1963 studio album by Benny Golson
Free Released 1963 Recorded December 26, 1962 Studio Van Gelder Studio , Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyGenre Jazz Length 62 :16 Label Argo LP 716 Producer Esmond Edwards
Turning Point (1962)
Free (1963)
The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson Orchestra (1963)
Free is an album by saxophonist Benny Golson recorded in late 1962 and originally released on the Argo label.[1]
Background [ ]
Pianist Tommy Flanagan had played with Golson before; bassist Ron Carter was selected to provide a different approach for the leader; and drummer Art Taylor was a replacement for Philly Joe Jones , who was due to play, but did not go to the studio.[2]
Reception [ ]
In the November 7, 1963 issue of Down Beat magazine, critic Harvey Pekar awarded the album 5 stars and said that "Golson's improvising is outstanding; I doubt that he's ever before played as consistently well on record."[3]
The Allmusic review states, "Golson's last album as a leader in which he plays in his Don Byas /Lucky Thompson style (he would soon become a fulltime arranger and, by the time he led his next playing date in 1977, Golson's sound was quite a bit different) finds him in top form".[4] Writing in 2004, critic Bob Blumenthal commented that the album "remains among the highlights of his recording career".[2]
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Down Beat [3] Allmusic [4]
Track listing [ ]
All compositions by Benny Golson except as indicated
"Sock Cha" (Will Davis) – 7:10
"Mad About the Boy " (Noël Coward ) – 7:15
"Just by Myself" – 5:45
"Shades of Stein" – 4:30
"My Romance " (Lorenz Hart , Richard Rodgers ) – 7:30
"Just in Time " (Betty Comden , Adolph Green , Jule Styne ) – 5:55
Personnel [ ]
Musicians [ ]
Production [ ]
References [ ]
show Tommy Flanagan
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, except where noted.
Albums as leader or co-leader WithPepper Adams WithKenny Burrell WithJohn Coltrane WithArt Farmer WithElla Fitzgerald WithCurtis Fuller WithColeman Hawkins WithMilt Jackson WithJ.J. Johnson WithSonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus (1956)
There Will Never Be Another You (1965)
Falling in Love with Jazz (1989)
Old Flames (1993)
Sonny Rollins + 3 (1995)
With others
Tentets (Franco Ambrosetti , 1985)
Boss Tenor (Gene Ammons , 1960)
Big Brass (Benny Bailey , 1960)
Bash! (Dave Bailey , 1961)
Who Is Gary Burton? (Gary Burton , 1962)
Jazz Lab (Donald Byrd , 1957)
Carter, Gillespie Inc. (Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie , 1976)
Paul Chambers Quintet (1957)
More Party Time (Arnett Cobb , 1960)
Movin' Right Along (Arnett Cobb, 1960)
Rhythm in Mind (Steve Coleman , 1991)
Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool) (Sonny Criss , 1968)
Straight Ahead (Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, 1976)
Collectors' Items (Miles Davis , 1956)
Quiet Kenny (Kenny Dorham , 1959)
The Kenny Dorham Memorial Album (1960 [1976])
Opening Remarks (Ted Dunbar , 1978)
Patented by Edison (Harry "Sweets" Edison , 1960)
The Book Cooks (Booker Ervin , 1960)
The Song Book (Booker Ervin, 1964)
Chromatic Palette (Tal Farlow , 1981)
The Dizzy Gillespie Big 7 (1975)
Gettin' with It (Benny Golson , 1959)
Free (Benny Golson, 1962)
The Panther! (Dexter Gordon , 1970)
The Swingin'est (Bennie Green and Gene Ammons, 1958)
Grey's Mood (Al Grey , 1973–75)
It's About Time (Jimmy Hamilton , 1961)
Can't Help Swinging (Jimmy Hamilton, 1961)
Drum Suite (Slide Hampton , 1962)
Out of the Afternoon (Roy Haynes and Roland Kirk , 1962)
Really Big! (Jimmy Heath , 1960)
New Picture (Jimmy Heath, 1985)
Porgy & Bess (Joe Henderson , released 1997)
The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard (1962)
Mirage (Bobby Hutcherson , 1991)
Bossa Nova Plus (Willis Jackson , 1962)
Desert Winds (Illinois Jacquet , 1962)
Budd Johnson and the Four Brass Giants (1960)
Let's Swing! (Budd Johnson , 1960)
Heart to Heart (Elvin Jones , 1980)
Blues for Dracula (Philly Joe Jones , 1958)
Detroit – New York Junction (Thad Jones , 1956)
Mad Thad (Thad Jones, 1956–57)
A Story Tale (Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red , 1961)
The Adventurer (Clifford Jordan, 1978)
Booker Little 4 and Max Roach (1958)
Booker Little (1960)
Vocalese (The Manhattan Transfer , 1985)
Flute Flight (Herbie Mann and Bobby Jaspar , 1957)
Flute Soufflé (Herbie Mann and Bobby Jaspar, 1957)
Dusty Blue (Howard McGhee , 1960)
Reincarnation of a Lovebird (Charles Mingus , 1960)
De Lawd's Blues (Billy Mitchell , 1980)
Smooth as the Wind (Blue Mitchell , 1960–61)
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960)
Jeru (Gerry Mulligan , 1962)
Jive at Five (Joe Newman , 1960)
Good 'n' Groovy (Joe Newman with Frank Foster , 1960)
Joe's Hap'nin's (Joe Newman, 1961)
Straight Life (Art Pepper , 1979)
The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi (1956)
Limbo Carnival (Dave Pike , 1962)
Dave Pike Plays the Jazz Version of Oliver! (Dave Pike, 1962)
Pony's Express (Pony Poindexter , 1962)
Keep Swingin' (Julian Priester , 1960)
Wisteria (Jimmy Raney , 1985)
Swingin' with Pee Wee (Pee Wee Russell , 1960)
Stable Mates (A. K. Salim , 1957)
Here Comes Louis Smith (Louis Smith , 1958)
Roots (Idrees Sulieman , 1957)
Tate-a-Tate (Buddy Tate , 1960)
Color Changes (Clark Terry , 1960)
Lucky Thompson Plays Happy Days Are Here Again (1965)
Stan "The Man" Turrentine (1960)
ZT's Blues (Stanley Turrentine , 1961)
The Frank Wess Quartet (1960)
Southern Comfort (Frank Wess , 1962)
California Soul (Gerald Wilson , 1968)
Pairing Off (Phil Woods , 1956)
Rights of Swing (Phil Woods, 1961)