Being underrated is not an insult. It means that he was better than many gave him credit for. He was one of the greats, but not many gave him the credit he deserved, thus he was underrated. That's what underrated means. It's an unsult if you're OVERRATED.
I heard Ellington play at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore in the early 1970s. When Gonsalves stepped up to play a solo, someone helpfully repositioned the microphone nearer to his sax bell. He immediately stopped playing, pushed the microphone away, and then proceeded to blow the roof off.
I heard a DJ on the (long gone) jazz station in Newport telling this story: He had just taken a job walking around selling concessions at the Newport Jazz Festival, even though he didn’t really like jazz. When Paul started his famous solo the guy stopped his selling and stood transfixed. At the end of the solo he realized he hadn’t moved and had forgotten all about his job. He became a lifelong jazz fan at that moment.
Paul Gonsalves could hang with the best of them. Very original in style and tone, and had just as much command of his horn as Sonny Rollins or John Coltrane. PG was one of Jazz's greatest tenor players.
I read many years ago that Stan Getz really rated his tonal quality. Coming from someone with such a magnificent sound himself, that was some accolade.
Underated, are you kidding? This is the guy who played the most famous live tenor sax solo in the history of American jazz music! Oh yeah, and also got Duke Ellington on the cover of Time Magazine (deservedly so)🎷🎶🙏
I love Paul Gonsalves. I started to listen to him when i was just 15-years of age. That´s 40-years ago now. And i love him just as much today. The tone he had on the tenorsax is just marvelous. This was an amazing solo😍
I've been a professional sax/clar player for 50 years and Paul has always been one of my very favorite players. It's just a shame he couldn't kick the drug habit that eventually took his life at the young age of just 53. I was fortunate enough to see him in person at Madison square garden with Duke Ellington in 1971 and that's something i'll never forget! Thank goodness we have all the wonderful recordings and you tube videos to watch, enjoy and learn from.
Paul could really swing. Such a smooth flowing string of notes. Love his playing. His solo at Newport on one of his signature tunes is epic. This solo is simply stunning.
Harmonically he seems so different than others of his time. His note choices… He seems to pick things outside just a touch. Not nasty outside, just not what you’d expect.
don byas, lucky thompson, benny golson and eddie lockjaw davis are all harmonically, tonally-- stylistically close relatives. they all share one thing in common: strong coleman hawkins influence.
The Ellington band was blessed with a strong sax/reed section that stayed together many years - Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton and Harry Carney. Ben Webster was there earlier, but never quit playing the classic Ellington tunes after he left. Gonsalves was hot when he was on, but sadly could also pass out cold holding his sax while the rest of the band played around him. Duke was very forgiving, knowing what he added on his good nights.
Hello Bret, for a while I was only able to view your channel via unregistered access, and so I was not allowed to comment. Now with my registered account , I would like to say that your channel is developing again and that makes me happy for you. Use everything the yt algo asks for you for your/our success. Best luck
Agree strong that Gonsalves was one of greats. "Duke Ellington's Jazz Parrty" contains a number of great Gonsalves riffs. The recording also contained performances by Dizzy Gillesspie and Jimmy Rushing.
Hey! saw you at one of the J-Ensemble shows in NY. Have any plans for posting preformance clips? Like strait raw gig footage or from shows? I know I and many others would love it.
Ahhhh, Thank you, Bret. His concept with ballads features possibly the greatest subtone command and articulation in the Tenor tradition. Such elegant, sultry and mysterious beauty. Captivating!
One of the great ones, as you say. His style encompassed both the pre-war and the post-war harmonic language and he had drive and excitement. His best period was his first fifteen years (1950-65) with Duke Ellington, who made him one of his main stars. Gonsalves' personal "problems" were often egregious, but Duke hung on to him due to his warmth of personality and musical genius. In 1968, Ellington hired Harold Ashby, an excellent tenor player with a strength and stamina Gonsalves no longer had, while retaining Gonsalves, who died days before Ellington. This was the film with the very strange hairstyle Duke tried and then dropped.
