Free (Benny Golson album)

Free
Studio album by Benny Golson
Released	1963
Recorded	December 26, 1962 Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Length	62:16
Label	Argo LP 716
Producer	Esmond Edwards
Benny Golson chronology
Turning Point (1962) Free (1962) 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

1. "Sock Cha" (Will Davis) – 7:10
2. "Mad About the Boy" (Noël Coward) – 7:15
3. "Just by Myself" – 5:45
4. "Shades of Stein" – 4:30
5. "My Romance" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 7:30
6. "Just in Time" (Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne) – 5:55

Personnel

Musicians

• Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
• Tommy Flanagan – piano
• Ron Carter – bass
• Art Taylor – drums

Production

• Esmond Edwards – production
• Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineering

References