We tend to think of West Coast jazz as a style centered exclusively in Los Angeles. While much of the relaxed, contrapuntal music was inspired by the Southern California weather and lifestyle and evolved in the city's suburbs in the 1950s, San Francisco also had a West Coast sound that was slightly more intensive and a reflection of the city. Artists who emerged from the San Francisco jazz experience in the late 1940s and '50s included Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Cal Tjader, Dick Collins, David Van Kriedt, Bill Smith, Vince Guaraldi, Eddie Duran and Carson Smith. Add Virgil Gonsalves to the list.
Many jazz fans are unfamiliar with Gonsalves. Paul Gonsalves, yes. But not Virgil. The two musicians were not related. Virgil was a baritone saxophonist who recorded only four jazz albums between 1954 and 1959. As the rock era emerged and jazz opportunities slowed in San Francisco, Gonsalves gigged and then played in rock horn bands such as the Electric Flag and Pacific Gas & Electric. In the 1970s and beyond, he gigged and taught in schools, a vocation he loved.
Now, Fresh Sound has released Virgil Gonsalves: Sextet and Big Band, a two-CD set that unites the musician's jazz output in the 1950s. These dates feature extraordinary music and sidemen. The Gonsalves albums included are Virgil Gonsalves Sextet (1954), Jazz San Francisco Style (1955), Intro to Jazz: Rudi Salvini Orchestra (1956) and Jazz At Monterey: Virgil Gonsalves Big Band Plus Six (1959). The 32 tracks are uniformly excellent.
The combo sessions are fabulous with towering players and the big band tracks are spectacular. For example, sextet session from 1954 features two great combos fused into one. Here, we have the horns of Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Buddy Wise (ts) and Virgil Gonsalves (bar), backed by a sterling rhythm section comprised of Lou Levy (p) Harry Babasin (b) and Larry Bunker (d).
The big band sessions are truly astonishing. One is Gonsalves with the Rudy Salvini Orchestra, a tiger outfit featuring Rudy Salvini, Allen Smith, Al Del Simone, Wayne Allen, Billy Catalano (tp) Van Hughes, Archie Lecoque, Chuck Etter, Ron Bertuccelli (tb) Charles Martin (as) Jerry Coker, Tom Hart, Howard Dudune (ts) Virgil Gonsalves (bar) John Marabuto (p) Dean Reilly (b) and John Markham (d), with Jerry Cournoyer, Jerry Mulvihill and Jerry Coker arranging.
The other features Gonsalves's sextet of Mike Downs (tp), Danny Pateris (ts), Virgil Gonsalves (bar), Merrill Hoover (p), Eddie Khan (b) and Al Randell (d) backed by Bill Cataligio, Jerry Cournoyer, John Coppola, Mike Downs and Dickie Mills (tp); Bob Davidson and Leo Wright (as); Danny Pateris and Chuck Peterson (ts); Virgil Gonsalves (bar); Merrill Hoover and Junior Mance (p); Eddie Khan (b) and Benny Barth (d).
If you're a big band head like me, you're in for quite a treat. And it's fair to say that Gonsalves is a joy to hear in all of his groups. Unlike the West Coasters who followed in Mulligan's shoes, Gonsalves has more Pepper Adams in his attack. This new set's extensive and excellent liner notes by Jordi Pujol and booklet will tell you all you need to know about the little-known baritone saxophonist.
Virgil Gonsalves died in 2008.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Virgil Gonsalves: Sextet and Big Band (Fresh Sound) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's the Virgil Gonsalves Sextet from 1954 playing It Might as Well Be Spring...
Here's one of the finest big band recordings of Benny Golson's Stablemates arranged by Jerry Cournoyer, who had the push of Oliver Nelson...
And here's a recording of John Coltrane's Moment's Notice arranged by Cournoyer...