My favorite PG is his fight with cantankerous Charles Mingus. It started with him asking Mingus to sight read a classical chart. Mingus wasn't doing it to his satisfaction apparently and the name calling ensued including the n* word. It culminated with PG getting slapped or punched and PG chasing Mingus screaming and hollering with an axe. Even Duke marveled at Mingus' agility and nimbleness for a big man as he was jump over the chairs, his bass etc. Mingus' bass got hit as it has used as a shield. Frankly, dude was crazy.. The axe incident happened as the band was playing!!!!
@@donmilland7606 That story did not involve Gonsalves, but Juan Tizol, who apparently pursued Mingus with a knife, not an axe. This was told in Mingus' autobiography. Gonsalves was a gentle, sweet soul.
I've been a Paul Gonsalves freak since I heard this tune ("Ready Go"?) on that live album, Jazz at the Plaza vol 2. Also love disc one of the Great Paris Concert (1963, incl "Suite Thursday") and an album called, I think, Private Collection vol 3. That whole session (from 1959ish?) features PG and the trombone section Gonsalves is a force of nature.
Great video!! I need to hear more from PG. The credits don't show it, but I am wondering if that is Louie on drums. The double bass drums make me think that it might be the great Louie Bellson.
And don't forget that in USA the first style of music in the charts is "Country music", so don't be surprised about the "rate" of talent like Paul Gonsalves in USA, something different in Europe.
Paul shone brightly in Ellington band recordings !! Intriguing and rare for a hispanic integration in those 'segregated' years. Unsurprising for jazz to be a key medium for racial 'integration'.
Beautiful video, but whoever digitized it sped it up, so it's about a quarter tone sharp. It happened with all those Goodyear tv shows. ua-cam.com/video/L2Kk_s9-tmw/v-deo.html
I must disagree. I'm not putting him down, but though Gonsalves may share some territory with Lockjaw - who is pretty underrated - I have to say Lockjaw's more interesting, has a sound... and puts Gonsalves away on many fronts. And HE'S underrated.
Eddie Lockjaw is underrated. So is Arnett Cobb. I saw him at a small club in Stafford TX for New Years Eve 1981-82. He was home for the holidays. Many years later I spoke to his daughter about that memorable occasion. She looked and quipped "was he drunk?" I was taken back a little. But I said actually he was drinking only ginger ale that night.
Paul Gonsalves is mainly underrated (the latest buzzword on "youtube") by people who doesn't know anything about Jazz. Someday, Charlie Parker will be "underrated"... And please, forget that "27 blues chorus on "crescendo and diminuendo" history told 150 267 times by ignorant journalists... every great saxes soloist is able to "take" 30 choruses on the blues.
Taking 27 choruses at this level of creativity, intensity, and maintaining interest is a real feat. Not many can do so and keep the audience's attention. I've seen many people try and fail! Don't underestimate that.
Eh... I think we can call him underappreciated these days. I'm hearing a lot of cool harmonic stuff here that deserves a deeper dive. The big band players in general fly under the radar.
Obviously a fantastic player and amazing musician, however as clever as it is, it sounds like musical gymnastics to me. I prefer to listen to a melody, well played. That’s just me, I know jazz buffs will not agree.
![New Orleans Swing JazzⅣ✨[1920s, Vintage, Big Band] Beginning of Jazz New Orleans](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q2r4qlzCeEs/mqdefault.jpg)
Underrated?!!!!! B.S. Paul Gonsales was one of the truly GREATS!!!!!
Being underrated is not an insult. It means that he was better than many gave him credit for. He was one of the greats, but not many gave him the credit he deserved, thus he was underrated. That's what underrated means. It's an unsult if you're OVERRATED.
I heard Ellington play at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore in the early 1970s. When Gonsalves stepped up to play a solo, someone helpfully repositioned the microphone nearer to his sax bell. He immediately stopped playing, pushed the microphone away, and then proceeded to blow the roof off.
Wow!
😮Uno koy@@luiswilliams360
He’s always hated mics
I heard a DJ on the (long gone) jazz station in Newport telling this story: He had just taken a job walking around selling concessions at the Newport Jazz Festival, even though he didn’t really like jazz.
When Paul started his famous solo the guy stopped his selling and stood transfixed. At the end of the solo he realized he hadn’t moved and had forgotten all about his job. He became a lifelong jazz fan at that moment.
