Biography
12 July 1920, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, d. 15 May 1974, London, England. Gonsalves’ first professional engagement in Boston was on tenor saxophone with the Sabby Lewis band, in which he played both before and after his military service during World War II. On leaving Lewis he played with Count Basie from 1946-49, was briefly with Dizzy Gillespie, and then joined Duke Ellington in 1950. Gonsalves remained with Ellington for the rest of his life, his occasional absences from the band resulting from his addiction to alcohol and narcotics. Like many other would-be Ellingtonian tenor players, Gonsalves began by learning Ben Webster’s ‘Cottontail’ solo note for note, but quickly established his own distinctive style. The circumstance which made Gonsalves’ reputation was his appearance with Ellington at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, when his storming, 27-chorus bridge between the opening and closing sections of ‘Diminuendo And Crescendo...
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