Jazz Saxophonist Benny Colson will Perform on Emmet Cohen’s Master Legacy Series on January 16, 2020 

PRESS RELEASE- St. Cecilia Music Center (SCMC) in Grand Rapids has announced a change to the 2019/2020 Spectacular Jazz Series. Renowned bassist Ron Carter was originally scheduled to appear in Emmet Cohen’s Master Legacy Series in January. However, due to unforeseen circumstances Carter is now not able to appear. St. Cecilia Music Center is very happy to announce that another legendary artist has taken his place. On January 16, 2020 Emmet Cohen’s Master Legacy Series will now feature multitalented and internationally famous jazz legend tenor saxophonist, Benny Golson.

Benny Golson Bio

Benny Golson is a composer, arranger, lyricist, producer and tenor saxophonist of world note. Raised with an impeccable musical pedigree, Golson has played in the bands of world famous Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Earl Bostic and Art Blakey. Few jazz musicians can claim to be true innovators and even fewer can boast of a performing and recording career that literally redefines the term "jazz". Benny Golson has made major contributions to the world of jazz with such jazz standards as Killer Joe, I Remember Clifford, Along Came Betty, Stablemates, Whisper Not, Blues March, Five Spot After Dark, Are you Real? 

Benny Golson is the only living jazz artist to have written 8 standards for jazz repertoire. These jazz standards have found their way into countless recordings internationally over the years and are still being recorded. He has recorded over 30 albums for many recording companies in the United States and Europe under his own name and innumerable ones with other major artists. 

A prodigious writer, Golson has written well over 300 compositions. For more than 60 years, Golson has enjoyed an illustrious, musical career in which he has not only made scores of recordings but has also composed and arranged music for Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., Mama Cass Elliott, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Shirley Horn, David Jones and the Monkees, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, Itzhak Perlman, Oscar Peterson, Lou Rawls, Mickey Rooney, Diana Ross, The Animals (Eric Burden), Mel Torme, George Shearing and Dusty Springfield. 

His prolific writing includes scores for hit TV series and films including M*A*S*H, Mannix, Mission Impossible, Mod Squad, Room 222, Run for Your Life, The Partridge Family and The Academy Awards. He has composed for television specials on ABC, CBS and NBC as well as television specials for BBC in London and Copenhagen. Benny wrote the theme for Bill Cosby's last TV show and the French film Des Femmes Disparaissent.

A live performer who consistently knocks audiences off their feet, Benny Golson has given hundreds of performances in the USA, Europe, South America, the Far East and Japan for decades. This humble musical giant continues to impress critics, fans and fellow musicians with his prodigious contributions to the world of jazz. More information at bennygolson.com

Season subscription tickets to the 2019-2020 Spectacular Jazz Series are available at special rates by calling 616-459-2224 or visiting St. Cecilia Music Center at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids, 49503 or online for new subscribers at www.scmc-online.org. 

Subscription tickets for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Series and Single tickets for all 2019/2020 season concerts – jazz, chamber, and folk concerts – are also available and can be purchased by phone at 616-459-2224 or online at www.scmc-online.org.
For each concert, a post-concert party is open to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to possibly meet the artists and obtain signed CDs of their releases.  There will also be pre-concert receptions for the Jazz Series concerts and CMS of Lincoln Center concerts featuring wine and hors d'oeuvres for $15 per person with reservations required in advance. All concerts start at 7:30 pm. All concerts include a post-concert party for concert ticket holders. 

Detailed information about all upcoming 2019/2020 season concerts are online at scmc-online.org.