Paul Gonsalves could hang with the best of them. Very original in style and tone, and had just as much command of his horn as Sonny Rollins or John Coltrane. PG was one of Jazz's greatest tenor players.
well said
I think his tone was particularly his own. He could make his horn really moan and lament especially on ballads.
Better. Didn’t play junk like those guys
Lester !!!
I read many years ago that Stan Getz really rated his tonal quality. Coming from someone with such a magnificent sound himself, that was some accolade.
Underated, are you kidding? This is the guy who played the most famous live tenor sax solo in the history of American jazz music! Oh yeah, and also got Duke Ellington on the cover of Time Magazine (deservedly so)🎷🎶🙏
Live at Newport I believe. Just dug it out. Pure joy…
Dude is smoking!!!!!! Vastly underrated like Lucky Thompson.
Lucky Thompson was really a gem.
They were both great. In the Ben Webster tradition.
Agree👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Love Maestro Gonsalves!!!🔥🔥🔥
Duke was waining and it was Paul's remarkable twenty-something chorus solo at the Newport Jazz festival resurrected the band.
I love Paul Gonsalves. I started to listen to him when i was just 15-years of age. That´s 40-years ago now. And i love him just as much today. The tone he had on the tenorsax is just marvelous. This was an amazing solo😍
😮 WOW thanks for the history lesson sàxaphone
🎶
A legend. How can you not love Paul Gonsalves playing?
That gig at Newport reincarnated Duke and the band. I could watch it endlessly. Gonsalves didn’t get the acclaim he deserved.
For sure.
So much Soul, just when you think he's running out of breath, he still continues. Paul Gonsalves is among my favorite tenor saxophonists
Yeah exactly! Almost sounds as if he goes into circular breathing!
I've been a professional sax/clar player for 50 years and Paul has always been one of my very favorite players. It's just a shame he couldn't kick the drug habit that eventually took his life at the young age of just 53. I was fortunate enough to see him in person at Madison square garden with Duke Ellington in 1971 and that's something i'll never forget! Thank goodness we have all the wonderful recordings and you tube videos to watch, enjoy and learn from.
Paul could really swing. Such a smooth flowing string of notes. Love his playing. His solo at Newport on one of his signature tunes is epic. This solo is simply stunning.
An absolute Beast!! Unmistakable sound.
exactly
I had Paul's son, Renell, as drummer in my band in Detroit. Great drummer!
The saxophone solo was a nice steady flow of beautiful notes!🎷🎼⭐️💫
Harmonically he seems so different than others of his time. His note choices… He seems to pick things outside just a touch. Not nasty outside, just not what you’d expect.
Yes. I would say he gets to the edge.
don byas, lucky thompson, benny golson and eddie lockjaw davis are all harmonically, tonally-- stylistically close relatives. they all share one thing in common: strong coleman hawkins influence.
@@drewmfieand I love the mighty Hawk
Bravo....jolly good!!
Thank for posting this valuable piece of music history and tenor saxophone instruction.
Amazing solo! Wow !!😍
Great style..
Man! He was GREAT! Best sax playing I’ve heard in a while! REALLY great tune! Nuff said.
Nonstop cookin’!
The Ellington band was blessed with a strong sax/reed section that stayed together many years - Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton and Harry Carney. Ben Webster was there earlier, but never quit playing the classic Ellington tunes after he left.
Gonsalves was hot when he was on, but sadly could also pass out cold holding his sax while the rest of the band played around him. Duke was very forgiving, knowing what he added on his good nights.
Hello Bret, for a while I was only able to view your channel via unregistered access, and so I was not allowed to comment. Now with my registered account , I would like to say that your channel is developing again and that makes me happy for you.
Use everything the yt algo asks for you for your/our success.
Best luck
OK, I'll try.
That man got a bag full of licks and not afraid to let it go. Thx for the vid!
I had to listen to that twice
Only twice??
Agree strong that Gonsalves was one of greats. "Duke Ellington's Jazz Parrty" contains a number of great Gonsalves riffs. The recording also contained performances by Dizzy Gillesspie and Jimmy Rushing.
Wow. I love that recording. Have to listen again. thanks.
