49
11 Shades Of Stein 4:32
12 My romance 7:29
13 Just In Time 5:57
DISC THREE
1 Stockholm Sojourn 4:40
2 Tryst 3:29
3 Are You Real? 3:22
4 Goodbye 6:40
5 Waltz For Debby 4:27
6 My Foolish Heart 5:30
7 A Swedish Villa 3:52
8 I Remember Clifford 4:47
9 The Call 4:32
10 Serenata 3:33
11 It Ain’t Necessarily So 4:29
12 Avalon 3:32
13 I Remember Clifford 3:13
14 Blues March 5:18
15 It’s All Right With Me 3:56
16 Park Avenue Petite 3:44
17 Mox Nix 4:05
18 Easy Living 3:37
19 Killer Joe 4:58
DISC FOUR
1 The Cool One 3:04
2 Blues On Down 6:05
3 Hi-Fly 5:52
4 My Funny Valentine 4:35
5 Wonder Why 5:55
6 Con Alma 5:03
7 Lament 3:33
8 Bean Bag 4:56
9 Five Spot After Dark 3:21
10 Bel 4:10
11 Milano 4:53
12 Django 4:54
13 New York 19 7:03
14 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West 8:33
15 Odds Against Tomorrow 10:37