Jerry Bergonzi - Tenor of the Times

Among his peers, Jerry Bergonzi is one of Boston's most respected musicians. Boston-based drummer George Schuller noted: "Jerry's an incredibly fluid saxophonist. He's always someone I've enjoyed playing with because of his power and time." No matter how difficult the piece or quick the tempo, Bergonzi can tear through it. But he also uses rests and multi-note passages effectively, and sometimes plays simple, pretty phrases. His style, drawn mainly from John Coltrane, seems influenced by Shorter as well. Like these artists, Bergonzi varies the color and texture of his tone skillfully. Bergonzi's efforts impress and sometimes amaze other musicians, as his abilities are overwhelming. Michael Brecker was asked how he felt to be the king of the tenor players, and he said: "I don't know. You'll have to ask Jerry Bergonzi."