@@JazzVideoGuy Recorded in 1959, same year as Kind of Blue. Both were Coumbia releases. Almost too much for coincidence.
I've got both his albums with Tubby Hayes and one he recorded in France. All fine!👌
Gotta check that out.
Fantastic playing!! totally underated...
Wow! Thanks for sharing, I'll be looking into him more!!
Hey! saw you at one of the J-Ensemble shows in NY. Have any plans for posting preformance clips? Like strait raw gig footage or from shows? I know I and many others would love it.
Ahhhh, Thank you, Bret. His concept with ballads features possibly the greatest subtone command and articulation in the Tenor tradition. Such elegant, sultry and mysterious beauty. Captivating!
They don't play like that any more.
That's for damn sure
And of course this performance brings to mind the great solo at the Newport Festival in the late 50s.
exactly
If you notice his opening lick is the one he played on the first chorus at the Newport gig.
Never heard of him, thanks so much, luv it
Unbelievable! Thank God for Duke and his band!
yup
Great! (when he was awake on the stand)
A very unique voice. Reminds me of Jackie McLeans style the way he stretches the pitch.
Thanks for the history lesson. 🎶
😊
Wow!
This is great!
Saw him at the Blue Note, Chicago1950.
One of the great ones, as you say. His style encompassed both the pre-war and the post-war harmonic language and he had drive and excitement. His best period was his first fifteen years (1950-65) with Duke Ellington, who made him one of his main stars. Gonsalves' personal "problems" were often egregious, but Duke hung on to him due to his warmth of personality and musical genius. In 1968, Ellington hired Harold Ashby, an excellent tenor player with a strength and stamina Gonsalves no longer had, while retaining Gonsalves, who died days before Ellington. This was the film with the very strange hairstyle Duke tried and then dropped.
My favorite PG is his fight with cantankerous Charles Mingus. It started with him asking Mingus to sight read a classical chart. Mingus wasn't doing it to his satisfaction apparently and the name calling ensued including the n* word. It culminated with PG getting slapped or punched and PG chasing Mingus screaming and hollering with an axe. Even Duke marveled at Mingus' agility and nimbleness for a big man as he was jump over the chairs, his bass etc. Mingus' bass got hit as it has used as a shield. Frankly, dude was crazy.. The axe incident happened as the band was playing!!!!
@@donmilland7606 That story did not involve Gonsalves, but Juan Tizol, who apparently pursued Mingus with a knife, not an axe. This was told in Mingus' autobiography. Gonsalves was a gentle, sweet soul.
Ashby was excellent, rich tone in the Ben Webster tradition. He made several recordings under his own name for smaller jazz labels in the 1970’s.
thanks for sharin'!
Paul Gonçalves espectacular
Wow! Just wow! Brilliant playing!
Fantastic.
I've been a Paul Gonsalves freak since I heard this tune ("Ready Go"?) on that live album, Jazz at the Plaza vol 2. Also love disc one of the Great Paris Concert (1963, incl "Suite Thursday") and an album called, I think, Private Collection vol 3. That whole session (from 1959ish?) features PG and the trombone section
Gonsalves is a force of nature.
You are right. The Great Paris Concert is a gem.
@JazzVideoGuy Sunny Side, Star Crossed Lovers and All Of Me. Whipped cream on top of jelly!
Thanks for this Jazz Video Guy
Thank you,Bret🌟🌹🔥🌹🌟LOVE IT!!!!
This is classy .
So many underrated players, this is certainly one. My vote would be Frank Strozier
Yes, I'm a big Frank Stozier fan as well. One of those Memphis players.
@@JazzVideoGuy my vote for under recognized is Sonny Criss
One of the best.
Thank you ❤
You're welcome 😊
Nice choice. My favorites are Booker Ervin and Billy Harper.
You've named two really excellent tenor players.
Thanks for a wonderful clip!
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video!! I need to hear more from PG. The credits don't show it, but I am wondering if that is Louie on drums. The double bass drums make me think that it might be the great Louie Bellson.
no, it's Rufus Jones on drums
Fuck yeah!
A monster! A genius monster!
true dat!
And don't forget that in USA the first style of music in the charts is "Country music", so don't be surprised about the "rate" of talent like Paul Gonsalves in USA, something different in Europe.
