Virgil Gonsalves - Virgil Gonsalves Big Band Plus Six: Jazz At Monterey

In 1959, Baritone saxophonist Virgil Gonsalves co-produced this recording with Dave Hubert for release on the Omega label. Recorded in San Francisco, it featured one of the finest modern jazz big bands to come out of the Bay Area. Among it's members were, Leo Wright, Junior Mance and Bay area favorites Mike Downs and Danny Patiris. The program is divided between big band and sextet. Many of the big band arrangements are by Jerry Cournoyer who appears to be the co-leader on the big band sides. The recording features the wide stereo sound favored by Omega. On this session, Virgil Gonsalves plays straight ahead modern jazz, certainly post-bop but not quite hard bop. The big band is tight and the charts are excellent. The sextet is equally up-to-date, featuring some of the best players in San Francisco. The liner notes, by legendary disk jockey and jazz authority Johnny Adams, are a great reminder that the Beat era was what was happening in Northern California in 1959. The better soloists each get their turn with excellent features for Leo Wright, Danny Patiris, Mike Downs, Junior Mance, Merrill Hoover and Virgil Gonsalves. A fine recording and a great example of authentic Bay area modern jazz, that everyone will enjoy.