Honoring, recognizing, and celebrating the lifetime musical achievements of Benny Golson, for his contributions to the world of music through radio, television, and film.

WHEREAS, Benny Golson is a multitalented and internationally recognized jazz legend, undertaking the roles of composer, arranger, lyricist, producer as well as a tenor saxophonist of world note; and

WHEREAS, Being born as raised in North Philadelphia, Mr. Golson attended Benjamin Franklin High School, and played with several other promising young musicians, including

John Coltrane

,

Red Garland

,

Jimmy Heath

,

Percy Heath

,

Philly Joe Jones

, and

Red Rodney

; and

WHEREAS, Few jazz musicians can claim to be true innovators and even fewer can boast of a performing and recording career that literally redefines the term "jazz". Mr. Golson has made major contributions to the world of jazz with such jazz standards as: Killer Joe, I Remember Clifford, Along Came Betty, Stablemates, Whisper Not, Blues March, Five Spot After Dark, Are You Real?; and

WHEREAS, From 1959 to 1962, Golson co-led the Jazztet with

Art Farmer

. Golson then left jazz to concentrate on studio and orchestral work for 12 years. During this time he composed music for such television shows as

Ironside

,

Room 222

,

M*A*S*H

, and

Mission: Impossible

; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Golson has written music for national radio and television spots for some of the major advertising agencies in the country for commercial advertisements for companies such as Canada Dry, Carnation, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Clorox, Dodge, Gillette, Heinz Foods, Jack in The Box, McDonald's, Mattel Toys, Nissan, Pepsi Cola, and Texaco; and

WHEREAS, The Howard University Jazz Studies Program created a prestigious award in his honor called the "Benny Golson Jazz Master Award" in 1996. In 1995 Golson received the

NEA Jazz Masters

Award of the

National Endowment for the Arts

. In October 2007, Golson received the Mellon Living Legend Legacy Award presented by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation at a ceremony at the

Kennedy Center

; and

WHEREAS, Additionally, during the same month, he won the University of Pittsburgh International Academy of Jazz Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award at the university's 37th Annual Jazz Concert in the Carnegie Music Hall. In November 2009, Golson was inducted into the

International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame

during a performance at the University of Pittsburgh's annual jazz seminar and concert; and

WHEREAS, For more than 60 years, Mr. Golson has enjoyed an illustrious, musical career in which he has not only made scores of recordings but has also composed and arranged music for the likes of Count Basie, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., Mama Cass Elliott, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Shirley Horn, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Oscar Peterson, Lou Rawls, Mickey Rooney, and Diana Ross, just to name a few; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Golson has recorded over 30 albums for many recording companies in the United States and Europe under his own name and innumerable ones with other major artists. A prodigious writer, Golson has written well over 300 compositions; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Golson is the only living jazz artist to have written 8 standards for jazz repertoire. These jazz standards have found their way into countless recordings internationally over the years and are still being recorded; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Golson has absolute mastery of the jazz medium. He has not only blazed a trail in the world of jazz but is passionate about teaching jazz to young and old alike. He has lectured at the Lincoln Center through a special series by Wynton Marsalis. He has lectured to doctoral candidates at New York University and to the faculty at National University at San Diego; and

WHEREAS, Honored with doctorates from William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ and Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, Dr. Benny Golson is also working on a major college textbook and his autobiography. This humble musical giant continues to impress critics, fans and fellow musicians with his prodigious contributions to the world of jazz; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That we hereby honor, recognize, and celebrate Benny Golson on his contribution to world of music through radio, television and film, and on his continued success; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Benny Golson as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End

Darrell L. Clarke

President, Philadelphia City Council

Councilman, 5th District

March 13, 2014