I myself have two country songs on my playlist.😌
So the US is more inventive but less preservationist? Maybe that's two sides of the same coin.
Thanks again Bret!
My pleasure!
❤ PG
See Paul Gonsalves and Dizzy Gillespie.
Perfect 🎶🎷
Wow man…he was piece of something
ALL OF JAZZ is "underrated" at this point but yeah, thanks for reminding the future about the great Paul Gonsalves and Duke Ellington's band.
Wow that is a smoking session!
What a strange title, everyone I know rates him highly!
If anyone is underrated, it’s someone like James Spaulding…
Agreed
all great talent
I gave saxophone lessons to his son!!!
Love this shit
Paul Gonzalves was playing “out” way ahead of his time and influenced cats like George Garzone.
Yup
I think he played guitar too.
I think he soloed in the film Paris Blues.
Boom Jackie boom Chick
Really good player he was. Another guy who I thought was underrated on sax was Joe Farrell
Blow...BLOW yo'HORN... BLOW ...
yes!
Hummingbird was a stinker but all else amazing!!
類い稀なソロ、必要なミネラルが揃っているような。
No charts?
This audio is not real one. Can't you see?
?
Paul Gonsalves?
To be in the Ellinghton band as first Sax wasn't for everyone. Here we ear the proof
Paul shone brightly in Ellington band recordings !! Intriguing and rare for a hispanic integration in those 'segregated' years. Unsurprising for jazz to be a key medium for racial 'integration'.
true dat
I transcribed 20 choruses and the Cadenza on this other version. Definitely underrated. ua-cam.com/video/oO4RJfu4q0c/v-deo.htmlsi=efdpP6nRMpC-nR4s
I have to check that out.
Beautiful video, but whoever digitized it sped it up, so it's about a quarter tone sharp. It happened with all those Goodyear tv shows. ua-cam.com/video/L2Kk_s9-tmw/v-deo.html
You must have sharp ears given that the frequency shift between semi tones is fractionally less than 6%
@TonyMcQuarry Try to play along with any instrument, you'll be flat.
Certainly not underrated by fellow saxophonists!
Love Gonsalves. But the most unmoderated (Bebop/post Bop) tenor player is Tubby Hayes
Harold land , hawnk mobley
Paul gonsalves is properly rated
I must disagree. I'm not putting him down, but though Gonsalves may share some territory with Lockjaw - who is pretty underrated - I have to say Lockjaw's more interesting, has a sound... and puts Gonsalves away on many fronts. And HE'S underrated.
They did a great album together called Love Calls on RCA. Paul really brought it!
Eddie Lockjaw is underrated. So is Arnett Cobb. I saw him at a small club in Stafford TX for New Years Eve 1981-82. He was home for the holidays. Many years later I spoke to his daughter about that memorable occasion. She looked and quipped "was he drunk?" I was taken back a little. But I said actually he was drinking only ginger ale that night.
@@donmilland7606 Arnett Cobb is so totally outtasight. The Blues distilled 100 proof.
Paul Gonsalves is mainly underrated (the latest buzzword on "youtube") by people who doesn't know anything about Jazz.
Someday, Charlie Parker will be "underrated"...
And please, forget that "27 blues chorus on "crescendo and diminuendo" history told 150 267 times by ignorant journalists... every great saxes soloist is able to "take" 30 choruses on the blues.
Great underappreciated tenor.
@@bt11able Great appreciated tenor, by those who know something about Jazz.
Taking 27 choruses at this level of creativity, intensity, and maintaining interest is a real feat. Not many can do so and keep the audience's attention. I've seen many people try and fail! Don't underestimate that.
Eh... I think we can call him underappreciated these days. I'm hearing a lot of cool harmonic stuff here that deserves a deeper dive. The big band players in general fly under the radar.
Obviously a fantastic player and amazing musician, however as clever as it is, it sounds like musical gymnastics to me. I prefer to listen to a melody, well played.
That’s just me, I know jazz buffs will not agree.
He's just one player, Murray. Have you tried Ben Webster or Lester Young?
@ Thanks for reply , will try
Not underated....known for one solo. IMO one of the weaker players in a band of superstars.
SAX is SAX!!!!