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Benny Golson

Benny Golson, Philly native sax player, composer and arranger was in town for Penn States annual jazz festival 10 days ago. Benny wrote many classics including Killer Joe, Whisper Not, and I Remember Clifford. At 90 years of age, he still played great sax solos and told rambling stories about how he came to write each song. It was great inspiration for guys in our band, several of whom are in their nineties, to see Benny still going strong. His work is all over YouTube, including Lionel Hampton introducing Benny’s rendition of I Remember Clifford.

African drumming using Burton grip

Slow Agbekor (traditional Ewe warrior dance in 12/8, also known as “Atsiagbekor”)
In this one-man-band arrangement, four support patterns and drum languages build the ensemble array: gonkogui (bell), totodzi and kagan drums, and ankle bells. Once the groove is established, I recite a number of master drum themes, with several songs interspersed. The left hand uses the Burton grip to simultaneously play two parts: bell and totodzi.